News

  • News
  • 2024
  • Race updates - 2024 Bird Island Race

Race updates - 2024 Bird Island Race

  • NEWS
  • 17 Nov, 2024 09:45:00 AM
Race updates - 2024 Bird Island Race

Race updates - 2024 Bird Island Race

Read a continuously updated race summary as the race progresses

FINAL RACE UPDATE SUNDAY 0900 HOURS (22 hours 40 minutes after start)

The final nine boats completed the Bird Island Race overnight: Toucan, Rumchaser, Verite, Blue Planet, Chancellor, Windhover, Wild Oats, Rum Rebellion and Maritimo Katwinchar. Bill Barry-Cotter's 120-year-old restored classic skippered by Michael Spies, finished the course at 0148 hours this morning, averaging 5.4 knots for the journey.

40 of 43 starters finished. The building, often gusty, North Easterly breeze had delivered testing conditions for the bash north to Norah Head and then an exhilarating trip back to Sydney. Several boats recorded speeds in excess of 20 knots and it was certainly a shorter second half of the trip for everyone.

In the wash up, Max Klink's Botin 52 Caro (NZ) took out Division 1 and Overall IRC honours in a corrected time of 11:18:18 - 7 minutes 10 seconds ahead of Anthony Johnston's Maxi 72 URM Group. The two are set to face off again in the upcoming Cabbage Tree Island Race and then the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart. Caro finished 3rd in Division 1 of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart and was 3rd Overall in 2022. URM Group finished a close 2nd to 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Overall winner Alive (who will also be returning for all the build up events) and is the current 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney BWPS Champion.  Sebastian Bohm's TP52 Smuggler continued their fantastic year, finishing 3rd Overall.  She won Division 1 of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Ronald Epstein's new JPK 11.80 Bacchanal proved she'll also be one to watch this Summer, winning Division 2 (6th Overall). She will be heading 'home' to the US West Coast in the New Year to compete in a strong program of events.

Steve Watson's perennial favourite, the J/130 Ragtime, was second in IRC Division 2; Ron Forster and Phil Damp's Beneteau First 40 Ariel rounded out the division's placings.

The Corinthian IRC Division saw Peter Wrigley and Andrew Kearnan's TP52 Koa triumph, ahead of Richard Hudson's IC45 Pretty Woman and Richard William's Cookson 12 Calibre 12.

The Wild Rose Division, introduced to help promote female participation in our offshore races, was won by Pretty Woman, with Ragtime 2nd and Jiang Lin's JPK 10.30 Min River (DH) 3rd.

PHS Overall was won by Ragtime with Bacchanal and Caro rounding out the podium.

Double Handed IRC and PHS was won by Andy Offord's Sunfast 3300 Borderline whilst Jules Hall's J/99 Disko Trooper finished 2nd in both double handed handicap divisions. Min River was 3rd on Double Handed IRC; Ian Smith's J/99 Jupiter 3rd on Double Handed PHS.

Attention now moves to the next Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore event, the Cabbage Tree Island Race on Friday 6 December. This race also doubles as the first race in the 2024 Australian Maxi Championship, for competing mini maxis and maxis (60-100 feet).

Wishing competitors all the best in your continued preparations and for the season ahead!

 

Caro surfing into Sydney Harbour to finish the Bird Island Race.  Image courtesy Bow Caddy Media  

 

RACE UPDATE SUNDAY 0000 HOURS (13 hours 40 minutes after start)

And into Sunday.  Since our last report when Koa and Antipodes were just arriving back, a further 24 boats have finished, taking the total to 31: Oroton Drumfire, Pretty Woman, Bacchanal, Odin, Calibre 12, Ragtime, Kanreki, Ariel, Quetzalcoatl, Wings, Georgia Express, Mondo, GWM Pennant Hills, Borderline, Philosopher, Wots Next, Ciao Bella, Disko Trooper, Min River, Navy One, Le Tiroflan, Crystal Cutter III, Luna Blue and Jupiter. That leaves only nine still on the water.

IRC Overall standings sees Caro ahead of URM Group, Smuggler, Whisper and Koa - all five Division 1 boats.  Division 2 leaders are Bacchanal, Ragtime and Ariel.  IRC Corinthian: Koa, Pretty Woman and Calibre 12.  The Wild Rose IRC rankings: Pretty Woman, Ragtime and Min River.

PHS standings feature Ragtime, Bacchanal, Caro, Antipodes and Oroton Drumfire.

For the double handed fleet, Andy Offord's Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Borderline leads both IRC and PHS.  Disko Trooper and Min River hold down the placings on Double Handed IRC;  Disko Trooper and Jupiter for Double Handed PHS. The only threat to upset these rankings is Bill Barry Cotter's Maritimo Katwinchar skippered by Michael Spies who is 8 nautical miles SE of Broken Bay with 12.8 nautical miles to the finish.  She would need to finish just after 0100 hourrs to take the lead.

 

RACE UPDATE SATURDAY 2030 hours (10 hours 10 minutes after start)

It's getting interesting in the race for handicap honours.

In PHS, Caro currently leads Geoff Hill's Santa Cruz 72 Antipodes - both of whom have finished - but Oroton Drumfire will best Caro's corrected time and take the lead if she completes the race in the next ten minutes or so. The USA entry, the JPK 11.80 Bacchanal, will need to finish just after 2100 hours to better them both.  She looks likely with only 8.5 nautical miles to go but it may come down to minutes. Steve Watson's J/130 Ragtime is also in the hunt.

14 boats can still mathematically better Caro's IRC Overall corrected time at this stage but it is unlikely any will.

