Sydney to Mooloolaba race, Team Australia sole finisher after light conditions stymie competition from Seacart 30 trimaran 'Morticia' for handicap honours

From the following article on foxsportspulse.com

http://www.foxsportspulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-10060-0-0-0&sID=309066&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=29108467

The Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race finally came to an end when BOQ Team Australia crossed the finish line off Point Cartwright at 6.48pm yesterday evening, Friday April 11, 2014, with an elapsed time of 53 hours, 48 minutes and 40 seconds for the 468 nautical mile course.

Crew members Ben Kelly, Sean and Peter Langman, Larry Jamieson, James Ogilvie and Josh Alexander were relieved and elated when they stepped off the 60-foot trimaran that delivered them safely from Sydney Harbour to Mooloolaba and a round of well-earned cold drinks and applauding onlookers.

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Sydney to Mooloolaba Race, Chris Williams on Seacart 30 trimaran 'Morticia' retires

From the following article on mysailing.com.au

http://www.mysailing.com.au/news/sydney-mooloolaba-fleet-down-to-just-one-as-weather-gods-play-havoc

Sydney - Mooloolaba fleet down to just one as weather gods play havoc
10 Apr 2014

A high pressure system over the southern Tasman Sea and severe tropical cyclone Ita approaching the east coast of Far North Queensland has played havoc with the wind off the NSW coast and quashed any hopes of a record run in the Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race.

 

Benign conditions forced the hand of Shaun Carroll’s 30-foot trimaran Morticia, the crew advising the race committee just after 9am this morning, Thursday April 10, 2014, that they had pulled the pin north of Newcastle and were heading to Port Stephens.

Skipper Chris Williams’ weather routing predicted their arrival at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday, too many days at sea for their food and water stocks, and sense of humour.

 

read more here

 

A video of the start by Dale Lorimer linked in the following Sail-World article shows the extremely light conditions that have dogged the race from the beginning and quashed any hope of a new race record: 

 

http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?Nid=120980&refre=y&ntid=0&rid=1

2014 Sydney to Mooloolaba race, Small but high quality multihull fleet prepare to depart on 9th April

From the following article on afloat.com.au

http://www.afloat.com.au/press-releases/multihull-march-to-mooloolaba

02-Apr-2014                    
                 
 A week from today a small group of multihull owners will mark a new chapter in the history of the Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race, previously a major offshore event on the Australian calendar.

At the traditional start time of 1pm on a Wednesday pre-Easter, this time on April 9, Sean Langman’s record-busting ORMA 60 trimaran BOQ Team Australia is highly likely to lead the charge out of Sydney Harbour when the skipper’s quest for the trophy treble begins.

Beating Brindabella’s outright record of 1 day 20 hours 1 minute 43 seconds set 20 years ago, setting the first multihull line honours record and winning on handicap (OMR) are feasible given the boat’s achievements in southern waters, including two World Sailing Speed Council records.

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Port Lincoln Multihull nationals, Morticia and Sknot leading respective multihull divisions

From the following article on Sail-World by Harry Fisher:

http://www.sail-world.com/index.cfm?Nid=119614&refre=y&ntid=0&rid=1

Two days of racing have been completed in the 2014 Multihull National Championships as part of the 2014 Club Marine/Lexus Lincoln Regatta Week.

Morticia skippered by Chris Williams has dominated the first two days of racing with two firsts and a second putting him well clear of his competition.

The reigning multihull national champion and new Adelaide to Lincoln race record holder is showing the entire fleet how it is done on Boston Bay.

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Festival of Sails update, Nacra 36 "Malice" just edges out Seacart 30 "Morticia" in regatta

From the following article on the Festival of Sails website:

http://festivalofsails.com.au/news/malice-steels-to-defeat-the-unbeaten

A ‘get out of jail free card’ has been credited for saving the Festival of Sails multihull champion Malice from a race defeat that would have proven terminal to any regatta winning hopes.
Mal Richardson’s Nacra 36 Malice from Port Douglas won the Fuso Trucks Multihull Series by just two points over rival Morticia, a Sea Cart 30 skippered by Chris Williams from Sydney’s Northern Beaches.

The same margin separated the pair going into the last hit-out of the seven race series at twilight on Sunday, and tensions were high.

Richardson said he thought all was lost when Malice parked-up in a lull just metres from the finish line as Morticia led the fleet on a wind-fuelled charge to the finish.

“There was some sweat on the forehead, I don’t think I’ve any nerves left,” Richardson said.

“Thankfully we managed to steel ourselves and we won.”

It was far from a perfect performance for the Malice crew, who began the series by starting incorrectly not just once, but twice in the regatta’s spectacular Melbourne to Geelong passage race on Friday.

read more here

and the series results below:

http://www.topyacht.net.au/results/2014/fos/multi/series.htm

Festival of Sails 2014, Seacart 30 "Morticia" claims line honours, Nacra 36 "Malice" handicap victory

From the following article on Sail-World submitted by Danielle McKay

http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Festival-of-Sails---Morticia-claims-opening-points/118553

The 2013 Festival of Sails opening act went ahead without a hitch today; nine multihulls of various sizes completed the inaugural event on the week-long program and first tributes went to three interstate boats.

Chris Williams’ Sea Cart 30 called Morticia, all the way from the Royal Motor Yacht Club on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, claimed the opening points on corrected time in the 30 odd nautical mile Geelong to Melbourne passage race, which began in an 8-10 knot southerly breeze.

Malcolm Richardson’s Nacra 36, Malice, finished second on corrected time and was the line honours winner with an elapsed time of two hours two minutes and 40 seconds.

Richardson towed Malice from Port Douglas for his maiden Festival of Sails, a handy pit-stop on the way to the multihull nationals at Port Lincoln next month.

'We thought we might as well do Geelong on the way,' he said this evening, pleased his crew’s opening performance.

'Today’s race started off light, blew up a bit making it a quick run at an average 20 knots of boat speed, then it went light again at the finish. Melbourne’s weather was truly beautiful and we had a lot of fun,' Richardson added.

read more here