Westcoasters in spinnaker duel

CHAMPAGNE sailing is the description given by Ocean Racing Club of Victoria past commodore Neville Rose to the start of the club’s two races to Tasmania, the Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster and the Melbourne to Devonport, which started yesterday from Portsea.

“A perfect day for an ocean race start — champagne sailing in a 15-20 knot nor’easter on Port Phillip,” Rose reported.

“All went smoothly at the start, which is great because it can be a challenge when one end of your start line is a pier.

“There’s not a lot of room to manoeuvre and it can be very tidal at that end of the bay.

“But it was an absolutely glorious start.

“Spirit of Downunder is doing well as expected — they’re pretty experienced campaigners.”

Conditions continued last evening with the Westcoaster setting a cracking pace under spinnaker before a strong nor’easter, with Spirit of Downunder in a duel for the lead with Lord Jiminy. On course to leave King Island to port, Lawrence Ford’s fully crewed 12m sloop was narrowly ahead of Lord Jiminy, one of 16 two-handed boats in the 480 nautical mile race which is a qualifier for next year’s 5500 nautical mile two-handed race from Melbourne to Osaka in Japan.

Sailing Lord Jiminy, two-up, are Chris Barlow and Paul Roberts, who last year skippered the Melbourne to Hobart race winner Caribadda 8,

Two Tasmanian entrants for the Osaka race are also contesting the Westcoaster: Force Eleven (Tristan Gourlay and Jamie Cooper) and Morning Star (Joanna Breen and Joanne Harpur).

Last evening the fast Adams 11.9 Force Eleven was well up with the leaders, running hard under spinnaker. Morning Star, an S&S34 and the smallest boat in the Westcoaster fleet (and the Osaka race), was at the tail end of the fleet.

Depending on conditions, the lead boats are expected to cross the finish line late on Friday night.