Please select your home edition
Edition
GJW Direct 2024 Dinghy

URM Group claims Line Honours in the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race

by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 28 Jul 15:09 BST 28 July 2024
URM Group claims Line Honours of the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race © Ashley Dart

Anthony Johnston's Maxi 72 URM Group claimed Line Honours of the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race at 20:14 hours, finishing with an elapsed time of 1 day, 7 hours, 14 minutes, and 56 seconds.

Skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones, URM Group added to its trophy case with tonight's Line Honour victory, racing as the defending Overall Winner from the 2023 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast.

The mini-maxi finished in a twelve knot westerly off the Gold Coast's Main Beach in a dark and moonless night.

Of the challenge of this year's running, Marcus Ashley-Jones shares "It was a really busy race. Last year, we had one sail change and this year close to 68 sail changes. We navigated further offshore, knowing we were always going to run out of breeze."

"Whisper made a lunge on the inside, sailing close, but ultimately their breeze ran out. We trusted the offshore breeze to keep us going."

CYCA Director David Griffith's Whisper tested URM Group during their overnight battle Saturday 28 July into Sunday 29 July. Ultimately, URM Group pulled steadily ahead during the daylight hours of Sunday, establishing a twenty-eight nautical mile lead.

Of the URM program, Marcus says, "it's an honour to lead this boat. We've put together a really great team, including having Rugby legend Bill Young onboard. We're really happy with the boat. Anthony and David Johnston have made some really great improvements in the last few months."

URM Group is looking forward to another successful season of offshore racing, competing in the 2024/2025 Audi Centre Sydney Bluewater Pointscore, culminating in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

The J/V62 Whisper finished after URM Group, at 21:59 hours. More of the fleet are expected to finish overnight and in the early hours of Monday. With a building west south-westerly breeze, the title for Overall Winner is still up for grabs.

Two yachts have retired from the race, Intiy (damaged mainsail) and She's the Culprit (dismasted), taking the total to three retirements. All crew are safe and headed to shore. Forty-six yachts are still at sea heading towards the finish line.

For more information, please visit the official race website at goldcoast.cycaracing.com.

Related Articles

Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race overall
Twin brothers Louis and Marc Ryckmans' Voltstar Yeah Baby is the Overall Winner Twin brothers Louis and Marc Ryckmans' Voltstar Yeah Baby is the Overall Winner of the Peter Rysdyk Memorial Trophy for the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. URM Group has claimed Line Honours. Posted on 30 Jul
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race Day 2 update
The breeze has shifted west southwest and begun to build overnight A fleet of fifty yachts are running up the Australian coast towards Main Beach as the breeze has shifted west southwest and begun to build overnight. Posted on 28 Jul
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race start
A gentle start was delivered in Sydney Harbour to the 51 competing yachts A gentle start was delivered to those competing in the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. Fifty-one yachts assembled on the start line before the yachts crawled across Sydney Harbour and north up the Tasman Sea. Posted on 27 Jul
2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race preview
This year's race promises thrilling competition and exceptional seamanship The Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race is set to start on July 27, 2024 at 1300hrs. Hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), this year's race promises thrilling competition and exceptional seamanship. Posted on 26 Jul
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race preview
Red-hot battle for blue water curtain-raiser The biggest fleet in more than a decade, 11 TP52s and a very different upfront tussle for line honours among the 60-footers are just some of the anticipated highlights of the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race starting at 1pm on Saturday July 27, 2019 Posted on 22 Jul 2019
Entries open for Noakes Sydney GC Yacht Race
Entries now open for 2019 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race Entries are now open for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 2019 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, with the newly-released Notice of Race (NOR) encouraging sailors from around the country to join the 34th running of the 'Great Winter Escape'. Posted on 6 May 2019
Perennial and bridesmaid vie for GC race top spot
Chutzpah has been officially declared the IRC overall winner Taylor's doggedness is well-known in sailing circles. He's had seven attempts at the Gold Coast Race and 38 attempts at the pinnacle Rolex Sydney Hobart with various Chutzpahs and a core team. Posted on 31 Jul 2018
Perennial and bridesmaid vie for GC race top spot
Hopes for a first major offshore handicap victory Bruce Taylor's hopes for a first major offshore handicap victory with his 40-footer Chutzpah from Victoria hang in the balance with the perennial Komatsu Azzurro, Shane Kearns' two-time Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race overall winner sliding north Posted on 31 Jul 2018
Black Jack beats Wild Oats XI in sunrise showdown
The battle for line honours concluded today When we arrived south of Point Danger at 0400 by rib to greet the maxis, Comanche was just in front of the pack of four, still leading counter to all expectations of the "fat-bottomed girls" potential problems with performance in light air. Posted on 30 Jul 2018
Black Jack plays the final card
For line honours in the 2018 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race In a gripping finish to the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, Queensland supermaxi Black Jack match-raced and beat Wild Oats XI to the finish line by just under two minutes over a 384 nautical mile course. Posted on 30 Jul 2018