Ocean yacht race

Press, 1 March 1984, Page 34

Ocean yacht race

Some of the world’s biggest yachts could be anchored in Lyttelton Harbour in two years time if a proposed 9000 km ocean race between New Zealand and Chile goes ahead. The commodore of the Banks Peninsula Cruising Club, Mr Alan Archer, yesterday expressed enthusiasm about the possibility of the race after recent communication with his opposite number in the Club Nautico Oceanio de Chile, which has its headquarters in Santiago. Mr Archer said that the commodore there had been very interested in the proposal and it was possible a 65ft yacht from Chile would take part in the race which would start at Lyttelton and possibly finish at Valparaiso. The Banks Peninsula Cruising Club’s organising committee had originally planned to hold the race in early 1985, but it has now been put off until February, 1986. “We’re hoping it will fit in with yachts competing in the Southern Cross series and the Sydney to Hobart race,” Mr Archer said. The organising committee is especially interested in the overseas yachts and wants to “attract a few maxis.” Mr Archer said it would take the yachts about a fortnight to get across the Tasman and it was expected they would spend another week or 10 days in preparation at Lyttelton Harbour. Two years ago there was a race from Sydney to Rio de Janeiro but if the 1986 event is included on the world ocean racing circuit it would be the longest to start from a New Zealand port. “This is a tremendously exciting strip of water,” said Mr Archer. “Yachts would be sailing in the Southern Ocean without the hassle of getting around Cape Horn.” It is intended to bring the race to the attention of yachtsmen in both New Zealand and overseas by advertising in nautical journals. “From our preliminary work it does appear that there is a lot of interest at the Chile end and it is now a matter of arousing interest at this end,” Mr Archer said. He said that having four or five big boats in Lyttelton Harbour would attract a great deal of interest.