Melbourne to Osaka winner upset!
Optimus Prime takes line honours but is subsequently penalised and Wasabi wins!Western Australian boat Optimus Prime has crossed the finish line near the Hokko Yacht Club, Japan to take line honours in the Melbourne to Osaka double-handed yacht race.
After 32 days at sea, the Marten 49 of father-and-son team Trevor and Dan Taylor finished at 09.56 (EST) today (April 24) to take the coveted title.
POSTSCRIPT: But the crew was subsequently penalised and Wasabi was handed the race.
Optimus Prime was closely followed by Wasabi, the Sayer 12 of Bruce McKay and the Farr 38 Escapade (Robert Bradley and Joey Gough) which led for most of the race.
Other yachts in the race were stretched out from Osaka to the Northern Marianas with local Osaka boat Southern Cross (Yasuyuki Nakaji) bringing up the rear still with over 1300nm still to sail.
Early favourite Brian Pattinson’s Open 66 Gusto was 650nm from the finish just ahead of Turbulence and Newcastle yacht Funnel Web.
And as Optimus Prime crossed the line, race organisers at the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria received a message from Escapade: "We must nearly be there."
"How can you tell Captain Robert?"
”Well, when we left we had just enough muesli to last to Osaka and there’s two serves left. Ditto on fuel, rum, beer and wine. Plenty of sugar though. The nav function in the new B&G display says 80.9nm to go."
The 5500nm Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race is held every four years and is Australia’s longest Category 1 ocean race. This is the seventh running of the Melbourne to Osaka Yacht Race which is only open to two-handed crews.
For more information or to follow the rest of the race on the tracker go to: http://www.melbourneosaka.com/
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