The former round-the-world racing Volvo 60 Getaway-Sailing.com, skippered by Peter Goldsworthy from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, has taken line honours in the Hempel 34th Gosford to Lord Howe Island ocean race.

Getaway-Sailing.com crossed the line at 14:44:36 this afternoon for an elapsed time of 49 hours 44 minutes 36 seconds – just over 14 hours and 42 minutes outside her time in last year’s race.

That time – 34 hours 52 minutes 02 seconds – was declared a new record for the longer 414nm course across the Tasman Sea.  It also gave Getaway-Sailing.com first place in the PHS handicap division – something that is unlikely to happen this year.

In fact, progressive computer calculations placed the Volvo 60 in 7th and last place in PHS, based on reported positions at this afternoon’s 1600 hours ‘sked’ with the fleet,  Two yachts Silver Lady and Time Out – have retired from the division.

Silver Lady, skippered by Hugh Ellis from the Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron in Victoria, is returning to Sydney while Time Out (Pete Blair) from the CYCA, is motoring to Lord Howe Island.

Handicap positions have remained virtually unchanged during the day, with AFR Midnight Rambler (Ed Psaltis & Bob Thomas, CYCA) still heading the leader board in the IRC Division from Morna, skippered by Greg Zyner from Manly Yacht Club and the CYCA entrant Great Expectations (Rod Wills). 

Gosford Sailing Club entrants Polaris of Belmont (Chris Dawe) and Pacha (Bill Koppe) are 5th and 7th respectively in the IRC division.

The Queensland yacht Dream Lover (Rick Morgan) continues to head the PHS Division, from the Lake Macquarie boat Inner Circle (Darren Cooney/Ken Robinson) with the SASC entry Azzura (Azzura Syndicate) moving up into 3rd position on the latest ‘sked.’

Second boat to cross the line early this evening is expected to be AFR Midnight Rambler which had 31.4nm to sail at this afternoon’s ‘sked’, followed by Dream Lover (40.5nm to sail) and Occasional Coarse Language (Warwick Sherman, CYCA). – Peter Campbell