Melbourne to Hobarts - East Coast yachts in sight of Hobart

10:11 PM Tue 29 Dec 2009 GMT

'Veloce - Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart' Teri Dodds &copy

Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart East Coaster latest update. Tony Fowler's Ocean Skins made his routine call from the Iron Pot this morning at 08.15 declaring an ETA at the finish line of 9.45am. Almost home but not able to relax as Phil Simpfendor on Veloce called in just nine minutes later.

The Geelong based Ocean Skins, a Rogers 46, has been locked in a close tussle ever since leaving Port Phillip. The winds have been from every point of the compass, when they where there at all. Now it all comes down to the battle in The Derwent and a run for the line.

With a 15 knot northerly in the river they are screaming home and within sight of each other one mistake could change the order.

Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobart West Coaster latest update:

The battle on the west coast has continued through the night with as predicted Audacious moving up in the fleet. Five boats have rounded Maatsuyker and are heading to Bruny. Peter Cox in Icefire continues to lead the fleet from Jazz Player, Audacious and Spirit of Downunder. It is anyone's race from here and once again with the back marker boats now under spinnaker the handicap positions will favour the smaller boats.

Audacious the Sydney 38 from Royal Brighton Yacht Club currently has the edge on handicap.

The battle for who would get to Hobart first would appear to be going to the Eastcoasters this year.

This morning's earlier East Coast report.

On the east coast Phil Simpfendorfer in his Elliot 44CR Veloce must have been better positioned than Tony Fowler in Ocean Skins. Simpfendorfer has taken the slimmest of leads with just a mile between himself and Skins. Both boats have rounded Tasman Island and are in Storm Bay. This morning's breeze will be north easterly meaning a light reach across Storm Bay to the entrance of the Derwent. The wind is picking up on the nose which will advantage Veloce, at any other angle Skins probably has the edge. Both these skippers are experienced and competitive, they are in sight of each other and this race will be won or lost in Storm Bay and the Derwent River.

The rest of the fleet have now picked up the northerly and will be shooting down the coast under spinnaker. This has high impact for the handicap places, bringing the smaller boats into almost unassailable contention. The little Hick 31 Godzilla is looking good as is Under Capricorn in performance handicap Ingenue, sailed two handed by Rosie Colahan and David James is currently leading.

The first boats are predicted to be finishing later this morning.

Overnight Pretty Woman was forced to retire from racing with electrical problems, they are proceeding to Hobart where they can effect repairs.

www.orcv.org.au

by Jennifer McGuigan

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