User:Ckatz/VicMaui

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THIS IS A WORK IN PROGRESS, MODELLED ON THE SIDNEY-HOBART RACE PAGE. IT IS NOT YET READY FOR PUBLICATION.

(Apologies if you end up here through some glitch on my part)


The Victoria to Maui Yacht Race is a sailing race from Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, to Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui. It is a joint effort of the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club and the Lahaina Yacht Club. starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles. The race is run in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.

The race was initially planned to be a cruise, but has grown over the decades, since the inaugural race in 1945, to become one of the pre-eminent offshore yacht races in the world and it now attracts maxi yachts from North America and Europe. The 2004 race marked the 60th running of the event. The current race record was set in 2005 by Wild Oats XI, which crossed the line in a time of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds.[1]

In 2005, 89 boats were registered to start. Boats from the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, and four entries from New Zealand competed with Australian boats from New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT. The race started at 1:20 pm Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time. [2]

Contents

[edit] History

Maxi yachts in Sydney Harbour near the start of the 2003 Sydney Hobart race.
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Maxi yachts in Sydney Harbour near the start of the 2003 Sydney Hobart race.
Elapsed times for first across the line, from 1945-2005
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Elapsed times for first across the line, from 1945-2005

The inaugural race in 1945 had nine starters. Rani was the winner, taking six days, 14 hours and 22 minutes. Race records for fastest time dropped rapidly. However, it took 25 years for the 1975 record by Kialoa from the USA to be broken by the German boat Morning Glory in 1996, and then only by 29 minutes. In 1999 Nokia sailed the course in one day, 19 hours, 48 minutes and two secons, a record which stood until 2005.

Rolex has been the naming rights sponsor of the race since 2002, and since then the race has been known as the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. It will continue to have the naming rights until 2010.

Traditionally, crews of yachts celebrate on New Year's Eve at Constitution Dock in Hobart.

Bass Strait, and the waters of the Pacific Ocean immediately to its east, are renowned for their high winds and difficult seas. Even though the race is held in the Australian summer, "southerly buster" storms often make the Sydney-Hobart race cold, bumpy, and very challenging for the crew. It is typical for a considerable number of yachts to retire, often at Eden on the New South Wales south coast, the last sheltered harbour before the Bass Strait crossing.

The 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was marred by tragedy when, during an exceptionally strong storm (which had similar strength winds to a lower-category hurricane), five boats sank and six people died. Of the 115 boats that started, only 44 made it to Hobart. As a result, the crew eligibility rules were tightened, requiring a higher minimum age and experience. A coronial enquiry into the race was critical of both the race management at the time and the Australian Bureau of Meteorology. [3]

In 1999 the race record was broken by Nokia, a water-ballasted VO60 yacht. She sailed the course in 1 day, 19 hours, 48 minutes and 2 seconds. Brindabella reached Hobart just under one hour later (1 day, 20 hours, 46 minutes, 33 seconds) and Wild Thing was a close third (1 day, 21 hours, 13 minutes, 37 seconds). The previous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race record had been set by Morning Glory (2 days, 14 hours, 7 minutes, 10 seconds) in 1996.[4]

In 2004 only 59 yachts completed the course of the 116 who set out from Sydney. Storms hit the race. The super maxi Skandia capsized after losing her keel. [5]

In 2005, Wild Oats became the first boat since Rani to win the "treble," taking Line Honours, winning the Corrected Handicap (IRC), and breaking the course record. (1d 18h 40m 10s, over 1hr off of Nokia's record.)

[edit] Rules

The crew of 2005 winner Wild Oats.
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The crew of 2005 winner Wild Oats.

Much public attention focusses on the race for "line honours" - the first boat across the finishing line, typically the newest and largest "maxi" in the fleet. There is also a handicap competition. The exact rules for the handicap trophy have changed over the years. In general, each boat's time is adjusted on the expected speed of the boat based on its size and other characteristics. The International Offshore Rules were superseded by the International Measurement System (IMS), and the International Rule Club 2000 (IRC) [6] For 1991, 1992 and 1993 there were two overall winners, one under IMS rules and the other under IOR rules. In 2005, the overall handicap winner will be determined on IRC handicap results [7]. In theory, this should make for an even competition between yachts of all sizes, however in practice often only the newest and most advanced boats (regardless of size) can sail fast relative to their rating. In addition, in a race of the length of the Sydney-Hobart weather conditions after the maxi yachts have finished can often determine whether they will win on handicap - if the winds become more favourable after they finish, they will lose on handicap, if they become less favourable they will win.

