2024 PIC Coastal Classic: Romanza Wins Line Honors; 13 Boats Continue Racing After 24 Hours at Sea
by Zoe Hawkins/PIC Coastal Classic 25 Oct 17:52 PDT
Preparing for the long journey at sea – Clockwork – 2024 PIC Coastal Classic – October 25, 2024 © Richard Gladwell – Sail-World.com/nz
The 2024 PIC Coastal Classic will be remembered in sailing history for its demonstration of resilience and unwavering determination.
The 18-meter trimaran Romanza, helmed by Dougall Love, crossed the finish line at 01:46 on Saturday, with a total elapsed time of 15 hours and 46 minutes, earning the title of first to finish. Levity followed closely at 03:18, with the first monohull, Graham Matthew’s Equilibrium, just a few seconds behind.
This trio claimed the top three line honors, but soon after, the first smaller keelboats appeared: Clockwork at 03:59, Zephyrus at 04:20, and Vixen at 05:15.
Among them was Sir Peter Blake’s Steinlager 2, the 1989 Whitbread winner, now owned by the New Zealand Sailing Trust. At 25 meters, it was likely the most comfortable vessel in the race for an upwind adventure. Steinlager 2 finished at 04:47.
By 10:00, after 24 hours of racing, only 28 boats—41% of the fleet—had completed the race. 26 had retired, and 13 remained on the water, striving to finish before the 2 PM time limit.
Conditions were described as uncomfortable yet manageable for those who reached Russell this morning.
The crew of the Elliott 1050, Kick, arrived in Russell at breakfast, noting that the roughest sea encountered during the race was off Kawau Island. Wind speeds mostly ranged from 14-18 knots, so they didn’t need to reef. It increased to 25 knots at Tapeka Point, but by that time, they were ready to trim the sails and hoist the kite.
No wind warnings are currently issued, and PredictWind reports wind speeds of 15-20 knots at Paihia, with gusts reaching 30 knots. The wind remains consistently from the north, with a change in direction expected early Sunday morning.
The PIC Coastal Classic is a hallmark event on the New Zealand sailing calendar, attracting both seasoned sailors and enthusiastic newcomers.
The New Zealand Multihull Yacht Club organizes the race. Alongside long-term supporter PIC Insurance Brokers, it is backed by New Zealand’s prominent marine brands: Doyle Sails, Mount Gay, B&G, Port Whangarei Marine Centre, Yachting New Zealand, Burnsco, PredictWind.com, and Burnard International.
For real-time updates and results, visit the official PIC Coastal Classic website at coastalclassic.co.nz/watch or follow us on social media.
