A Night to Remember
The Tasman Sea gave the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race fleet a brutal reminder of its power overnight, serving up the most demanding conditions of the race so far. What had looked like a manageable evening deteriorated quickly as a squall line tore through the fleet, triggering urgent sail changes and testing every crew aboard.
On Alan Hill's Swan 48 Cooloola, the storm announced itself at the worst possible moment, catching the crew just as they were preparing dinner.
“We had an eventful evening aboard. Just as we were about to have dinner, a front hit us with a vengeance,” she said. “We had the A2 up at the time, but managed to retrieve it and everyone is safe. We saw 42 knots on a number of occasions but have moved on this sunny morning.”
Seasoned hands that they are, the Cooloola crew regrouped without losing too much ground and are now driving east again, the boat's well-earned reputation in heavy weather confirmed once more after a punishing night at sea.
"Heading to Antarctica – nope"
Further north, Geoff Hill's Antipodes absorbed a similar battering. Navigator Brad Kellett captured the crew's experience with the kind of understated humour that tends to surface when conditions get genuinely nasty.
“If ocean racing was easy and fun all the time, everybody would do it. Last night was a mission. Pitch black, nothing to steer to, wind shifting 90 degrees. Heading to NZ – nope. Heading to Antarctica – nope. Heading to Lord Howe Island!”
By mid-morning, order had been restored aboard Antipodes and the crew were two-sail reaching in a northerly, pointing their bow toward Cape Reinga.
Tough conditions, high morale
Aboard Ian Edwards' Dehler 46 Wings, crew member Janease Graham filed a report that confirmed the wet and windy theme running through the fleet overnight.
“It was a very breezy, very dark night, but everyone’s still smiling. Wings is heading east under kite now, cruising with the S5 as the breeze has abated,” she said.
Teammate Jana Com put it simply: "It's hardly stopped raining, but we're all in good spirits." Soaked but undeterred, the Wings crew have held a solid mid-fleet position while pushing steadily east.
Lucky charges toward New Zealand
Up front, Bryon Ehrhart's Juan K 88 Lucky has been a race apart. Kiwi sailor Jono Rankine reported the boat was consistently averaging 20 to 25 knots through the night in breeze ranging from 15 to 22 knots, and that was after the crew paused briefly to repair a mainsail batten box.
“It’s a little damp on deck at times,” Rankine said, “but under 300 miles to go to the Cape.”
By 10 a.m., Lucky had just 465 nautical miles left to run and was still ticking along above 22 knots, pointing firmly toward line honours in Auckland. Behind her, Antipodes and Mick Martin's Frantic are waging their own private trans-Tasman battle, separated by a mere 13 miles. Wings sits another 90 miles back, with Cooloola a further 49 miles astern of her.
Fleet progress update, Monday 13 October, 9:34 pm NZDT
By Monday night, Lucky had extended her advantage considerably. With more than 770 nautical miles of the crossing behind her and roughly 400 to go, she was sustaining around 18 knots VMG through the afternoon, leaving a Tuesday midday arrival in Auckland looking well within reach and a sub-three-day passage a genuine possibility. Antipodes continues to lead the chasing group, Frantic shadowing her closely as both boats settle into steady 10-knot averages through the mid-Tasman stretch. Further back, Wings and Cooloola have remained in close company, pacing each other through lighter conditions while keeping an eye on corrected time.
Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race 2025 – standings as of Monday 13 October (9:34 pm NZDT)
| Boat | Type / Club | Distance to Finish (nm) | 24 h Run (nm) | Line Honours | IRC / PHS / ORC Placings | Estimated Arrival (NZDT) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lucky | Juan K 88 / NYYC | ≈ 400 | ~480 | 1st (Line) | 1st IRC · 1st PHS | Tue 14 Oct 1 pm – 2 pm |
| Antipodes | Santa Cruz 72 / CYCA | ≈ 720 | ~260 | 2nd (Line) | 2nd IRC · 4th PHS | Thu 16 Oct 7 pm |
| Frantic | TP52 / CYCA | ≈ 740 | ~250 | 3rd (Line) | 3rd IRC · 3rd PHS | Thu 16 Oct 10 pm |
| Wings | Dehler 46 / RPAYC | ≈ 830 | ~220 | 4th (Line) | 4th IRC · 2nd PHS · 1st ORC | Fri 17 Oct 10 pm |
| Cooloola | Swan 48 / RPAYC | ≈ 870 | ~200 | 5th (Line) | 5th IRC · 5th PHS · 2nd ORC | Sat 18 Oct 7 pm |
Human stories at sea
Not every story in this race is about speed. RPAYC Commodore Rob McClelland, who entered First Picasso in the Rally division, has had to leave his yacht in the Bay of Islands while engine repairs are carried out. McClelland will make his way to Auckland by road, rejoining the rest of the fleet at Royal Akarana Yacht Club.
Summing up today
After the overnight pounding, the fleet is now sailing under clearing skies with the breeze settling into something more benign as New Zealand draws closer. The Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race has shown once again what it asks of its crews: the ability to keep their heads when the Tasman is at its least forgiving.
