Sydney to Hobart yacht race two-hander results, updates, drama, colour in double handed class

Round the world sailor Wendy Tuck and Campbell Geeves have experienced the best and worst of the Sydney to Hobart in a two-handed yacht, describing it as one of the hardest ever.

Campbell Geeves and Wendy Tuck are aboard the two-hander Speedwell. Pic: Justin Lloyd

For the supermaxis it was a super-fast, pretty uneventful race to Hobart. Not so for the smaller boats, mighty minnows and two-handers like Wendy Tuck and Campbell Geeves on Speedwell.

“It was a race of 20,000 halves,’’ said Tuck, the first Australian skipper to win a Clipper round the world race sailing with her great mate for the second year.

The duo’s boat suffered various damage in wild winds and big seas on the 29th, including snapping their whisper pole that holds their jib out on the weather side of the boat.

“It was horrible,’’ Tuck said.

“A wave came over the deck and we lost our dan boy, our horseshoe (lifebuoy) and VHF radio aerial.’’

Tuck said the tough conditions were exhausting.

Campbell Geeves and Wendy Tuck were part of the two-handed fleet.

“It was mentally and physically demanding,’’ she said.

“It is one of the hardest I have done.

“Being on a two-hander, it’s just steer, sleep, steer, eat, steer, navigation.

“But strangely we have also enjoyed it.’’

The worse hours aboard for the competitive dup were periods of no wind.

“We got hours of no wind. We were chasing every zephyr. It was awful’’ Tuck said.

But there were highlights as well with ‘Speed Master’ Geeves cracking a new high speed for the boat of 21.7 knots.

“It was incredible,’’ Tuck said.

TWO HANDED RESULTS 2022

IRC OVERALL

Mistral (TH) Rupert Henry NSW 3:05:26:128.1

Sun Fast Racing (TH) Lee Condell NSW 3:11:24:557.5

Pacman (TH) Peter Elkington QLD 3:05:49:218.1

Campbell Geeves set a new speed record for the boat.

DEC 26: Just before the Sydney to Hobart start Sydney skipper Wendy Tuck ducked up to her local hardware shop and forked our a few dollars for something she hopes will help her deal with the elements during the race.

Tuck and co-skipper Campbell Geeves are aboard Speedwell, one of 19 two-handed yachts still racing to Hobart.

But unlike the supermaxis who should be on dry land celebrating finishing the race by Wednesday morning, the pair will be out at sea for another day or two.

And for some of that time they will be wearing a couple of pairs of welding goggles.

“They we just $2 but they will be great,” said Tuck, the first Australian - and woman- to skipper a Clipper round the world race winner.

“They really protect you, your face and eyes.

Campbell Geeves and Wendy Tuck before the start. Pic: Justin Lloyd.

“They are like those ones the welder wore in Flashdance so I’ll be dancing on the deck in them.’’

The super fast downwind conditions the fleet are experiencing means sailors are firehosed by water which stings eyes, making it extra difficult to steer yachts.

Some yachts have taken visors to wear and others helmets which help protect the eyes and face.

Tuck also competed in the two-handed division last year.

TWO HANDER AVALANCHE FIRST RETIREMENT

The two-handed fleet was reduced by one not long after Monday’s start when the 40-footer Avalanche retired with damage.

Co-skippers James Murchison and James Francis had plenty of Sydney to Hobart experience with 13 and 11 races south respectively but were forced out with bowsprit damage.

“The boats were bunched up as happens in this race and I suddenly found myself with nowhere to go and our prod (bowsprit) hit the back of Llama II,’’ Murchison said.

“It’s nobody’s fault, it just happens sometimes. I’ll just have to come back next year and try again.’’

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Originally published as Sydney to Hobart yacht race two-hander results, updates, drama, colour in double handed class