2024 King Island Race Updates
Watch the fleet on the tracker here https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-to-king-island-race
Check back here during the race to the latest news and updates.
6:50 pm Saturday 9th March – eXtasea takes Monohull Line Honours
Leading most of the day, it was eXtasea that set the pace to finish first and take line honours for the monohull division. All day, Peccadillo the multihull chased eXtasea but couldn’t catch them. A great result with ‘eXtasea’ the Cookson 50 being skippered by Dustin Popp finishing the 2024 King Island Race on March 9th at 18:48:19
eXtasea crew, is thrilled to be Monohull Line Honours winners with Dustin Popp (centre) as skipper. Photo Dustin Popp supplied.
A busy night is ahead of our Race Director team as the massed fleet arrives over the coming few hours. Keep an eye on the tracker or head over to the ORCV Facebook page for updates on finishing times and the ability to congratulate your crew as they finish the 2024 King Island race and come in for that legendary steak sandwich. Follow the fleet here on the race tracker https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-to-king-island-race
2pm Saturday 9th March race update – Joker X2 takes the overall lead as the J boats battle it out.
It’s now become a battle between the J boats for the overall lead (based on AMS) with Joker X2, the J133 sailed double-handed by Grant Chipperfield and Pete Dowdney currently 1st and battling it out against Jones and McKenzies fully crewed J111, ‘Ginan’ for the overall lead. With less than a nautical mile between them, these boats may be the ones to watch.
The division 2 boats, ‘Weekend Option’ skippered by Michael Culhane is leading (based on AMS) from skipper Leo Cantwell’s, Sydney 36cr ‘Alieron’ by just 6 minutes on corrected time.
It's a similar story for the PHS category division 1 boats. Division 2 PHS has 'Spirit of Freya', a Jeanneau Sunfast 36, skippered by Joanne Harpur currently in 1st place.
Race map at 2pm, Ginan and Joker X2 within 1nm of each other.
The winds are due to soften and swing further to the east as the afternoon progresses. Keep an eye on the tracker as they head towards King Island and Grassy Harbour where Gary, Tanya, Niki and the crew of the King Island Boat Club are all set up and ready for the pending arrival of the fleet, with eXtasea expected later in.
Gary and the wonderful KIBC volunteers setup and ready for the arrivals Photo D Schuller.
Keep an eye on the tracker as the boats start to arrive late afternoon https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-to-king-island-race
10.30 Saturday 9th March – Almost halfway there.
As the leaders approach the halfway mark, it’s ‘eXtasea’ the Cookson 50 skippered by Dustin Popp that is still setting the pace with a boat speed of 12.4 knots and starting to stretch away from the fleet.
‘Peccadillo’ a Chris White 46 Mk Ii Multihull skippered by Charles Meredith has now found their ‘mojo’ and was last seen doing 10.6 knots and chasing down the leader eXtasea.
The handicap leaders are constantly changing with eXtasea currently 1st, double-handed duo Chipperfield and Dowdney on the J133, ‘Joker X2’ in 2nd and Ginan in 3rd (based on overall AMS).
For division 2, it’s the lighter smaller boats such as Vertigo a Summit 35, skippered by Tim Olding coming 1st, Koos Theron’s X4.3 ‘Xenia’ a close 2nd with How Bizarre the seasoned crew skippered by Scott Robinson in 3rd (based on AMS) and looking to catch up with leaders to ensure they secure the highly desired crayfish prize.
The leaderboard is similar across all handicaps with PHS showing Jaffa and Maverick in 3rd.
King Island, is a favourite for many on the ORCV calendar where the delights of King Island await their arrival.
Keep an eye on the tracker as the first arrival is expected mid-afternoon today. https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-to-king-island-race
7am Saturday 9th March – It’s anyone’s race
Seven double-handed yachts, many trying to build their skills with twelve months to go to the Osaka race, have joined the fleet this race. White Spirit co-skippered by ORCV Commodore Cyrus Allen with Lillian Stewart currently leading overall on AMS with fellow double-handed Joker X2 and Foggy Dew in the top 4 (based on AMS).
The crews are enjoying a beautiful sunrise over Bass Strait and flat seas as they consider their options in this tightly packed race and look for wind.
3am Saturday 9th March – The Start Race Update
Shimmer a Hanse 505, skippered by Steve Twentyman was thought to have been first over the start line with Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie co-skippering the J111 ‘Ginan’ soon taking over the lead and setting the pace for the fleet all the way to the heads with eXtasea skippered this race by Dustin Popp, Bandit, Shimmer and Toecutter closely following.
It’s a mixed fleet of seasoned skippers and crew with newcomers French Bred, Quest and Joan Lorraine joining the fleet for their maiden category 2 race.
It’s not often we have a King Island race where the crew enjoy t-shirts warm northerly winds at the start which is expected to continue throughout the 114nm to King Island.
We will provide more race updates but, in the meantime, you can follow the fleet on the race tracker here https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2024-melbourne-to-king-island-race