For Corinthian IRC, Koa leads Pretty Woman and Calibre 12 - both are still racing.

Double Handed IRC sees Borderline ahead of Jupiter and Disko Trooper.

The breeze is still out of the NE and ranging between 16-25 knots on the Northern Beaches with an easterly swell of 1.7-2 metres.

Stay tuned!

There has been one more retirement - Kim Jaggar's Cinquante suffered rigging damage and is returning to the Club.

 

Bacchanal   Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

 

RACE UPDATE SATURDAY 2020 HOURS (10 hours after start)

The first five finishers of today's 2024 Bird Island Race were:

1st - URM Group (Anthony Johnston) Maxi 72

2nd - Whisper (David Griffith) JV62

3rd - No Limit (David Gotze) RP63

4th - Caro (Max Klink) Botin 52 (NZ)

5th - Smuggler (Sebastian Bohm) TP52Aus

In IRC Overall standings amongst the first finishing boats, it was a close affair. Caro pipped URM Group by 6 minutes 50 seconds after finishing in a corrected time of 11:18:18. Smuggler was a further 11 minutes 57 seconds back and Whisper 4 minutes 5 seconds slower again.

 

Whisper.  Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

 

RACE UPDATE SATURDAY 1800 HOURS (7 hours 40 minutes after start)

URM Group claims Line Honours in the 2024/25 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore Bird Island Race!

URM Group crossed the finish line at 17:26:33 after 7 hours, 6 minutes and 33 seconds on the racecourse, reaching speeds of up to 22 knots on their way back from Bird Island.

Next boats due to arrive: Whisper, Caro and No Limit. Whisper has just under 7 nautical miles to go to the finish.

The pack behind them is led by Smuggler, closely followed by KOA and Antipodes.

 

RACE UPDATE SATURDAY 1520 HOURS (5 hours after start)

URM Group has just rounded the turning mark of Bird Island and is heading south and homeward bound. She is doing 9.6 knots, averaging 9 knots for the trip so far but expected to rocket home.

Whisper, Caro, No Limit, Smuggler, Antipodes and KOA round out the top seven places.

URM Group also leads IRC Overall over Caro, Smuggler, Oroton Drumfire and Antipodes. The lead has changed considerably over the past hours so it's still anyone's race on handicap but forecasts favour the bigger boats.

The best placed Division 2 boat is Ronald Epstein's new, locally built JPK11.80 Bacchanal in 7th on overall standings.  She sits atop Ariel, Maritmo Katwinchar (DH), GWM Pennant Hills and Jupiter (DH). 3rd best placed double-hander is Disko Trooper.

On PHS, Oroton Drumfire leads Navy One and Antipodes.

The NE breeze on the Central Coast is ranging from 13-18 knots and building, likely to top out just under 30 knots before midnight before easing.

Whilst the leaders will be back this afternoon, it looks like a long procession of arrivals at the CYCA overnight.  Sailor Moon is now 2 nautical miles East of Broken Bay with 63 nautical miles to the finish.

Caro   Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

 

RACE UPDATE SATURDAY 1330 HOURS (3 hours 10 minutes after start)

Just over 3 hours into the race, Anthony Johnston's Maxi 72 URM Group is 9.9nm North East of Broken Bay and has a lead of 3 miles over Whisper with Caro a further half mile astern. She is currently doing 9.4 knots and has averaged 8.6 knots to date. Not far behind are No Limit, Smuggler, Antipodes and KOA.

Race line honours favourite Master Lock Comanche retired just after midday after suffering mainsail damage to an older race sail. All crew are well.

The bulk of the fleet is bunched up just south of Pittwater off Sydney's Northern Beaches. Everyone now seems to favour staying inside the rhumb line.

With conditions at Terrigal currently 13-15 knots NE and expected to build to 28 knots in the evening, it promises to be an exciting and fast trip home. A 1.4 metre SE swell should swing more into the East and build another half metre.

On estimated corrected time, IRC Overall standings has URM Group ahead of Phillip Neil's Oroton Drumfire, Smuggler, Pretty Woman and Caro. Division 1 boats sit in the top seven spots.

PHS sees Oroton Drumfire over Navy One and Pretty Woman.

In Double-Handed IRC, the 120-year-old Maritimo Katwinchar leads Disko Trooper and Borderline.

URM Group. Image CYCA | Ashley Dart 

URM Group.   Image: CYCA | Ashley Dart

 

RACE UPDATE SATURDAY 1220 HOURS (2 hours after start)

The Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore | Bird Island Race kicked off this morning with 43 yachts on the start line, racing in grey skies and windy conditions.

The start proved to be a bit tricky, with the fleet being recalled twice after a majority of the yachts were over the line.  On the third attempt, with a black flag flying and a more cautious approach, the fleet was off at 1020hrs, tacking towards the Heads. With a 15-knot northeast breeze, an outgoing tide and plenty of waves coming through the Heads, it was a fast and bumpy start, but the fleet handled it well.

Master Lock Comanche was the first to clear the Heads at 1040hrs, followed by URM Group, Whisper, Caro, Smuggler, Antipodes, No Limit and KOA.

In the Double Handed fleet, Disko Trooper led the way out of the Heads, with the rest of the double-handers in close pursuit.

Sailor Moon rounded out the fleet as the last yacht to leave the Harbour 25 minutes after the first yachts.

Follow the fleet via the live tracker and stay updated on our socials for race updates and stunning content.

View all photos

PHOTOS

View all videos

VIDEOS

View all audio

AUDIO