Two boats have now finished the 2026 Solo Trans-Tasman Yacht Challenge. Guy Chester crossed the line Friday evening. Sharon Ferris-Choat arrived at noon today. And James Foster is close to crossing the finish line at Southport, going fast, projected to dock tonight at around 23:04 NZST — 10pm Queensland time. He will be third across the finish line.
Foster rang in from his Mumby 48 catamaran Electron about half an hour before writing this day’s end summary. His exhaustion was real but so was the satisfaction. He had set a new boat speed record for Electron during the final run — 24.8 knots, surfing down a wave, autopilot on, alarm set for 20 knots. “The alarm goes off and it doesn’t actually feel any different.” The wind came around onto a reach somewhere around midnight and the boat took off. She was sitting on nines and tens, surfing to twelves and thirteens, reeling off 220 NM in 24 hours.
| Pos | Boat | Class | Handicap | DTF | Dist Sailed | VMG | 24h DMG | Est Finish | Corrected Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electron | Catamaran | 0.799 | 17 NM | 1394 NM | 6.5 kts | 225 NM | 6 Jun 23:04 | 5d 23h 4m 51s |
| 2 | Oceans Tribute ✓ FINISHED | Trimaran | 0.963 | Finished | 1462 NM | — | 0 NM | 5 Jun 19:34 | 6d 1h 58m 6s |
Provisional results. NZ Multihull Yacht Club handicap system. Last position update: 6 Jun 20:30 NZST. All times NZST. Electron projected to finish tonight, approximately 23:04 NZST.
On the NZ Multihull Handicap, Electron now leads Guy Chester’s Crowther Oceans Tribute on corrected elapsed — 5d 23h 4m against Chester’s 6d 1h 58m. When Foster crosses tonight, that result will be confirmed. It looks like Electron takes the multihull handicap.
| Pos | Boat | Class | DTF | Dist Sailed | VMG | 24h DMG | Est / Actual Finish | Est / Actual Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oceans Tribute ✓ FINISHED | Trimaran | — | 1462 NM | — | 0 NM | 5 Jun 19:34 | 6d 7h 34m 36s |
| 2 | Vixen Racing ✓ FINISHED | Monohull | — | 1415 NM | — | 153 NM | 6 Jun 12:15 | 7d 0h 9m 4s |
| 3 | Electron | Catamaran | 17 NM | 1394 NM | 6.5 kts | 225 NM | 6 Jun 23:04 | 7d 11h 4m 30s |
| 4 | Pacman | Monohull | 100 NM | 1220 NM | 6.0 kts | 209 NM | 7 Jun 12:35 | 8d 0h 29m 20s |
| 5 | Sarau | Monohull | 101 NM | 1224 NM | 6.0 kts | 203 NM | 7 Jun 12:51 | 8d 0h 51m 30s |
| 6 | Camellia | Monohull | 292 NM | 982 NM | 4.9 kts | 139 NM | 9 Jun 07:25 | 9d 19h 19m 56s |
| 7 | Catnip | Monohull | 364 NM | 935 NM | 4.5 kts | 115 NM | 10 Jun 04:44 | 10d 16h 38m 15s |
| 8 | Nautilass | Monohull | 408 NM | 943 NM | 4.3 kts | 91 NM | 10 Jun 19:56 | 11d 7h 50m 34s |
| 9 | Diablo | Monohull | 467 NM | 816 NM | 3.9 kts | 87 NM | 11 Jun 18:59 | 12d 6h 53m 32s |
| 10 | Smoko | Monohull | 507 NM | 741 NM | 3.7 kts | 66 NM | 12 Jun 13:19 | 13d 1h 13m 57s |
| 11 | Fair Seasons | Monohull | 605 NM | 726 NM | 3.1 kts | 40 NM | 14 Jun 20:46 | 15d 8h 40m 55s |
| — | Roaring Forty (retired — Lord Howe Island) | Monohull | — | |||||
| — | Wave (retired — returned to Opua) | Monohull | — | |||||
| — | Pretty Boy Floyd (retired — safely back in Opua) | Monohull | — | |||||
| — | Robbery (retired — safely in Mangōnui) | Monohull | — | |||||
Provisional results. Last position update: 6 Jun 20:30 NZST. All times NZST. Multihulls shaded blue.
