The Melbourne to Hobart ‘Westcoaster’ and the Sydney to Hobart east coast race provided an excellent opportunity for entrants of the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka double-handed yacht race to complete their 400 nautical mile non-stop passage qualifier.
Four of these qualifying yachts include Tasmanian crews and the Honourable Barbara Baker AC, Governor of Tasmania, together with her husband Emeritus Professor Don Chalmers, were invited to come and meet the crews at an informal ‘meet and greet’ on New Year’s Eve.
Conversation was lively as this was the first time many of the Melbourne to Osaka race entrants had met each other. A number of volunteers involved in coordinating the race were also invited to the event which was held in the beautiful harbour room at the Grand Chancellor hotel, overlooking the Hobart foreshore. To mark the occasion, Ronstan representative and competitor Peter Dowdney presented Her Excellency with a commemorative Ronstan Melbourne to Osaka watch and signed an event flag wishing the entrants fair winds.
As well as completing their qualifier for the Osaka Cup, two teams also won the double-handed division in their respective races. The father and daughter team on Magellan won the double-handed division in the Westcoaster race, and the mother and daughter team on Fika won the double-handed division in the Sydney to Hobart race.
Sailor Moon, Blue Moon were still racing and not present. Celeste and Lord Jiminy sustained damage in the Sydney to Hobart and were not present