The race is widely regarded as New Zealand's most iconic yacht race, and one of the world's great yacht races. Starting off Devonport Wharf, around 150 boats entered this year's race to Russell, 119 nautical miles away in the Bay of Islands.
Although supported by few specialists on board, the 10Oct boys made up the general crew and the boat’s performance was down to them and their ability to pull together.
The course is more or less a straight line, following the route taken by the powerboat drag races of the 1920s. The 119 nautical mile course begins off Devonport Wharf in Auckland’s Waitemata Harbour, and finishes at Russell Wharf in the Bay of Islands.
A big decision for skippers, based on the conditions, is whether they stay inside or sail outside of the Hen and Chicken Islands near Marsden Point. They also need to decide whether to take the shortcut between Piercy Island and the mainland at Cape Brett, or stay well clear to avoid the infamous light winds there.
A change to the starting order this year meant the smaller boats started first, followed by the faster, high performance fleet. With the big boats powering through the small boat fleet, spectators could enjoy even more spectacular viewing than ever before.
