This year’s race featured weather conditions that perfectly suited the design of Celestial V70, a Volvo 70 originally built for the demanding Volvo Ocean Race. Featuring significant downwind and reaching legs, the conditions played into the strengths of the high-performance yacht, enabling it to outperform its rivals in the IRC calculations.
Key contenders such as New Zealand’s Caro and LawConnect pushed hard, but Celestial V70‘s crew demonstrated superior preparation and execution. LawConnect, a strong favourite, would have needed to finish approximately 5 hours and 25 minutes earlier than they did to claim the overall prize.
Sam Haynes and his crew persevered against the elements and the ticking clock; having previously won the Tattersall Cup in 2022, Haynes entered the 2024 race ambitious to win. “I always wanted to sail a Volvo 70 and I wanted to do the race as a Commodore, so when the chance came up, I took it,” said Haynes.
With his son William by his side and a dedicated crew, Haynes expertly led Celestial V70 to victory. Reflecting on the race, he noted: “It was the perfect weather for this boat.”
This triumph not only secures Haynes’ place in race history but also highlights the importance of making bold choices, as evidenced by his decision to charter the Volvo 70.
While Celestial V70 claimed the overall IRC win, other boats achieved noteworthy successes. New Zealand’s Caro secured the Div 1 overall win, while Celestial V70 also took top honours in Div 0.
Several divisions and categories, including Div 2, Div 3, and the Corinthian IRC class, remain undecided, keeping the excitement alive for race followers.
