By Ian Grant at Hamilton Island.
Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats X1 powered to another impressive line honours win in the Audi Hamilton Island Race Week regatta in the wind tormented Whitsunday Islands today.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race record holder expertly sailed by skipper Mark Richards and crew average a remarkable 13 .6 knots in the physically demanding race which tested their fresh wind skills.
They logged speeds in excess of 25 knots on the wave riding run between Cole and Denman Islands when the crew were propelled by the boisterous 25-30 trade winds.
Wild Oats X1 which has sailed through wilder conditions in the Bass Strait was comfortably rigged under reefed sails when the crossed the finish in Dent Passage.
Her crew who nursed the super maxi through the heavier gusts to again beat the Sydney maxi sloops Investic Loyal and Lahana had a short rest before beginning a post race practice session.
However while the trio of maxis recorded a fast time it was not fast enough to save their handicap ratings over the smaller sloops Loki (Stephen Ainsworth) and regatta leader the Marcus Blackmore helmed Hooligan.
Loki revelled in the brute breeze to outpace Hooligan by a comfortable 2 minute 35 seconds while the Michael Hiatt skippered Victorian sloop Living Doll filled third place.
All crews enjoyed some super fast rides on the spinnaker run.
“There was plenty of spray on the deck when Hooligan hit a peak speed of 23 knots crew member Richard Allanson said.
However while Hooligan again raced impressively the star performer in the strong winds was the defending champion Loki who recorded her second win to now engage the Hooligan crew in a match race for the title over the remaining races.
Hooligan presently holds the upper hand with her 1-1-1-2-2 point score while Loki with her 3-2-2-1-1 has moved into contention to test the Hooligan crew for handicap honours in the longest race of the series tomorrow