Giant multi Team Vodafone were first to go, pulling out yesterday morning, and by lunchtime the threat of hitting containers from the stricken Rena led to the cancellation of this weekend's Auckland to Tauranga yacht race.
Organisers made the decision late yesterday morning after heavy swells of up to 10m this week caused more containers to be released from the Rena, which has been stranded on Tauranga's Astrolabe reef since October last year.
Race favourite Team Vodafone Sailing, who had been targeting the race record, withdrew earlier because of the danger posed by the containers in the latter part of the race, leaving just 21 boats in the race.
Southeasterly winds, often up to gale-force, are forecast for the weekend and race chairman Ross Sheerin said safety came first.
"The race organising committee has been monitoring Rena developments throughout our planning. Unfortunately, the events of the last few days equate to our worst-case scenario in terms of holding the race. We have been in constant contact with Maritime New Zealand and Tauranga harbourmaster, and have evaluated their input.
"Regretfully, and in respect for participant's safety, the only prudent option at this stage is to cancel."
The Auckland to Tauranga race has been sailed most years since the first known foray down the Coromandel Peninsula in 1921.
Team Vodafone owns the record for the Coastal Classic and skipper Simon Hull had been targeting the Auckland to Tauranga race. The 60-foot trimaran has won the last two events but well outside maxi Zana's 2005 race record of 9h 35m.
Hull believed the six-hour mark, or less, over the 120 nautical mile course is achievable in the right conditions but said the safety of his multi-million dollar boat was paramount. The race was due to start in front of the Royal NZ Yacht Squadron mid-morning today.
"We've been watching and discussing the situation with the Rena for several days and in the end, with the waves that are battering the Rena, the stuff that's been reported washing up on the beaches and the fact that towards the end it's a night race, we just saw it as too high risk for us," a disappointed Hull said yesterday.
"It wasn't a decision we made lightly but with 10 containers loose in the ocean somewhere and debris in the water, the potential for damage was significant."
Multihulls can't get insurance for ocean races but Hull said the issue wasn't monetary, with any damage sustained by Vodafone, which two years ago set the top recorded wind boat speed of 39.6 knots, potentially wrecking plans to take the trimaran to Australia to race during the winter.
"For the want of one race from Auckland to Tauranga it just wasn't worth it. The risk to our crew was minor but a collision with a container or even a couple of hundred kilos of timber floating in the water could rip half the hull off quite easily. Even on the wind we'd be doing 17-18 knots and we're much higher risk then most of the others - we're a relatively strong construction but we puncture easily.
"I really feel for the Tauranga Yacht and Powerboat Club because it's a difficult situation they're in that's not their fault, but hopefully next year it'll all be cleaned up."
TYPBC commodore Wayne Eaton said the cancellation of this weekend's premier coastal race was another consequence of the Rena's grounding six months ago.
"Our sailing season this year has been very challenging as a result of the Rena disaster. We have had several events affected throughout the summer [and] like everyone we look forward to when things return to normal. But until then we will continue to be sensible in our decisions."