12:27 AM Fri 19 Feb 2010 GMT
Singlehanded yacht skippers from both sides of the Tasman are gathering in New Plymouth, New Zealand this April for the 2010 Fitzroy Yachts Solo Tasman Challenge, the 11th singlehanded yacht race to Mooloolaba.
Each yacht will be fitted with a satellite transponder so that supporters will be able to follow the sailors progress via the race website,
www.solo-tasman.org.nz
, organizing committee chairman, Ron Scott said. 'It's state of the art stuff,' he added, 'it'll take this historic event straight onto computer monitors all over the world.'
There had been over 40 expressions of interest in competing but this had whittled down to a 'very committed fleet of 19 skippers who will sail out of the port on fourth April.'
The race was started in the late 1960's when New Plymouth sailor/boatbuilder, Dennis Lobb, realized he couldn't afford to sail to England and start in the Observer Singlehanded TransAtlantic Race (OSTAR). Lobb sat down with fellow yachtsmen, Howard Vosper and Phillip Goodsell, and a plan was hatched. 'If Lobb couldn't make it to the race - why not bring a race to Taranaki?'
Yachting authorities vigorously opposed the singlehanded Tasman race, calling it 'foolhardy and dangerous' but the men persisted and, in 1970, five yachts sailed out of Port Taranaki towards Mooloolaba for the inaugural singlehanded Tasman yacht race. Since then many of Australasia's most accomplished sailors (and a fair few sailing eccentrics..) have competed.
'The race is unique in that, as soon as the boats leave the breakwaters at Port Taranaki, they're at sea - until they reach the Mooloolaba breakwaters. There's no coastal sailing - the course is all offshore.' organizing committee chairman, Mr Scott, said.
Previous race fleets have been limited to 15 yachts by a lack of small craft facilities at Port Taranaki. The 1978 and 1986 fleets had 15 yachts - but that was about all we could handle,' he added. 'But thanks to the generosity of Port Taranaki Ltd and David Thorp, a Lepperton farmer who donated the mooring blocks, we've been able to place 20 temporary moorings in the harbour and we've got 18 confirmed entries for the 2010 event.'
There has been an unprecedented interest in the 2010 race. 'You don't have to be a millionaire - and you don't have to be a world beater - but you have to be made of stern stuff and have a keen sense of adventure.'
Two women have competed in the race until now; Annette Wilde (1974) and Kay Cottee (1986) but the 2010 Fitzroy Yachts Solo Tasman Challenge will double that record. Mooloolaba local, Jennifer Fitzgibbon, will be mounting a strong challenge with her 10.6m sloop Soothsayer. Fitzgibbon lived aboard Soothsayer for four years which she says gives her a special bond with the boat and has done many miles of coastal racing including 'lots and lots of damage.' Soothsayer was designed and built by expatriate Kiwi Jon Sayer who sailed the 1982 solo Tasman race and didn't return. Auckland nutritionist, Trish Lewis, will be sailing her Whiting Reactor, Wishbone.
Several entrants from the 2007 race have re-entered in 2010 and will be returning with renewed vigour and enhanced experience. Napier delivery skipper, John Burns, will be sailing his classic 11.06m S&S design Panther and Queenstown dentist, Ross Buchanan, will be back with Scoundrel, a 10.5m kauri yacht designed by Ron Holland. Auckland painting contractor, Ian Lillie, who was first singlehanded monohull across the line in 2007, is also back to try and retain his title.
Auckland sales executive Alan Yardley will be racing Mephisto, a 12.6m Kaufman sloop he sailed home from his OE in Europe a few years ago and another Aucklander, Richard Raea, will be back with his dimunitive JOG sloop Nimbus.
Truxton, Auckland skipper David Tiller's, self designed and built 10.6m composite sloop, is also back for a crack at the race after completing the 1998 event. Both skipper and boat have had heaps more experience since then and they could be the ones to watch in the competitive 10 - 11m size range.
The team to beat for line honours though, will be Bruce Arms and his high tech Chamberlin catamaran, Big Wave Rider. Arms is a two time race veteran and sailed the 14m multihull in the 2007 race. The boat was brand new back then and pretty much an unknown entity, so Arms sailed a very prudent race and light winds foiled him from having a crack at the 6d 8h 50m race record set by Ian Johnston in the trimaran Bullfrog Sunblock during the 1986 race.
Both man and machine are capable of setting a new record though and will warm up by attempting to best the 7d 19h sailing record from Sydney to New Plymouth.
Arms cousin, Steven Arms, launched his own 10.6m Chamberlin catamaran last weekend for the race and is planning a fishing trip to the Wanganella Bank, 290 miles (537 km) NW of New Zealand, as part of his qualifying miles.
Seven Australian boats will be sailing to Port Taranaki for the start and racing back again, including Jim O'Keefe in a 13m Adams cutter, Hullabaloo and Rick Morgan sailing his 12.47m composite sloop, Dream Lover.
But size doesn't always count when it comes to crossing the Tasman. Historically, some of the smallest yachts have found their groove early and creamed home to take line honours from fleets of larger competitors.
Many of the Australian entries are still an unknown quantity at this stage - but the big fleet of similarly sized yachts, competitive skippers and top class technology will make for some interesting racing. In singlehanded racing, the difference often lies with the nut behind the wheel - how individual skippers cope with sleep deprivation and the strain of continually driving their boat hard in all conditions...it could still be anyone's race.
Ends.
by Lindsay Wright
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Hamilton Island, QLD
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