Coastal Classic- Olympic 49er completes 120nm Canonball Run

by Richard Gladwell on 23 Oct 2009
Sail-World spoke to the Olympic 49er crew, Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, who paralleled the HSBC Coastal Classic fleet, in the 119nm dash to the Bay of Islands.

After taking 9.5 hours for the trip, the pair were a little sore, their legs ached, and they were strugging to be able to walk, but were otherwise fine.

The trio was eventful with two pitchpolings and four capsizes. However even so the 49er was able to lead all the 50fters to Cape Brett, at the entrance to the Bay of Islands, before turning left and sailing hard on the wind into the finish line off Russell. The finished just behind the top two 50fters, Wired and Georgia Racing. They were cheered across the finish line by the crew of Alfa Romeo, who three hours before had set a new race record.

Top speed for the 49er, which Burling and Tuke have beens sailing for just 12 months, was 20.8kts.

A forecast of 25kts easing during the race was sufficent to get the crew committed to starting with the fleet, a second 49er also started, but withdrew.

The race was a mix of two sail and spinnker reaching. 'We had the spinnaker on most of the way to Tiri Tiri (at the northern end of the inner Hauraki Gulf)', Burling told Sail-World. 'We probably two-sailed for about 30% of the way up the coast.'

'We had no breaks, except for five minutes at Whangarei, when we had to fix a small part that failed on the mast.

'Our support crew was great, with food and drinks - which we ate/drank while sailing.

'Generally the wind was about 15-25kts. We capsized four times and pitchpoled twice - at Tiri Tiri and at the Hen and Chicks , just north of Whangarei.

'We were leading the 50fters at Cape Brett until we ran into a flat spot and then got struck with a 20kts gust from nowhere, and capsized. Once we turned for Russell it was 15kts and we were hard on the wind.'

Burling and Tuke stayed closer to shore than the body of the fleet. 'The furthest out we got was at Sail Rock (Whangarei) where we were eight miles offshore

'I'd like to do the race again next year, Burling said. 'But maybe in something bigger!'

The progress reports from the 49er version of the Cannonball Run are as follows:

At 1325hrs they were off the Hen and Chickens, just north of Whangarei and were making good progress. Their support boat reported that there about eight boats ahead of them in the 200 strong fleet.

At 1700hrs their support team reported that some time had been lost in a lull in the breeze around Manaia, however they were back up and running and were believed by the shore team to be not too far from Cape Brett.

At 1800hrs the Olympic 49er was reported to be not far behind the ILC52, Georgia Racing, and near the Bakewell-White 52 Wired. They were expected to finish between 1930hrs and 2000hrs tonight.

At 1920hrs Peter Burling and Blair Tuke were estimated to 10 minutes away from the finish line in Bay of Islands. They finished at 1930hrs - taking 9.5 hours fot the 119nm course