Eureka still on Lord Howe record pace. Delta Wing home.

by News Editor on 29 Oct 2000 The Gosford to Lord Howe record established in 1988 by Helsal II, an Adams 62 skippered by Dr Tony Fisher is 40 hrs 23 min 31sec.

At 6.50am, almost 18 hours after the start, the sail-world.com Startrack unit on Bob Robertson's new Sydney 60 Eureka had her positioned now only 220 miles to the finish line.

Her average speed is such that if she is able to keep on current pace the 12 year old record is under threat.

High seas forecast indicate the 20/30 knot southerly will continue for some time, which are ideal conditions for the fleet, which is spread some 80 miles along the rhumb line.

All yachts in the 17 boat fleet, other than Peter Roger's Mull 40 She II reported in at the 7.05 am schedule.

Bill Koppe's Delta Wing arrived safely back in Port Jackson (Sydney) at 3am.

On the race track Warrick Sherman's Occasional Course Language is second about 29 miles behind Eureka with Fidelis third another 14 miles further back.

AFR Midnight Rambler still has Fidelis in sight, being another six miles behind.

Scoundrel is continuing to do well along with Zurich and J44 Phoenix. Love & War, Mark Twain & Impeccable are mid-fleet. Komatsu Blue Lady and Polaris of Belmont are similar distance from the finish line, however the sailing school boat Komatsu is some 10 miles more northerly.Grasshopper & Berrimilla are the rear guard, still in sight of each other, Grasshopper being some 7 miles south.

A full fleet report with all latitudes & longitudes as at 7.05am together with PHS & IMS progressive positions will be posted on Sail-world as soon as they become available.

The position of the fleet can be viewed on the GPS Star track charts on sail-world.com