Sailing: 'Fast, fun' in Russell's tall ships race

The ketch Marie Tomasia (right) won the tall ships trophy and the Zeke Patterson trophy for best gaff-rigged vessel. Photo / Peter de Graaf

The same storm which slashed the number of entries in this year's tall ships race off Russell guaranteed a day of fast, fun racing for the boats that did take part.

The 43rd Tall Ships and Classic Invitational — one of the highlights of the Bay of Islands' sailing and social calendar — drew a fleet of 63 on Saturday, well down on the expected 100-plus.

While conditions on the day were good, with a gusty, 15-knot southwesterly, the wild weather of previous days stopped many out-of-town boaties making the trek north.

Russell Boating Club commodore Jay Howell said the conditions made for great fun on the water while the reaching course (across the wind) via Black Rocks, Motuterakihi and Motuarohia guaranteed fast sailing.

The club's signature event was more a social occasion than a serious race, he said. It was a chance for sailors to catch up with old friends and involved the whole Russell community.

Prizegiving was followed by the traditional hangi, a week-long endeavour by a team of volunteers who fed 800 people, then a night of live music and trading sailing yarns.

This year's winners were Xanadu, a Bay of Islands-based John Spencer sloop, in the classic division and Marie Tomasia, a gaff-rigged ketch from Waiheke, in the tall ships.

The only square rigger this year, Northland's own R Tucker Thompson, was able to finish the course under sail for the first time ever thanks to favourable winds and a determined crew.

The first boat home, in just 82 minutes, was the racing trimaran Ave Gitana, owned by Russell winemaker Antonio Pasquale and raced in the all-comers division. The first monohull was the 34m superyacht Silvertip.

Mr Pasquale, who was awarded this year's Cock of the Bay award, said he was ''too **** scared'' to check his boat's speed during the race but it was at least 23 knots.

''Camaraderie makes this race special. And it's one of the last races where people are more important than results. There's not many of them left. And it's nice to see the old boats,'' he said.

RESULTS

Tall ships (top five only): 1 Marie Tomasia, 2 Dona Catharina, 3 Zindabar, 4 Calypso, 5 Sume. Line honours: Zindabar.

Classics: 1 Xanadu, 2 Wetherley, 3 Longfellow, 4 Phantom, 5 Ingrid. Line honours: Longfellow.

Zeke Patterson trophy for best gaff rigger: Marie Tomasia.

Joe Cotton trophy for best wooden boat: Xanadu.

Best square rigger: R Tucker Thompson.