Graham Matthews and his crew aboard Equilibrium crossed the finish line just west of the Auckland Harbour Bridge at 16:10 on Saturday 18 April, completing 532 nautical miles in 2 days, 5 hours, 10 minutes and 56 seconds.
That finish placed Equilibrium third on line honours. The margin separating them from Mr Kite II tells the story plainly: 10 minutes and 13 seconds, after more than 53 hours of racing. Across a course of this distance, against a fleet of this quality, arriving that close to the boat ahead reflects just how hard Equilibrium was driven from start to finish.
The handicap standings were less kind. With a rating of 1.059, the heaviest in the fleet, Equilibrium's corrected elapsed time came out at 2 days, 8 hours, 19 minutes and 12 seconds, landing them fourth on PHRF at the time of finishing. For Graham Matthews and his team, third on the water across 532 nautical miles of offshore racing is a result worth celebrating.
The run home was never settled. Through the night and into the harbour approaches, Equilibrium and Mr Kite II scrapped it out, with only the finish line bringing that contest to a close. When more than 53 hours of racing is resolved by fewer than eleven minutes, it tends to stay with a crew long after the dock lines are fast. Well sailed, Equilibrium.
