Footloose Triumphs in This Year’s Two Capes Race
The Two Capes Race, hosted by the Derwent Sailing Squadron, lived up to its reputation, delivering a great 18-hour contest full of tactical battles. With fortunes shifting like a game of snakes and ladders, the race showcased close competition, challenging conditions, and standout performances.
The fleet set off at 9 am on Saturday under a warm northerly breeze, heading toward the first virtual mark at Cape Raoul. As expected, waterline length favoured the frontrunners. Fork in the Road (Gary Smith) led the pack, holding a 1-nautical-mile advantage over No Pressure (Drew Meincke) as they rounded Cape Raoul and turned toward Fluted Cape.
Weed
However, Fork in the Road’s lead faltered after picking up weed, which required multiple attempts to clear. This opened the door for No Pressure, which capitalised on the opportunity and took control of the race. Dr Who (Rolan Eberhard) joined the line honours battle, surging up the rankings after a slow start, along with Scaramouche (Anthony Williams). Despite the pressure, No Pressure maintained its composure and claimed its first line honours victory under new owner Meincke.
While the larger boats battled for the lead, it was the smaller vessels that ultimately stole the spotlight. Light and variable conditions favoured the backmarkers as the fleet returned to the River Derwent, with 12 boats finishing within just 10 minutes. Amid this tight contest, Stewart Geeves, sailing his Young 88 Footloose, emerged as the standout, clinching a triple victory in PHS, IRC, and ORC.
Seize the moment
As much of the fleet stalled for two hours near John Garrow Light, Geeves capitalised on the lull. Seizing the moment, Footloose powered home under spinnaker and claiming the outright win.
The impressive small-boat performances continued with IYKYK (Scott Brain) securing second place in both IRC and ORC. The friendly rivalry between The Dog House (Peter Coad) and Prion (Linscott/Oak) added to the excitement. The Dog House claimed third in IRC and PHS, while Prion rounded out the ORC podium. Meanwhile, Peter Haros in Wing Three delivered a strong finish, taking second place in PHS.
This year’s Two Capes Race will be remembered not only for its unpredictable conditions but also exceptional performances across the fleet.
Words: Colleen Darcey
Photos: Colleen Darcey
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