Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Race

Carl Harmer, a 29 year old doctor from Whangarei, stitched up his solo yacht race across the Tasman last night with a triumphant entry into Mooloolaba at 5.38 pm (NZST), 11d 4h 38m out of Port Taranaki. Strider was the first of the four boat pack at the back of the fleet to finish the Fitzroy yachts sponsored race.

Trevor Hill sailed his 11.6m Farr designed Apriori across the 2010 Fitzroy Yachts Solo Tasman Challenge finish line at Mooloolaba at midnight (NZST) yesterday to take the first monohull home title.

Apriori, the 11.6m Farr designed yacht skippered by Trevor Hill, was scheduled to cross the finish of the solo Tasman yacht race at Mooloolaba at midnight last night but, about 17 miles from home, the mainsail boom broke. "It went with a hell of a bang," he said, "the broken boom was flailing around all over the place."

Jennifer Fitzgibbons and Trevor Hill have been racing yachts against each other for as long as they can remember, from dinghies to keelboats.

When Bruce Arms sailed his 14m catamaran, Big Wave Rider, from Queensland to New Plymouth in six days and five hours, taking almost four hours off the existing 24 year old solo Tasman yacht race record, some people thought he had it sewn up.

Head Winds Foil Solo Tasman Fleet.

Scott Cavanough, who was to have sailed the mini Transat Skippy Challenge in the race, has withdrawn to focus his energy and finances on the Transat race. Allan Hay, a 2007 race veteran, has withdrawn Delphina for personal reasons and Steve Newcombe, sailing Zen, has pulled out of the race.

Tim Jones  (Aus), has withdrawn Wideload from the race and likewise Peter McCorquodale (Aus), who was to have sailed Torquil. Rick Morgan, sailing his 12.47m composite sloop, Dream Lover, has entered. Entries now stand at 23.

The race website is back on line and looking slicker than ever, thanks to the folk at Venture Taranaki and Momentum Studios. The committee would be appreciative if the 2010 race skippers who haven't already done so, were to e-mail brief biographies of themselves, descriptions  of their boats and pics of both boat and skipper to:- windypoint@callsouth.net.nz for inclusion in the site.