Bob Oatley’s Reichel/Pugh 60 Wild Oats X has this afternoon set a high bar for future contestants by finishing the 59.9 nautical mile Club Marine Classic Edward Island Race in a fast time of 5 hours 11 minutes 27 seconds.
 
Wild Oats crossed the finish line at 14:01:27 in the fourth race of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. The longest race of the regatta was sailed over a new course this year, taking the fleet southwards to Coppersmith Rock and then north to Edward Island as in previous years, but bringing them back to Hamilton Island around Surprise Rock instead of Pentecost Island.
 
The race office has confirmed that because today’s course was a slightly altered to the one sailed by the Swan 80 Maligaya in 2003, it is a different race to four years ago. The course length is almost identical however.
 
“It’s a nice way to finish the day but it’s all about who wins on handicap,” said skipper Mark Richards this afternoon when Wild Oats X arrived at Hamilton Island Marina.
 
Provisionally, Ray Roberts’s Cookson 50 Quantum Racing from the CYCA has scored its second win of the series. Roberts is currently provisionally leading the IRC Racing results with Wild Joe in second and Wild Oats X third. – Lisa Ratcliff