Auckland Three Kings Race – Live Updates
7 April, 1800h – The Auckland Three Kings Race is underway, and the fleet has exited the Waitemata Harbour and are now heading past the North Shore for a night sail up the East Coast of Northland with the wind at their backs
8 April, 0800h – After the first night’s sleep aboard, the Auckland Three Kings Race fleet has mostly found themselves off the Bay of Islands this morning. Wired leads the pack, and already find themselves above the North Island – with Mr Kite II the only other boat that looks to have broken away from the pack overnight. However, there’s still plenty of water to be sailed and wind to be found. Unfortunately 5 yachts have had to retire
– V5 has had to pull out due to engine issues at the start line
– Vixen came into trouble off the Whangaparaoa Peninsula, and managed to make their way back to Gulf Harbour Marina
– Charmonet’s rudder bearings came loose overnight off Little Barrier Island and have returned to Westhaven Marina
– Legacy has broken their backstay, and are currently on their way back from the Bay of Islands.
– They are joined on their way home by Rum Bucket, who have suffered an equipment failure and are currently turning around off Whangaroa Harbour.
8 April, 1100h – It’s decision time for the chasing pack in the Auckland Three Kings Race – with Wired and Mr Kite II hitting 16knots above the North Island on the approach to the Three Kings, Equilibrium has seemingly decided to follow the long way around while Titanium and Emotional Rescue look to be cutting it closer into the mainland on their way around North Cape
8 April, 1600h – Wired is the first boat to round the idyllic Three Kings Islands, and begin making their way back to Auckland against the breeze. Mr Kite II is now on the far side of the Three Kings, and will start the homeward leg shortly.They’ll pass the rest of the fleet making the crossing to the islands this evening as they find their way around North Cape.It looks like the route closer to North Cape has paid dividends, with Titanium and Emotional Rescue finding themselves leapfrogging Equilibrium. Much of the chasing pack is following the North Cape route, and will be making a night crossing across open water.
9 April, 9am – The Auckland Three Kings fleet all made their way around the islands by 2am this morning, and the crews have had their battles back across the open ocean with the return leg of the ocean crossing well underway.Wired has stretched out a massive lead overnight as the chasing pack had to battle into the breeze coming around North Cape. They’re just 100 nautical miles from home, and are hoping to be back into Auckland before Midnight today.As the sun has risen, the wind has swung around to the south so the boats still on their way back from the islands are having a much easier time than the lead boats that had to sail back into an easterly. Omega has made the biggest gain, catching up with Equilibrium and Emotional Rescue with a straight shot back around the top of the North Island while the other boats toiled into the stronger breezes further offshore.
