Luck of the Irish at Hamilton Island Race Week
by Nicole Douglass 19 Aug 11:11 BST
17-24 August 2024
Boats from all eight Australian states and territories, ranging in size from the 100ft Super Maxi 'Wild Thing 100' to the smallest yacht, a 20.6ft Sonata 6.3 'Norbert G' skippered by Ghigo Casalini.
There is also a boat from Ireland, named Ri-Ra, skippered by brothers Hugh and Patrick Blaney competing in the Non-Spinnaker class. They have quickly become one of the favourites at Hamilton Island Race Week, and were shocked to hear of their win in their division today as their journey is for the adventure, not the glory.
"Fabulous, it must have been a mistake," said Hugh Blaney.
"We left on the third of October last year, and we sailed 15464 nautical miles to get here. We arrived to a very welcoming crowd on Thursday, was just fantastic".
"I guess the handicap is designed to make winners win, and losers lose, so we must have sailed well today".
On what it is like to sail with his brother, Hugh joked that "it's an absolute pleasure, but it's a double edged pleasure".
"We are going to have a champagne BBQ to celebrate now that we have realised that we have won!"
Behind Ri-Ra in Non-Spinnaker today was Bigger Day Out skippered by Remco Pen, who now leads overall, and Nev Watts' Blizzard.
Racing for day two started right on schedule with a south-easterly trade wind filling both Dent and Eastern Passage. Courses for the twelve divisions ranged from 9 to 28 nautical miles, and the increasing breeze over the course of the day helped the fleet to battle the very strong north-bound current.
The Rating Divisions, Hamilton Island Blue and the Super 40's started in Dent Passage all heading in a northerly direction. The remaining Hamilton Island divisions, the Hamilton Island Multihulls, Trailables and Non-Spinnaker yachts started in Eastern Passage.
Mark Richards' Wild Oats X took first place in IRC Rating Division 1, almost three minutes ahead on corrected time, over Alive skippered by Duncan Hine. David Gotze's No Limit rounds out the top three in both today's race and the series overall behind the two RP66's.
Matador skippered by David Doherty managed to make consecutive wins and continues to lead the series overall in IRC Rating Division 2. Marcus Blackmore's Hooligan was second on corrected time followed by Peter White's First Light. Hooligan remains in second place in the series overall with Gordon Ketelbey's Zen in third.
The IRC Rating Division 3 winner was Toybox 2 skippered by Ian Box with Bruce McCracken's Ikon and Wazza Red Boat skippered by Garth Riley placing in second and third. Ian Box's success today moves him into second place in the series overall, behind Wazza Red Boat.
The Super 40 division saw Ray Roberts' Team Hollywood secure first place by over five minutes on corrected time and maintain their overall lead. Ray Roberts' eye is surely on securing the prize for most line honours wins at this regattas once again.
The second race of the Cape 31 National Championship was tight and tidal! Regardless, Kukukerchu skippered by David Ross made it two from two and leads overall. Sam Haynes' B4 - Celestial were second and they now also sit in the runner-up spot overall.
In Hamilton Island Blue Division, Caol Ila skippered by Walter Carpenter took the top spot with Triton skippered by Michael Cranitch and Gin & Tonic skippered by Mitch White battling it out for second place. Triton finished ahead by one second on corrected time. The race two results create a three-way tie at the top of the division between Caol Ila, Triton, and Gin & Tonic.
Stratacare Racing Flyaway skippered by James O'Hare was the Hamilton Island Fluro Yellow Division handicap winner, Wedgetail skippered by David Rose took second place and Amazing Nizam skippered by Malcolm Roe third. Amazing Nizam holds on to first place on overall results with Wedgetail and Wayne Millar's Zoe tied on points, with Wedgetail in second with a higher finishing place.
Andy Fairclough's Flying Cloud secured pole position in the Hamilton Island Orange Division with Richard Hammond's Kookaburra and Peter Barry's Shearwater in second and third. Shearwater and Kookaburra take first and third place respectively overall with Philip Cormie's Solutions in second.
The Hamilton Island Pink Division win went to Julian Bell's 51st Project but the division saw another tight battle for second place between Alan Hills' Cooloola and John Foster's Xscape with the former securing second place by 12 seconds on corrected time. Cooloola's performance today slid them up to first place in the division overall.
Sea Dragon skippered by Stephen Leonard and Vivacious skippered by Kevin Lord crossed the line at the exact same time in the Multihull White division. Sea Dragon was awarded first place on corrected time, with Vivacious in second. Ian Ford's Second Wind followed in third. While Vivacious missed out on first play today they hold top spot in the series overall.
The Multihull Black Division was won by Drew Carruthers' Rushour with Jeff Dodd's Zero, on top of the overall leaderboard, and Stuart Cox's Cut Snake completing the top three in second and third.
5 O'Clock Somewhere skippered by Paul Hawkins managed to improve on yesterday's second place spot to take win in the Trailable Yachts Division, and the overall lead, with Masquerade skippered by Tom Vujasinovic coming in second and Keep On Running skippered by Gordon Syme earning third.
With continually building trade winds predicted for tomorrow, the competition is sure to continue to ramp up for all as everyone on the Hamilton Island looks forward to the rest of an exciting week of sailing in the Whitsundays.
Full results here