As the yachts approach the top end of the West Coast of Tasmania Matt Hannaford continues to drive hard in his Cookson Farr 39 No Fearr.  He is currently ahead in the line honours stakes but also is leading on IRC handicap.  No Fearr is eight miles past Cape Grim abeam of Dodgers point and hugging the coast.

Jeff Otter’s, Mummery 45, Icefire is some six nautical miles behind having gained ground during the night and is dogged another 4nm’s back by David Phillips in his Sydney 38 Hasta la Vista reach has almost reached Cape Grim.

The new Archambault 35, Archie, skippered by Sally Rattle from Hobart is putting in a good performance and lies only 3 nm’s behind Phillips.  Don Fraser in his Beneteau 47.7 Elektra is at a slightly lower latitude than Archie but some 26.5 miles out to sea.

Richard McGarvie’s Addiction is just five miles astern.

A fraction east of Grassy, King Island and on the same Latitude are Laurie Ford in his Cameron de Lange, Varta Spirit of Downunder.  Ford had commented that the conditions were unlikely to suit his boat and this does seem to be the reason for his drop in the field.  Robin Hewitt and Yoko, Eddie Ragauskas in A Crewed Interest and Bill Feore from Plantronics Voyager are all on this same latitude but about four miles apart.  They have Phil Bedlington in Under Capricorn close at hand and whilst Bill Morgan in Tevake are on a similar latitude they are five miles further out to sea.

The rear of the fleet has stretched out with Pilara, Ruthless, Apollonius, Affrayed Knot and Coogens Stores bringing up the tail.

Joint Venture, the double handed boat of Alex McKinnon and Bretlyn Brown have missed two radio scheds.  John Williams of race management said ‘We suspect radio problems and because of the conditions do not have fears for their safety.’