White Island Race: Fast start to 320nm classic

Two handed division entry Mr Kite heads down the Rangitoto Channel - 2019 White Island Race Start © Richard Gladwell

A fleet of 22 boats got away to a fast start in the White Island Race, organised by the Royal Akarana Yacht Club.

The fleet is racing in three divisions - fully crewed with seven entries, two handed with 14 entries and a single entry in the multihull division.

Conditions at the start were a fresh 20kts plus SW breeze which gave the fleet a fast run to Cape Colville and then a reach across the Bay of Plenty before rounding New Zealand's most active cone volcano, which forms the top of a 1600mtr submarine mountain.

Leading the fleet on thew first day were Bakewell White 40 (Andrew Reid) and the multihull Exodus a 10m Ron Given sports catamaran (Ed Crook). At the finish Anarchy took 33hrs 54mins for the 320nm course, she also took overall honours. Mr Kite II (Nathan Williams) was first two-handed competitor and second on line honours, with an elapsed time of 34hrs 50 minutes, but on PHRF were just 37 seconds behind Anarchy. Exodus (Ed Crook) was third to finish in an elapsed time of 34hrs 51 minutes.

For full results click here

Anarchy was one of the early leaders - 2019 White Island Race Start - photo © Richard Gladwell