We made a poor choice of which side or the fleet to sail and suffered when the breeze freshened from the North ahead of the later Southerly change. We were stuck out in the tide in little wind and going nowhere fast. Most of the fleet sought the northern side and worked along the Hunters Hill shore in stronger breeze, a better angle and less tide. We had some company with Tartan, Tashtego and Saoirse on our side and it was only a shore hugging move along Cockatoo Island that allowed us to pass these three. The run down the South side of Cockatoo to Long Nose point and the reach to Goat Island were contrasts. The run was in fading air with the genoa poled out while the last part of the reach to Goat was in a strong Southerly change. Anticipating the change we were well to windward of French Connection and managed to catch her at the bear away around Goat. It was not a pretty sight seeing yacht of all size rounding up in the gusts. The Beneteau 40.7 Fireball from the black fleet kept us entertained and apprehensive as the gybed and rounded up in front of us. In this confusion French Connection and Tartan regained the lead over us and our own several moments of round up let them escape for the time being.
Ahead the fleet had run out of breeze on the entry to Humbug so now was our chance to make up time. Running deep into Humbug we tried to go for Onion Point but the overlap from the Green Division Tana kept us above our desired line and later they blanked us on the run to the line. Ahead we could see Gwhizz, who had been well in front of us for most of the race, being overtaken by Tartan while we were lucky to hold our French Connection who was taking our wind from behind.
Irukandji and Jedi were officially first and second over the line while Worlds Apart and Faarst Company were missed in the melee at the finish.
Our handicap place of seventh will move out to ninth once these two are included in the results.
Against the tide with little wind is not a good look