M2PF Winners are grinners!

9:51 PM Fri 10 Apr 2009 GMT

'Winners are grinners - Melbourne to Port Fairy (M2PF)' John Curnow

In the Melbourne to Port Fairy race (M2PF) 'Isuzu Marine' was just 13 minutes ahead of 'Extasea' at around 0300hrs this morning (having been going for 26 hours) then 'Ninety Seven' arrived about an hour later.

Not only did Jock and Hamish MacAdie pick up line honours, they have won AMS and PHC and placed second in IRC. Well done and that should give Hamish plenty of ammunition when he sets off for the Mediterranean and their glamorous IRC Circuit.

The fleet is still very spread out, but the results table is already fairly settled. In IRC, the Paul Buchholz's very well rated DK46, 'Extasea', took 1st from 'Isuzu Marine' and then 'Ninety Seven'. In AMS it was 'Isuzu Marine' from 'Extasea' and it may well be 'The Secretary' that collects 3rd. In PHC, the first three finishers grabbed the podium, so they have done very well and stayed focussed in the trying conditions. Places are as they finished - 'Isuzu Marine', over 'Extasea and then 'Ninety Seven'.

Thankfully all boats are now round Cape Otway. Fourth boat home was 'Spirit of Downunder', but it is the next bunch of finishers that looks interesting. 'Running Wild' has once again come from nowhere and then there is 'Chikara Outlaw', 'The Secretary', 'Mirrabooka', 'Bacardi' and 'Geomatic Joker'. Bill and Jo on 'Chikara Outlaw' have done well after their 'little detour' to King Island. Look out for them at the bar.

'Pretty Woman' still occupies the tail, but 'Rogue Trader' has been overtaken by 'Yoko' and all three are a way behind 'Addiction and one of the PFYC entrants, 'Tevake'. In the end it is great that the whole fleet is still out there and enough breeze will ensure they all make it in for the presentation of the marvellous Gill prize.

Yacht Tracker can be found here: www.orcv.org.au/tracker/indexPF.htmlwith standings available here: www.orcv.org.au/tracker/service/race_infoPF.php