Auckland Noumea Race: Ran Tan is first to finish
by Royal Akarana YC 8 Jun 2018 13:53 NZST
8 June 2018
Ran Tan II - line honours winner - Auckland Noumea Race 2018 © Royal Akarana Yacht Club
Brian Petersen and his Ran Tan II crew have claimed line honours in the 2018 Auckland Noumea Yacht Race.
Ran Tan had a great tussle with Sydney TP52, Frantic which kept them pushing all the way to the finish line.
The team crossed the finish line in Noumea at 13:13:29 New Caledonian time, however their results will show 14:13:29 corrected to New Zealand time. An elapsed time of 4 days, 4 hours, 13 minutes and 29 seconds.
Brian Petersen said he was relieved to be in Noumea and on stable land after what he described as being a horrendous, yet fantastic race.
Miss Scarlet, the IRC52 has crossed the finish line in Noumea to finish second after 4 days 6 hours 44 minutes and 5 seconds.
William Goodfellow, skipper of the boat, said that didn’t see the sun once during the race, but that it was “an awesome send, especially coming up to the finish.”
Third finisher after a tormenting race, Equilibrium finally crossed the finish line after 4d 13h 6m 31s.
It was a massive night of finishes with Equilibrium. Blink, Furax and Ave Gitana all arriving at night.
After an intense few days on the high seas, the Shaw 12 Blink crossed the finish line after 4 days, 14 hours, 14 minutes and 54 seconds.
The crew representing the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club in Wellington, were reported to be wet, tired and thrilled to be finished.
After four days at sea, race organisers finally heard from Birdies Furax², the local team from Noumea, New Caledonia.
They have reported that all is well on board, and they are cruising towards Noumea, eager to race into their home waters and cross the finish line.
“We blew out a spinnaker and have been fighting off Ave Gitana who have come so close considering their 24 hour stop over!”
Birdies Furax² will receive a huge welcome into Noumea as they are on the only local boat competing in the Auckland Noumea Yacht Race.
Eight boats started the race on Sunday after a 24hour delay to allow the worst of a severe weather system to pass through immediate race area.