Many are calling this year’s regatta the toughest in the 30 year history of running the OKI 24hr race. With winds consistently 20 to 30 knots throughout the entire 24 hours and squally rain showers in the middle of the night, there were a number of masts broken and sails ripped – making this year’s event one for the history books.

“Under the incredibly tough conditions it was always going to come down to the wire. The sailors were pushed hard till the very end and it was questionable at times if the boats and the sailors could keep it together for the full 24 hours,” Scott Leith Commodore Murrays Bay Sailing Club.

The upside of the windy conditions meant Team OKI were able to equal Chris Dickson’s lap record of 120 laps, a record that has been steady for over a decade. “For the last few hours it was really close and wasn’t until the very end before we knew whether they would break the record or not,” commented Leith.

Saturday evening saw a large contingent from the Volvo Ocean Race turn up to take on the conditions and each other. “It wasn’t quite Southern Ocean conditions, but it got pretty exciting out there for a while.” stated Ian Walker, skipper of Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing, Volvo Ocean Race leaders.

The RPM Boat was sailed by James Jennings and Tim Adair who won the Youth Division, completing 112 laps of the course over 24 hours. An excellent effort. Well done guys!

Youth Race Results

• 1st Place: RPM – James Jennings & Tim Adair – See photo below
• 2nd Place: Salthouse Boatbuilders – Blake Woodfield & Dylan McKinlay
• 3rd Place: Office Torque – Tam Lindsay & William McKenzie

 

Click here to see the You Tube footage of the event.

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