The race is conducted under the Racing Rules of Sailing determined and published by the International Sailing Federation.

For the 2005 race, the event organisers have removed certain restrictions on the boats. As successful sailing is based on a good power to weight ratio, larger sails are expected to help break race records.

[edit] Yachts

The fleet comprises mostly sloops, that is yachts with a single mast on which is hoisted a fore-and-aft rigged mainsail and a single jib or genoa, plus extras such as a spinnaker.

The race has encouraged innovation in yacht design. Between 1945 and 2005, the most successful yacht designer has been the New Zealand designer Bruce Farr, who has designed 15 overall winners.

[edit] Results

Year Line Honours LH Time
d:hh:mm:ss
Handicap Winner HW Time
d:hh:mm:ss
Starting
fleet size
Finishing
fleet size
2005 Wild Oats XI 1:18:40:10 Wild Oats XI 1:18:40:10 85
2004 Nicorette  2:16:00:44 Aera 3:02:33:43 116 59
2003 Skandia 2:15:14 First National Real Estate 3:14:14:17 56
2002 Alfa Romeo 2:04:58:52 Quest 2:04:46:46 57 55
2001 Assa Abloy 2:20:46 Bumblebee V 75
2000 Nicorette  2:14:02 Wild Thing 82
1999 Nokia 1:19:48 Yandi 79
1998 Sayonara 2:20:3.5 Midnight Rambler 2:12:36:23 115 44
1997 Brindabella 2:23:37 Beau Geste 114
1996 Morning Glory 2:14:07 Ausmaid 95
1995 Sayonara 3:00:53 Terra Firma 98
1994 Tasmania 2:17:48 Raptor 371 308
1993 Ninety Seven 4:00:54 Cuckoos Nest (IMS) / Wild Oats (IOR) 104
1992 NZ Endeavour 2:19:19 Assassin (IMS) /Ragamuffin (IOR) 110
1991 Brindabella 3:01:14 She's Apples (IMS) / Atara (IOR) 99
1990 Ragamuffin 2:21:05 Sagacious V 105
1989 Drumbeat 3:06:21 Ultimate Challenge 126
1988 Ragamuffin 3:15:29 Illusion 119
1987 Sovereign 2:21:58 Sovereign 2:21:58 154
1986 Condor of Bermuda 2:23:26 Ex Tension 123
1985 Apollo 3:04:32 Sagacious 3:04:34:37 178
1984 New Zealand 3:11:21 Indian Pacific 3:07:45:03 152
1983 Condor 3:00:50 Challenge II 2:23:07:42 173
1982 Condor of Bermuda 3:00:59 Scallywag 2:19:19:16 119
1981 Vengeance 3:22:30 Zeus II 03:19:25:59 159
1980 New Zealand 2:18:45 New Zealand 2:18:45 102
1979 Bumblebee IV 4:01.45 Screw Loose 3:03:31:06 147
1978 Apollo 4: 02.23 Love and War 3:12:13:00 97
1977 Kialoa II 3: 10.14 Kialoa 3: 10.14 131 98
1976 Ballyhoo 3: 07.59 Piccolo 3:07:45:07 85
1975 Kialoa 2: 14.36 Rampage 02:13:16:56 102
1974 Ondine III 3: 13.51 Love and War 03:13:25:02 63
1973 Helsal 3: 01.32 Ceil III 02:17:28:28 92
1972 American Eagle 3: 04.42 American Eagle 3: 04.42 79
1971 Kialoa 2: 14.36 PathFinder 3:03:14:34 79
1970 Buccaneer 3: 14.06 Pacha 3:10:07:39 61
1969 Crusade 3: 15.07 Morning Cloud 3:04:25:57 79
1968 Ondine II 4: 30.20 Koomooloo 3:13:38:52 67
1967 Pen Duick III 4: 04.10 Rainbow II 3:16:39:15 67
1966 Fidelis 4: 08.39 Cadence 04:02:46:24 46
1965 Stormvogel 3: 20.30 Freya 3:10:03:26 53
1964 Astor 3: 20.05 Freya 3:05:58:14 38
1963 Astor 4: 10.53 Freya 3:06:03:17 44
1962 Ondine 3: 03.46 Solo 2:12:45:14 42
1961 Astor 4: 04.42 Rival 3:03:57:31 35
1960 Kurrewa IV 4: 08.11 Siandra 3:07:48:04 32
1959 Solo 4: 13.33 Cherana 3:08:33:02 30
1958 Solo 5: 02.32 Siandra 3:13:46:35 22
1957 Kurrewa IV 3: 18.30 Anitra V 3:00:55:37 20
1956 Kurrewa IV 4: 04.31 Solo 3:08:33:52 28
1955 Even 4: 18.13 Moonbi 3:09:21:05 17
1954 Kurrewa IV 5: 06.09 Solveig 3:17:58:01 17
1953 Solveig 5: 07.12 Ripple 3:16:12:12 24
1952 Nocturne 6: 02.34 Ingrid 4:09:56:18 17
1951 Margaret Rintoul 4: 02.29 Struen Marie 2:19:48:26 14
1950 Margaret Rintoul 5: 05.28 Nerida 3:20:17:13 16
1949 Waltzing Matilda 5:10:33 Trade Winds 3:23:39:43 15
1948 Morna 4:05:01 Westward 3:07:45:48 18
1947 Morna 5:03:03 Westward 4:24:56 28
1946 Morna 5:02:53 Christina 4:11:53:27 19
1945 Rani 6:14:22 Rani 6:14:22 9

