Dorade wrapped up the 85-mile Bird Island Race over the weekend in Sydney Australia. The offshore race took the 52-foot yawl on a course that started in Sydney Harbor and went up Australia’s southeast coast to Bird Island and back. It was the team’s last chance to prepare for the formidable Rolex Sydney Hobart Race later this month. Click here for full results from the Bird Island Race
“We saw better results than the last race, however it was another event where the wind died after the fast boats finished, which meant we had little chance of correcting out,” said Tactician Kevin Miller, adding that prior to the Bird Island Race, the team wrapped up the Bass Island Race in October, with the classic wooden yawl going up against a slew of modern grand prix yachts on a rigorous 200-mile course. “The momentum is building for us, and I feel like we have a shot at winning the Rolex Sydney Hobart provided Mother Nature smiles on us.”
The 628-nautical mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is the most important event in the “Dorade Down Under” Campaign, and is scheduled to start December 26, 2017.
Background:
This year marks the 86-year-old yacht’s first time taking on the challenging waters of the Southern Hemisphere. Dorade arrived in Australia over the summer to kick off the ambitious seven-race campaign and has been upping its game throughout the season to accommodate the intense conditions for which the region is known; the team has boosted its crew count from seven to eight members onboard during racing in addition to reinforcing safety protocols, onboard logistics and watch schedules.
Bird Island Race Photo Gallery:
