The 18 boat fleet from New South Wales,  Queensland and Victoria has made good progress overnight in the 414nm Hempel 34th Gosford to Lord Howe Island ocean race,  which started from Broken Bay yesterday afternoon.

All yachts reported in at this morning’s sked, giving their positions now well out into the Tasman Sea, east of Newcastle, with CYCA boats doing well on line and handicap.

At this morning’s ‘sked’ with the fleet, the race leader,  the Volvo 60 Getaway-Sailing.com, skippered by Peter Goldsworthy from the CYCA,  reported a position east of Newcastle that shows she has sailed nearly 145nm since the start.  Her average speed has now lifted to 8.46 knots.

Getaway-Sailing.com has opened up a 27nm lead over another CYCA boat,  AFR Midnight Rambler,  the modified Farr 40 owned by Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas,  which has also moved in first place on progressive IRC handicap results.

Only 4nm astern of AFR Midnight Rambler is the Queensland yacht Dream Love, skippered Rick Morgan,  which is also heading the progressive handicap results for the PHS division.

Close astern of her, in distance to sail to Lord Howe,  are Kioni (although her reported position may not be correct), Great Expectations and Occasional Coarse Language, also from the CYCA.

In the IRC division, AFR Midnight Rambler is placed first ahead of Kioni, Great Expectations and the Manly Yacht Club entry Morna, the smallest boat in the fleet.

In the PHS division,  Dream Lover leads from the Lake Macquarie yacht Inner Circle and Getaway-Sailing.com – Peter Campbell