[edit] Records

The start of the 2003 race in Sydney Harbour.
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The start of the 2003 race in Sydney Harbour.
Wild Oats, the 2005 winner, moored in Hobart after the race.
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Wild Oats, the 2005 winner, moored in Hobart after the race.
  • Inaugural Race Winner, 1945: Rani
  • Fastest Race: 1 day 18h 40m 10s by Wild Oats XI, 2005
  • Smallest Fleet: 9 starters, 1945 (first race)
  • Smallest Yacht: 27ft (8.23m) Klinger, NSW, 1978
  • Smallest Yacht Line Winner: 35ft (10.67m) - Nocturne, NSW,1952
  • Largest Fleet: 371 starters, 1994
  • Largest Yacht: 98ft Skandia, AUS, 2003
  • Largest Yacht Line Winner: 90ft (27.4m) Alfa Romeo Shockwave, AUS/NZ, 2002
  • Triple Fastest, Line & Handicap Winners:
    • 1945, Rani, NSW
    • 2005, Wild Oats XI, NSW
  • Double Line & Handicap Winners:
    • 1945, Rani, NSW
    • 1972, American Eagle, USA
    • 1977, Kialoa, USA
    • 1980, New Zealand, NZ
    • 1987, Sovereign, NSW
    • 2005, Wild Oats XI, NSW
  • Closest Race Finish: 7 seconds, 1982; Condor (UK) beat Apollo (NSW)
  • Most Successful Yacht Designer: Bruce Farr (NZ), 14 overall winners
  • First all-female Yacht: Barbarian, 1975 (skipper: Vicki Wilma)
  • Most Races for one Woman: 13 by Adrienne Cahalan (AUS); (navigator for 2002 winner Nicorette)
  • Worst Disaster: 1998, 6 sailors died; 115 yachts started but only 43 finished.

Another Australian offshore race is the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race run by the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria. Known as the West Coaster, this race arrives in Hobart around the same time as the more famous Sydney-Hobart.

[edit] Women's involvement [8]

Women first participated in the race in 1946. The first woman to take part was Jane Tate, whose boat Active was the only one to reach Hobart in 1946. Dagmar O'Brien, with boar Connella, also took part this year. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is awarded each year to the first female skipper to complete the race. In 1975, the first all-women crew sailed, with boat Barbarian.

In 2005, 24 women took part, including Adrienne Cahalan, who is famed for her around-the-world sailing, has been nominated several times for World Yachtswoman of the Year and was Australian Yachtswoman of the Year for 2004-05. In 2005 she was part of the crew for the winning Wild Oats.

In total, over a thousand women have taken part in the race.

[edit] Notes

  •   The winners in 2000 and 2004, both named Nicorette, are different boats sharing the same sponsor; Nicorette.
  •   This section was sourced from: Heinrich, Karen. "Taking to the sea", Australian Women's Weekly, January 2006, pp. 230.

[edit] References

[edit] External links