In general request, I am back with my virtual race blog. I hope that I can write at least once a day. This is a long and hard race.
3 aug – 05:50 UTC The fleet leaved Sydney Harbour for about nine hours ago, and I have sleept about eight hours. Tango is in top of the leaderboard, nice. The fleet is spread out of a big area from north to south, and Tango is placed in the middle. Just after start I decided to go the fastest way out to better winds. My Sailplanner told me to go north, but I think my way is better, let’s se… Soon it is time for the weater update and things can changes quickly. If we take a quick look at the fleet we have Farmor, Xinanhook and Janhal in the south part and SunFast, Mega30 and Galax in the north.
4 aug – 05:40 UTC The high pressure is catching us… We are just waiting for the next weather update. In that update I hope to se that the high is going a little bit more south. I don’t know if the north way was the best… Maybee the south boats get a better wid angle soon. In the top of the leaderboard we have the US boat AcmeRacing and the Norwegian boat Capella, both are in the north. Tango is in 24:th position. In the middle of the fleet we find the Swedish Wiz, and in south the spanish Xinanhook.
5 aug – 04:20 UTC Intressting race. 150 boats are stoped by the high pressure. 50 boats, which took the north route is now sailing with good speed towards New Zealand. The new leader is Draupner. The norwegian Capella is second. Tangosailing is 26, nearly 50 Nm behind the leader. Jepsom, Farmor and Mistli is between position 90 to 130, catched by the high. The high is slowly moving to the east, like big wall.
7 aug – 6:00 UTC I’m back again in front of my computer. The top boats ar now near the rounding mark Stephens Island. It looks to be the Swedish SunFast who will pass the mark as the first boat. The wind blows from north west, four m/s and it is a little bit tricky with tacking between the islands. Further back in the fleet the ”big white wall”, the high pressure is now moving more easterly and the wind is back. Tango is placed in 17th position at the moment. Behind the leading SunFast we find the slovakian boat SVK1 and the german boat Thausla. 1200 Nm to go to Hobart!
8 aug – 6:00 UTC Here we go again. We are out on the big ocean again, Sydney, here we come! ”Only” 1100 Nm left to Sydney Harbour. The wind blows from SW, a little bit to much agaist. We have a course a little bit north of the next mark. SunFast i still in the lead on the leaderboard, over 100 Nm in front of Tango. I hope for a ”white wall” again… The german boat Thausla is going a more northerly route, longer way but maybe faster… let’s se. Wiz is in 80th position and leads the second group, which was parked in the high pressure. Mistli is 93, Jepsom 106 and Farmor 115.
9 aug – 05:45 UTC 12th position but only 2.5 m/s wind. Top boats is sailing away. Tango is now more than 150 Nm back from the leader. Don’t look back… huuh.. there is many boats hunting me now.. On the leaderboard SVK1 has overtake SunFast, but even rhsnz, thausla and hulse4 is hunting for the top position. The weather forecast looks like… I don’t know. It is not easy to chose the right way now.
10 aug – 12:45 UTC The leading boats has now about 150 Nm left to Hobart. SVK1 is 1st and SunFast is 2nd. But i think SunFast is better position for the finish. Tango is now in 11th, but the 10th look far away. I think it is better to look back and watch out for CajunQueen, Mimmi and HYC_TREV. Jepsom (92), Mistli (94) and Farmor (101) have a big family battle in the middle of the fleet.
11 aug – 04:35 UTC A short report from the water outside Hobart. The race isn’t over yet. SVK1 is still in lead with 70Nm left to Hobart, but new in second place is rshnz, only 4 Nm behind SVK1. The wind has decreased and turns against. Tango is in 11th place more than 60 Nm behind shearwater in 10th. CajunQueen, HYC_TREV, mimmi and Draupner is hunting behind.
12 aug – 04:40 UTC The winner is SVK1! Congratulations! I think it is the first victory for the slovakian sailor. The swedish SunFast was beaten by 28 minutes and in 3rd place is rshnz from New Zealand. Well done all! Tangosailing passed the finish line 03:18 this morning in 12th place. HYC_TREV passed and took the 11th. One hour behind Tango Mimmi finished in 13th. There is still many sailors out on the virtual ocean. Farmor and Jepsom has a big family battle in 74th and 78th place.
12 uag -15:30 UTC 23 boats has arrived to the finish in Hobart. Number 24, just outside the harbour is the swedish boat Gnarp. But there is not much between the boats. Jeroen is in 26th and only 1.2 Nm back. Now the wind increases too. The weather forecasts shows winds around 20 m/s tonight and morning. This was the last words from this race. Maybe the next virtual race blog will be from the SYCC, Sailonline Yacht Club Championship.