First boats finish in OSTAR TwoStar
by OSTAR 31 May 01:49 NZST
OSTAR 2024 © Royal Western Yacht Club, England
At precisely 23.01hrs on 25th May, Alchemy crossed the finish line to win Line Honours in the OSTAR2024! We congratulate David Southwell on a fabulous result.
David was met at the finish line by Assistant Race Director, Norman Bailey and the Newport Harbourmaster escorted him to the NYC along the Newport harbour front with siren and lights. David had ice cold champagne and Dianne presented him with a bag of sweets, fruit and ice-cold beer on behalf of the club as she done for every finisher since 2009.
26 May 2024 - TwoStar
Dawn aboard AJ Wanderlust arrived with mirror-like seas in the North Atlantic Ocean. The glassy waters featured not a breath of wind. Around 12 noon, the breeze came from the southeast at 3 knots. AJ Wanderlust hoisted her kite. By 2 pm, the southeast wind had strengthened to 8 knots, and was building. AJ Wanderlust had a fast afternoon and evening under the blue spinnaker and full mainsail. Sunset this evening featured colours of bright yellow-orange and vibrant pink. Dolphins played alongside AJ Wanderlust. Tonight, we are sailing under a million stars in the dark sky. A large number of New England fishing boats are to the starboard side of AJ Wanderlust fishing George's Bank.
Shipping traffic has greatly increased today as we approach the major shipping lanes to Boston. Getting close now and AJ Wanderlust anticipates a very busy next 36 hours.
At present, it is 4:30 am BST on Monday, 27 May (Memorial Day) and a deep orange moon is rising above the Atlantic Ocean horizon.
27 May 2024
"Memorial Day in the USA, a time for remembering those past. In my family, a time for tending to cemeteries and planting flowers on graves. Bob, my brother, is seeing to the initial planting of flowers this year, while AJ Wanderlust races TwoStar. Shortly after finishing, I will be returning to my hometown in Michigan, to finish the job as Bob is leaving me space to plant flowers also. Carrying on a precious tradition of remembrance. Mom always wished that the family graves would be lovingly cared for. after she was gone. So today, AJ Wanderlust remembers her namesake, Amon James (AJ), my Father and a US Army veteran of World War 2. AJ Wanderlust also remembers the source of her sail racing number (8931) - August 9, 1931 - the birthday of my Mother. As of noon, British Summer Time, today AJ Wanderlust completed her twenty-second (22) day of racing TwoStar. The Yellow Brick tracker says that we are 125.3 nautical miles from the finish. For the moment, AJ Wanderlust holds an extremely tenuous lead in IRC overall. Once we finish, the clock begins ticking for the boats still racing. Once on the dock, AJ Wanderlust can do no more than wait. In this IRC handicapped race, the winner is decided on corrected time. We believe AJ Wanderlust will have good wind to the finish and believe the same true for boats coming astern. The one certainty is that this Ostar/TwoStar has been highly competitive. The sky is overcast, with about 85% cloud cover today. The temperature is pleasant, with only a heavy fleece being required. A nice change from the multiple layers of clothing we have worn most way across the Atlantic Ocean. The breeze is from 145 degrees (southeast) at 13 knots. AJ Wanderlust is sailing under her blue reaching spinnaker and full mainsail. Seas are slight.
27 May 2024
At 9 pm BST, AJ Wanderlust is 67.7 nautical miles to the finish in Newport, Rhode Island. True wind angle is 163 degrees, and we have 19 knots of breeze from a direction of 145 (southeast). Powered up under the blue spinnaker to the finish. Go fast, AJ Wanderlust, go fast !!!
28 May 2024 - TwoStar finish
AJ Wanderlust crossed the finish line in Newport, Rhode Island at 06 hours, 27 minutes and 41 seconds UTC on Tuesday, 28 May 2024. Said another way, 22 days, 19 hours, 27 minutes and 41 seconds from Plymouth, UK to Newport, Rhode Island, USA.
Many and great thanks to Norm and Dianne who met AJ Wanderlust on the Newport Yacht Club docks at somewhere around 3 am. Guy and I appreciated the beer and chocolate cake !!!
AJ Wanderlust's final hours of TwoStar were eventful. The blue kite blew its tack in a broach at 3:30 am, and the rip extended midway up the spinnaker. Full damage assessment still pending. Soon after the wind gust that caused the broach, the skies flashed bright with heat lightening and roaring thunder; only one lightning bolt sighted. This spectacular light show continued from alongside the Buzzards Bay TSS all the way to Brenton Reef red buoy. Roaring thunder sounds amazingly similar to a luffing genoa, at least to tired sailors. The rain was torrential. Definitely a TwoStar finish to remember!
Charlene Howard & Guy DeBoer
AJ Wanderlust
29th May
As morning breaks the conditions become challenging with the breeze on the nose as the rest of the fleet fight their way to the finish minding the TSS as they go. Tomasz Ladyko on SY Odyssey starts short tacking to climb around the TSS at 0200 and finally is able to free their course just after midday. By 0900BST Ladyko is clear of the final TSS and well on his way to the finish. By this time further back both Lazy Otter and Blue Horizon are also Clear and able to free off towards the finish.
30th May
With an official time of 12:58:38BST on Thursday 30th May, Tomasz Ladyko and SY Odyssey is our 2nd place finisher for the OSTAR 2024!
Tomasz takes provisional 2nd on Corrected time behind Alchemy, which is likely to remain this way as Blue Horizon is unable to finish ahead.
All eyes are now on Lazy Otter who has to finish tonight in order to have a chance of beating AJ Wanderlust on corrected time. With champagne currently on ice, Charlene and Guy will be watching the clock for several hours, as Lazy Otter's hopes gradually fade by the hour. Her expected arrival and finish time is tomorrow morning which will be enough for AJ Wanderlust to take the glory