Elliott 7.8 Ex Machina claims overall handicap victory
When the 2026 Marsden Cove Route 66 Coastal Yacht Race numbers settled after more than fifteen hours of racing north, the boat sitting at the top of the handicap standings was the smallest boat of the entire fleet, the Elliott 7.8 Ex Machina skippered by Jamie Caisley (WCC), racing in A2 Open Keeler (~0.75-).
The lightweight trailer yacht completed the course in 15:07:32 elapsed, correcting to 11 hours 20 minutes 39 seconds, the fastest PHRF time recorded anywhere in the fleet.
The margin was razor thin.
Second overall was another A2 Open Keeler, SR26 T-Rex skippered by Lanny Walker (PYBC) and by chance the second smallest boat in the fleet, finishing just 53 seconds behind on corrected time.
Over a race lasting most of the day and stretching 66 nautical miles up the coast, the difference between victory and second place came down to less than a minute.
Designed by New Zealand naval architect Greg Elliott, the Elliott 7.8 has long been regarded as one of the country’s most versatile small performance yachts. The design combines a lightweight hull, retractable keel and powerful sail plan, producing a dry sailing weight of around 900 kg with roughly 400 kg of ballast in the keel. Check out the design here https://www.elliott-marine.com/assets/Uploads/Elliott780-racing-cruising-yacht-design-marine-Greg-Elliott.pdf
When sailed well, that formula can deliver outsized results, as Ex Machina proved.
Light winds turn the Route 66 into a tactical race
The Marsden Cove Marina Route 66 Coastal Yacht Race, organised by Richmond Yacht Club with Onerahi Yacht Club, has become a staple of northern offshore sailing since its first running in 2012.
The race sends competitors 66 nautical miles from Auckland to Marsden Cove in Whangarei, threading past Little Barrier Island and Sail Rock before turning toward the Whangarei entrance.
Heading into the 6–7 March 2026 race, organisers already suspected conditions might shape the outcome.
“The wind may be light, but there’s treasure to be claimed,” they said on the eve of the start.
They were right.
By race morning the outlook remained uncertain. Early commentary described the day as “a bit of a floater for the Route 66 today, but any day is a good day to be out on the water.”
For crews, that meant a tactical coastal race where patience, positioning and keeping the boat moving would matter more than raw speed.
A2 Open Keeler division
The A2 Open Keeler (~0.75-) division ultimately produced the defining contest of the race.
PHRF results
The division was won by Elliott 7.8 Ex Machina skippered by Jamie Caisley (WCC) with a corrected time of 11 hours 20 minutes 39 seconds.
Second went to SR26 T-Rex skippered by Lanny Walker (PYBC), just 53 seconds behind.
Third place went to Stewart 34 Perception II skippered by Richard Stubbs (SSANZ).
Other competitors included Chico 30 Chico Too skippered by Trish Beken (RYC), Townson 34 Citation skippered by Bob Nevill (GHYC), Stewart 34 Precedent skippered by Mike Parker (PCC), Beale 9m Predator skippered by Tony Evans (RYC), Young 88 Time Out skippered by Jeremy Cope and Matt Vandervecht (RYC) and Elan E3 Belle skippered by Steve Morriss (RYC).
Line honours
On elapsed time, Elliott 7.8 Ex Machina again led the division with 15 hours 07 minutes 32 seconds, followed by SR26 T-Rex and Stewart 34 Perception II.
A1 Open Keeler division
The A1 Open Keeler (~0.75+) fleet delivered some of the fastest monohulls of the race.
PHRF results
The division was won by Ross 35 Apparition skippered by Marcel Vroege (RYC) with a corrected time of 11 hours 30 minutes 21 seconds.
Second went to Beneteau First 35 First Priority skippered by Keith Trask (RNZYS).
Third was Thompson 850 Men At Work 3 skippered by Hans Wehmeyer (FGSC).
Other boats included Hanse 385 About Time skippered by Mike Matthews (RYC), Ross 40 Revs skippered by Keith Edwards (MYBC), Ross 930 Wasted Away skippered by Luke Judge (SSANZ) and Dufour 36P Cest La Vie skippered by Leo McCullough (MYBC).
Line honours
The fastest monohull in the race was Ross 40 Revs, which crossed in 13 hours 59 minutes 26 seconds.
Ross 35 Apparition followed, with Thompson 850 Men At Work 3 just 32 seconds behind.
Despite winning on the water, Revs dropped to sixth once handicap corrections were applied.
B2 Open Two Handed division
The B2 Open Two Handed division produced one of the closest battles of the race.
PHRF results
The win went to J88 Juniper skippered by Lode Missiaen (RNZYS) with a corrected time of 11 hours 37 minutes 50 seconds.
Second place went to Young 11 Future Feedback skippered by James Blackburn (OYC).
Third went to another Young 11 Peppermint Planet sailed by P Barnard and R Janes (RYC).
Line honours
On the water, J88 Juniper led the division in 14 hours 47 minutes 50 seconds, followed closely by Thompson 38 Titanium and Young 11 Future Feedback.
The three boats crossed the finish within five and a half minutes, a remarkably tight margin after an all day coastal race.
B1 Open Single Handed division
The B1 Open Single Handed division featured two experienced solo skippers.
Sunfast 3600 Katana sailed by Nigel Garland (RYC) took both handicap and line honours, finishing ahead of RR36 Monotone sailed by Tony McAlwee (CCYC).
Multihulls division
The Multihulls division delivered the fastest boat of the race.
On elapsed time Crowther 40 Oceans Tribute skippered by Guy Chester (TSC) completed the course in 13 hours 21 minutes 11 seconds, the fastest passage of the entire fleet.
However on handicap the win went to 8.5 Great Barrier Express trimaran Freedom skippered by Coen Ursem (NZMYC).
A race won by patience
In light and shifting conditions, the 2026 Route 66 Coastal Yacht Race became a race of small margins and steady decisions.
Several boats finished within minutes of each other after more than fourteen hours on the water. The closest margin in the fleet came in the B2 Open Two Handed division, where Hanse 430e Perchanse sailed by Keeley Sander (RYC) finished just three seconds ahead of Thompson 38 Titanium sailed by Steve Green (WCC) on corrected time.
At the top of the fleet, the overall victory came down to 53 seconds.
For Elliott 7.8 Ex Machina, that was enough to claim the fastest corrected time of the race and take overall PHRF honours in the 2026 Marsden Cove Marina Route 66 Coastal Yacht Race.
