Melbourne Osaka Cup Update - Neck and Neck After 5,300 Nautical Miles
by Melbourne Osaka Media 19 Apr 22:06 PDT
20 April 2025
Tristan Gourlay on Blue Moon II - Melbourne Osaka Cup © Tristan Gourlay
Joker X2 approaching the Melbourne Osaka Cup finish in Osaka ©Kazuyoshi Yamano
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After 5,300 nautical miles sailed, six of the Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race main starters are within 120 nautical miles of each other, as two distinct strategies emerge while navigating a large Kuroshio eddy just south of Osaka.
Taking advantage of the northern, anticlockwise current are White Spirit, Quest, Curious Roo and Lord Jiminy, each picking up a valuable 3knot push. Meanwhile, Joker X2 and Blue Moon II have opted to divert south around the eddy, setting up for a different approach into Osaka.
The first starter, now seven weeks later, the S&S34 Curious Roo, has been caught by the chasing pack.
Peter Garrett, co-skipper of Curious Roo, is in good humour but tired, as he indicated, "The 'screaming goat' backup autopilot died a horrible death after just a week, so we've been hand steering ever since, occasionally letting the bungee cords take a turn," they reported.
"Fishing is officially over, too. We landed a 4-foot mahi mahi that filled the fridge. Fortunately, the Kuroshio Current back eddy arrived just in time, and we're making good ground."
For Ken Gourlay, the sailing legend and co-skipper of Blue Moon II, the Adams 16, has said, "It's been a challenge for this 70-year-old old but I have a great motivator and sailor in my son Tristan, to keep me going."
With light winds forecast and how to take on the current, the final stages are now in play.
Tristan Gourlay shared this poem, summing up the race:
Finish is imminent by Tristan Gourlay (18 April 2025)
As I sit here in all this grey and gloom,
I'm thinking about my finish in Osaka real soon.
I'm loving it heaps don't get me wrong,
it's still like the tune of my favourite song.
But darker it gets every night,
Oh I look forward to those bustling city lights.
Some of us have had their trials and tribulations,
showing just how strong are the family relations.
A couple had problems that couldn't fix no matter how hard they try,
their back in Australia in sorrow having a little cry.
We're lucky with really good pace and are not last,
but there's a big boat behind coming up real fast.
The racing amongst the fleet has been vigorous and bliss,
something I'm glad I didn't get to miss.
The last thousand miles have ticked away so fast,
meaning what's left of this race is not going to last.
What a great sight Japan will be,
when in the distance the island we can see.
And soon one of the best bits are about to come,
the friends the party and all the fun.
I'm really looking forward to the Japanese laughter,
and starting to write the very next chapter.
Check out the tracker as they get closer to Osaka via
bluewatertracks.com here.