Race update 18 March 7.30 am
Day 2 sees the main fleet taking a small divergence on their route as they round Wilson Promontory.
Three key factors come into play: the transition from westerlies to northerlies, the East Australian Current, and the potential for strong northerly winds as they turn north.
The northern fleet may opt to stay further north to catch the new breeze first, cut the corner, and then head northeast to hook into the northerly set of the East Australian Current.
Meanwhile, the southern fleet might take advantage of the stronger existing breeze with fast sails up, aiming to slingshot into the large current eddy guarding the eastern side of Bass Strait—setting themselves up for a favourable angle into the East Australian Current.
Our resident weather expert, Rod Smallman points out the areas of weather for consideration using the image above when deciding which strategy to use.
1️⃣ Wind transition
2️⃣ East Australian Current
3️⃣ Strong northerlies
Meanwhile, those in the Coral Sea are enjoying champagne conditions, charging north with glamorous, broad-reaching, and downwind sailing!
Check back in and keep an eye on the tracker as they settle into a good pattern and the reality that this is an endurance race where pacing yourself and getting rest will be critical.
We invite you to watch the tracker or keep a close eye on our social media pages.
Follow the fleet as they race towards Osaka via the race tracker https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2025-melbourne-osaka-cup-double-handed-race
Learn more about the race and competitors via the Melbourne Osaka Cup website https://melbourneosakacup.com/en/home/
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Osakacup2018/
M2O Media
About the Melbourne Osaka Cup:
Melbourne Osaka Double-Handed Yacht Race: The World’s Longest South-to-North Sailing Event, is about to kick off, attracting both international and local sailing talent.
Competitors sail non-stop and unassisted on their own boats with just two people onboard, navigating four weather systems over 32 to 35 days.
This event provides a unique opportunity for sailors, many of whom are Corinthian (non-professional and self-funded), to embark on the challenge of a lifetime. While major shorthanded races like the Vendée Globe and Transat Jacques Vabre feature professional teams, large shore crews, and significant budgets, the Melbourne Osaka Race stands apart by offering accessibility to sailors who do not rely on extensive support teams.
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