Wrap up of the Colorpress Vasco da Gama International Ocean Race

Royal Natal Yacht Club

Colorpress Vasco da Gama

After a gutsy 300 nautical mile race, Bellatrix skippered by Morningside’s Gregg Hurter won handicap honours in the tough international blue water ocean race, the 2013 Colorpress Vasco da Gama hosted by the Royal Natal Yacht Club that started in Maputo on Thursday.

The Beneteau First 40, Bellatrix relished a mere 16 minute lead in the final handicap results between themselves and second placed Aquavit, an L34 skippered by Ross McGill from Durban North.

After a clean start in Maputo, Bellatrix rounded Inhaca Island in second position and enjoyed sailing with the front runners for the entire race, sprinting down the coastline. Hurter opted for sailing slightly offshore as he and the crew adored the downwind race recording speeds of up to 19knots. They blew two spinnakers during the night but continued flying their biggest spinnaker in the sky.

The front runners consisting of five yachts out of a quality fleet of fifteen were tightly bunched together speeding to arrive back in Durban before the approaching South Westerly. Bellatrix was the furthest offshore, sticking just behind Skitzo, who was rewarded with line honours after their impeccable performance. Bellatrix pushed Skitzo the entire race, crossing the line in second position 29minutes behind Nigel Miln sailing on Skitzo. Miln, the defending champion, finished the race in just under 33 hours.

Commodore for the Royal Natal Yacht Club, Richard Crockett commented on Skitzo winning line honours, “A great result from a man who is fast beginning to 'own' the Vasco race.”

Second placed Aquavit powered to the finish, sneaking in just before midnight in just under 38 hours. The young team on board worked tirelessly trimming the sails squeezing out any speed as they neared Durban.  Aquavit’s final surge to the finish line secured their second place on handicap, forcing out the smallest boat in the fleet, Sticky Fingers lead by Rob Samways from Westville who concluded the race in fourth on handicap.

Crockett enthused, “This year the race has been a cracker, I am impressed with the entire fleet and their efforts. The front runners gave all us landlubbers an exciting show as they tussled for line honours. And the rest of the guys preserved through it all, the rough South Westerly that blew up to 30knots, the windless calm on Friday afternoon.”

Continuing, Crockett stated, “Special mention to Flyer skippered by Brad Rayson and Zap skippered by Graham Rose who never gave up. Zap had battery problems and had to conserve energy so they could use their power for essentials such as GPS, navigational equipment and navigational lights. And Flyer, the last one home impressed us no end, getting battered in the South Westerly but preserved.”

This year the stats revealed that 20% of the overall crew were under the age of 25 years and there were 42 new comers to the race. One of the new trophies presented at the prize giving was the Choose Life Youth Trophy that went to the youngest member who crossed the line first, this prestigious award went to Michael Dickinson sailing on Aquavit. 18 year old Dickinson who is from Glenwood High School is fast making a name for himself in the Durban sailing community.

For the first time in the race, the organisers created a Rally Class for the cruising boats. The difference with this class was the boats were allowed to use their motors for a certain number of hours during the race. Southern Cruiser with Rhett Butler at the helm scooped this award.

A riveting conclusion to the 2013 Vasco da Gama international ocean race witnessed a battle offshore with Gregg Hurter sailing Bellatrix being crowned the champion of the toughest ocean race in Southern Africa.

All pix by Richard Crockett - taken at the start in Maputo

IRC Division, Handicap (Corrected Time): 1 Bellatrix (Beneteau First 40) Gregg Hurter 36 hours 00 minutes 56 seconds, 2 Aquavit (L34) Ross McGill 36:17:39, 3 Skitzo (Fast 42) Nigel Miln 36:40:30, 4 Sticky Fingers (Whitbread 30) Rob Samways 37:19:19, 5 Southern Storm (Pacer 37) Chris Frost 40:03:04, 6 Choose Life Pacer (Pacer 40) Luke Wagner 42:27:45

IRC Division, Line honours (Elapsed Time): 1 Skitzo 32:53:33, 2 Bellatrix 33:22:43, 3 Southern Storm 35:34:10, 4 Sticky Fingers 36:09:53, 5 Choose Life Pacer 37:32:39, 6 Aquavit 37:48:23

PHRF Division: Spindthrift (Lavranos 40) John Banfield

  

Rally Division: Southern Cruiser (Pacer 42) Rhett Butler

ENDS