The Melbourne to Hobart yacht race has seen a new record set by multi-hull line honours winner, Rushour, arriving at the finish line well ahead of last year's record.
The Melbourne to Hobart yacht race , which began in 1972 and takes sailors down Tasmania's west coast, has seen a new race record set by multi-hull line honours winner, Rushour, arriving at the finish line late on Saturday night well ahead of the record set last year. The race, also known as the Westcoaster, started as a logistical exercise and has become a challenging, albeit lower-profile, alternative to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race .
It was started in 1972 by Stan Gibson from Hobson's Bay Yacht Club in Melbourne and Joe Cannon from Hobart's Derwent Sailing Squadron. Not wanting the hassle of getting their boats up to Sydney, they chose instead to sail down Tasmania's west coast. Peter Riddle’s 41-footer ‘Mary Blair took line honours in the first Melbourne to Hobart yacht race in 1972, taking 2 days, 16 hours, 19 min and 7 seconds.Now, 52 years on, the annual race has attracted sailors of all stripes, including amateur sailor Lillian Stewart, who is competing in the double-handed category with co-skipper Cyrus Allen on board White Spirit.The marine scientist took part in her first ocean race a year after 'accidentally' getting involved in sailing when she joined a friend on a twilight race in Hobart. 'I'd never sailed before in my life, so it was quite a steep learning curve, but I do really enjoy that. 'I figured if I can sort of stick out the season, acquire the skills, and if I really don't like it, that's fine, I've given it my best shot. 'But I actually really fell in love with it, and I got into the ocean racing side of things — and that, for me, has been a real thrill.'Stewart said races offered a chance to see 'some of the most beautiful, and, at times, intense environments … that a lot of people won't get the opportunity to experience'.'There are not many ports of call should you run into trouble,' she said. She said westerly winds had been of 'reasonable strength and consistency', making for favourable condition
YACHT RACE RECORD TASMANIA MELBOURNE HOBART
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