Thrills and Spills At Hammo

On the second day of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week the IRC Class A Grand Prix and B yachts raced in their first round of windward/leeward races in a brisk 18-20 knot sou'easterly trade wind and choppy seas.

Living Doll chasing Shogun Photo: Andrea Francolini

Maxi Wild Oats XI scored line honours bullets from as many starts spoiling Investec Loyal’s day while the TP52 Hooligan, with ISAF Rolex Sailor of the Year Tom Slingsby calling tactics, scored three handicap wins from three races. 

Anthony Bell's Investec Loyal had more bad luck today today when it's giant spinnaker suddenly broke free on a downwind run in the second race. Bell was forced to stall the Elliott design head to wind and lost precious time while the crew dragged the waterlogged chute back on deck.

Loki   Photo: Andrea Francolini

On handicap the TP52's were at each other's throats in race two and Shogun almost pipped Hooligan, but ended up just 33 seconds behind while Loki took third. In race three second and third place were reversed. Hooligan might have Slingsby but Shogun has the clout of NZ ace and multiple round the world yachtsman Stu Bannatyne.

In the IRC Passage Class B division Victoire is leading after three races, today’s two firsts in race two and three and yesterday’s second putting the rest of the division on notice.

The radical RP42 Q was forced to retire from the first race due to gear failure and Papillon was a Class B division casualty.

Tomorrow the IRC divisions will join the Cruising, Non Spinnaker and Super Multihull divisions for an islands race while the Performance Racing divisions will have their turn on the windward/leeward course area. The forecast is for a 20/25 knot sou'easterly wind.

Lulu Roseman