Ultimate Challenge battling to start in L2H

The crew of Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race entrant Ultimate Challenge is making a valiant effort to reach Beauty Point in time for this afternoon’s start of the 285 nautical mile race after a week of frustrations in Hobart and on the delivery voyage up the East Coast.

Late yesterday, the one-time Sydney Hobart Race winner was sailing north in of a fresh to strong south-wester after a stopover at Triabunna to take on a fresh delivery crew.

The National Pies L2H starts from Beauty Point on the Tamar River at 1.30pm today, but the race rules allow for a yacht to still cross the start line several hours after the official start time.

Skipper Peter Jenkins initially conceded defeat early yesterday after taking a battering from strong northerly winds after rounding Tasman Island on Christmas Eve.

At one stage the refurbished 1989 Sydney Hobart and Admiral’s Cup team yacht was making only 1.5 to 2 knots against 40 knot northerly heads and roughs seas off the East Coast.

However, several crew members drove from Hobart to Triabunna and joined Jenkins and his two other weary crew,  with the yacht setting sail again as the fresh to strong moved swept up the coast.

Derwent Sailing Squadron sailing manager Michael Denney said late yesterday he doubted if Ultimate Challenge would reach the Tamar Yacht Club in time for this afternoon’s start.

“We will give them every assistance to be a competitor and race back to Hobart,  even if they are late starters….some more crew will be waiting here with provisions to jump aboard as soon as the yacht comes alongside the Tamar Yacht Club marina,” Denney said.

Meanwhile, all other 29 starters in the 285 nautical mile race spent yesterday provisioning and check equipment on their yachts at the Tamar Yacht Club at Beauty Point.

Among the sailors in this ninth L2H are 11-year-old dinghy sailing girls, Jorja Cooper and Esther Read, sailing with their parents, Jacinta and Brett Cooper and Fraser Read, and other adult crew,  aboard the 52-footer cruiser/racer Mistraal.

Race veteran Malcolm Cooper is skippering his 30-footer Kiaulani in his and the boat’s ninth L2H race, while two crew members of Obsession,  Rhys Witt and Georgia Derrick are planning to get married once they reach Hobart.

And then there’s the Border Collie Cora making her first L2H with skipper Neil Snare aboard Winstead Wines.

The latest forecast is for Bass Strait is for 15-20 knot north-west to south-winds this afternoon but lighter winds once the fleet sails through Banks Strait into the Tasman Sea.

Peter Campbell

26 December 2015