Joker X2's Long Game in the Melbourne Osaka Cup
by Melbourne Osaka Media 1 May 02:46 BST
1 May 2025
Joker X2 co skippers Grant Chipperfield (left) and Peter Dowdney Right having finished the Melbourne Osaka Cup © Kazuyoshi Yamano
After thirty-six days and 5,500 nautical miles, the double-handed crew of Joker X2 crossed the Osaka finish line with a quiet sense of achievement.
"It's an incredible sense of achievement when you finally cross that line," said co-skipper Peter Dowdney. "But the moment you do, it's straight into the frenzy of dropping sails, packing gear and sorting things out, with just two of you onboard, it's non-stop," reflecting that they didn't even have time for a high five between themselves.
In the final days, I had time to reflect, continued Dowdney, "You know what you've done. It's a powerful experience. Not just the race, but everything it takes to get to that start line. People said the hardest part is just getting there, and they were right."
"I thought I'd be crawling the walls after five days, but the first 25 flew by." Dowdney went on to explain that they managed their watches well, running three or two-hour shifts, managing rest periods well, saying that "We never really felt sleep-deprived. That surprised us."
Sailing up Australia's east coast delivered the full range of conditions, from too much wind to barely enough. Once in the trades, however, Joker X2 enjoyed consistent, comfortable sailing. "It was 10-15 knots, rarely more and really enjoyable," said Dowdney
Their boldest tactical move came at the doldrums. "We saw the weather in the Solomons turning to custard. We gambled and dived east, heading for Manning Strait. It added 150nm but got us moving again while others were stuck for days."
But not every tactic paid off. Navigating the Kuroshio Current proved costly. "We missed our chance to tack east, got dragged too far west and into a current eddy. We made the wrong call, it probably cost us 150nm and a couple of places," explained Dowdney.
The Joker X2 story started long before the start gun. Co-skippers Grant Chipperfield and Peter Dowdney bought the boat in 2022. "We started seriously preparing 4.5 years ago," said Dowdney. "Our original boat, Joker on Tourer, was more caravan than racer. This one's been brilliant for the race."
"The boat held up well, with only minor issues. We had one moment, 250 litres of water in the anchor locker from a plastic winch cap stuck in the drain hole. We couldn't see it in rough weather and lost time as they tacked back to the coast to sort it," indicated Dowdney.
Proud of their achievements, Dowdney added, "This isn't for weekend sailors. You have to love being on your boat, love the lifestyle, not just the racing. You've got to give yourself over to the experience. If you're counting the days—15 down, 15 to go—you'll go nuts. Accept it'll take 30+ days, and once you do that, it's easy," and an experience not to be missed.
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