Kraken Scoops the Pool in TasPorts Maria Island Race
Kraken 42S, a Cookson 12 owned and sailed by Mark Bayles and Andrew Sinclair, won all three handicap divisions in last weekend’s TasPorts 75th Maria Island Race.
In one of the fastest Maria Island races in recent years the smallest boat in the fleet, Stewart Geeves’ Young 88 Footloose, crossed the finishing line at 3:44 on Sunday morning, closing out the race that started at 7:00pm on Friday.
Andrew Jones’ Inglis 47 AdvantEDGE took line honours in the 180 nautical mile race finishing at 8:16pm, in a time of 25 hours and 16 minutes, after a close-fought battle with Kraken 42S, Tim Gadsby’s FilePro and Brent McKay’s Jazz Player.
Back in the field, the race was on for the smaller boats to make use of the shift from the southerly breezes that marked the early part of the race to a more favourable northerly direction for the run down the east coast and home. But when the new breeze arrived it lacked the strength of the earlier wind and the time slipped away leaving Kraken 42S, the clubhouse leader after crossing the line around 8:30pm, the winner in all divisions.
Sailient, Ian Snape’s Cookson 12, suffered suspected damage to steering crossing Storm Bay and although the boat was still able to be sailed, safety considerations dictated that she return to port, leaving skipper and crew disappointed but safe and well.
In ORC and IRC handicap divisions FilePro was second and Ian Johnston’s Zephyr Insurance Masters was third. Bryan Walpole’s Invincible was runner-up to Kraken 42S in PHS division with Jazz Player in third.
Kraken 42S is one of six Tasmanian boats entered in the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starting on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day.
Words: Nick Hutton
Editor
Tasmanian Yachtsman
Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania
