IMR Technologies 50th Geraldton Ocean Classic Race and Return

from South of Perth Yacht Club Soundings Magazine November 2018

50th GERALDTON OCEAN CLASSIC RACE

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IMR Technologies 50th

Anniversary Geraldton Ocean Classic was always going to produce something special. Nearly twenty yachts took part, which might well have been 22 had some yachts had better luck with their preparations. Coming on the back of the hugely successful Dirk Hartog race in 2016, it is clear that there is a substantial level of competitor interest in this classic offshore race.

As is expected of a classic, the Geraldton race offers a serious challenge to the genuine ocean racing yachtsman. The return race in particular, is a tough, no compromise affair, listed by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia as a qualifier for the famous Sydney to Hobart. The “Hobart” is widely acknowledged as a hard windward slog, so the Geraldton Return is the perfect preparation for yachts and crews.

It is a matter of record that the Geraldton Ocean Classic is the only Category 2 offshore race that has run continuously on the west coast for 50 consecutive seasons. That it has been able to attract such a high level of support, despite its exclusion from the official offshore calendar, is a testament to the many sailors who hold this race near to their hearts.

Metropolitan sporting folk could take a lesson from the Mid-West. The efforts of Commodore John Gummery, Vice Commodore Tania Rees and Rear Commodore Nathan Gummery, have not only resulted in an unprecedented level of support from local sponsors including the City of Greater Geraldton, but also from local media. Publicity has been so widespread that there are virtually no locals who were unaware that the IMR Technologies Geraldton Ocean Classic and the Lobster Pot Regatta were going on.

The social aspect of Geraldton Race Week has become legendary. Like Hobart’s QLD (Quiet Little Drink) it does not appeal to everyone, but after a hard, long ocean race, sailors around

the world like to let their hair down and have fun and it is an established fact that our WA offshore community knows how to have fun!

This year’s race was unusual. The traditional Friday afternoon start gave way to a start on Saturday morning – a response to the wishes of the sailors, who told us universally that they did not enjoy sacrificing a Friday work day when they would also lose the whole of the following week. Then of course, there was the weather! The weekend before the Geraldton start produced devastating winds, thunder, lightning and driving rain. One of our entrants, Bill Henson’s Circa, lost her mast in a withering burst of wind near Hillarys in the night time, and Lithium was perhaps lucky to escape the carnage with just a torn main.

Talking about Lithium is an opportune moment to review the performance of the two double handed crews in the race. Wayne Pitcher moved up from his 30-foot Dart Vader into a 40-foot J122, surely a handful for a sailing team of two in a 220 nautical mile race. Todd Giraudo and Dubbo White, fresh from their success in the double handed Melbourne-Osaka (Japan) race, have proved time and again that lack of numbers on the boat does not equate to a lack of competitiveness. They cleaned up division 2 IRC, but only by nine minutes from the newcomers on Lithium! We are going to see some great contests between these two boats in time to come.

Hats off to James Halvorsen’s Giddy Up for their win in Division 1 IRC. They started strongly and by Lancelin, sailing wide of the rhumb line, found enough breeze to work their way to the front of the fleet. Inevitably perhaps, the larger Endorfin edged past them near Jurien to go on and claim line honours.

The rally fleet were led home by Paul Schapper’s beautiful ketch Toroa IV. Phil and Robbie Hearse were disappointed that their whole (brand new) navigation system crashed early in the race and for

safety considerations, elected to return to Fremantle.

Yachts calculated their ETA in Geraldton as they sailed past Jurien. Betty Walsh showed remarkable accuracy, predicting their arrival with an error of only 11 minutes and 51 seconds!

Geraldton and South of Perth Yacht Clubs can look forward to another successful event in 2019/20.

Bernie Kaaks

Above & Below: Giddy Up

22 SOUNDINGS |

50th GERALDTON OCEAN CLASSIC RACE