The race for fourth — one nautical mile
Other than James Foster’s impending finish line, the most riveting thing on the tracker tonight is the battle between Peter Elkington’s Young 11 Pacman and Malcolm Dickson’s 55-foot Sarau. One nautical mile (update at 09:00pm, now three nautical miles) separates them — 100 NM and 101 NM DTF respectively. The Race Committee confirmed it: “1 nautical mile separating these two — who will finish first? Sarau or Pacman!” Both are projected to arrive tomorrow afternoon, minutes apart. On line honours Pacman edges ahead. On PHRF corrected time, Sarau leads by over three hours — 6d 9h 54m against Pacman’s 6d 17h 41m. Sarau also leads Vixen Racing on PHRF corrected time by approximately 4 hours 19 minutes, with Ferris-Choat’s race now done. The PHRF result hinges on Sarau finishing well, but with 101 NM to go and the wind up, Dickson is sailing hard.
| Pos | Boat | Handicap | DTF | Dist Sailed | VMG | 24h DMG | Est Finish | Corrected Elapsed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sarau | 0.798 | 101 NM | 1224 NM | 6.0 kts | 203 NM | 7 Jun 12:51 | 6d 9h 54m 3s |
| 2 | Vixen Racing ✓ FINISHED | 0.941 | — | 1415 NM | — | 153 NM | 6 Jun 12:15 | 6d 14h 13m 49s |
| 3 | Pacman | 0.840 | 100 NM | 1220 NM | 6.0 kts | 209 NM | 7 Jun 12:35 | 6d 17h 41m 26s |
| 4 | Camellia | 0.706 | 292 NM | 982 NM | 4.9 kts | 139 NM | 9 Jun 07:25 | 6d 22h 8m 40s |
| 5 | Diablo | 0.660 | 467 NM | 816 NM | 3.9 kts | 87 NM | 11 Jun 18:59 | 8d 2h 37m 44s |
| 6 | Smoko | 0.685 | 507 NM | 741 NM | 3.7 kts | 66 NM | 12 Jun 13:19 | 8d 22h 33m 51s |
| 7 | Catnip | 0.851 | 364 NM | 935 NM | 4.5 kts | 115 NM | 10 Jun 04:44 | 9d 2h 23m 55s |
| 8 | Nautilass | 0.824 | 408 NM | 943 NM | 4.3 kts | 91 NM | 10 Jun 19:56 | 9d 7h 59m 54s |
| 9 | Fair Seasons | 0.696 | 605 NM | 726 NM | 3.1 kts | 40 NM | 14 Jun 20:46 | 10d 16h 36m 9s |
Provisional results. Last position update: 6 Jun 20:30 NZST. All times NZST.
Ben Ball and Camellia
Ben Ball is having a day. Three updates today told the story: this morning the wind had finally backed and Camellia was pointing the right way — “still on the nose so seriously bumpy but we are going pretty fast, try to stay in front of the pesky Beneteaus.” Two hours ago: “on a reach now, still blowing 30 but it will start dying out, making great time.” Then an hour ago, with 5-metre-plus waves: “Just about to click over to 300 miles — so I get a Drambuie. Second time today. That’s fast for Camellia.” Ball sits fourth on PHRF corrected time at 6d 22h 8m, still in the mix with 292 NM to run.
Kevin Le Poidevin and Roaring Forty
Kevin Le Poideven checked in from Lord Howe Island, where Roaring Forty has been anchored after the structural forestay failure that ended his race. The story of getting there was as brutal as the passage itself. He couldn’t anchor or find a deep mooring for over 24 hours, spending the time motoring up and drifting down the lee side of the island in squalls to 48 knots, dodging reefs in the dark. “Brutal.” He finally managed to set a stern anchor at Neds Beach this (Saturday) afternoon — having not slept for 36 hours. He was still going 21 knots surfing under four reefs and a heavy weather jib when it all fell apart. He’s now waiting for fuel to motor sail to Newcastle, watching the easterlies come back.
Kevin Le Poidevin: The man who bought a racing legend on the internet
The rest of the fleet
Geoff Thorn’s Beneteau First 45 Catnip and Terry Dunn’s Nautilass remain together at 364 and 408 NM DTF respectively, projected to finish June 10. Peter Bourke’s S&S 8.7m Diablo and Peter Nobbs’ B&G 36 Smoko are at 467 and 507 NM, projecting for June 11-12. Doug Esterman’s Cavalier 39 Fair Seasons brings up the rear at 605 NM, projecting 14 June.
Two boats home. One on the doorstep. Eight still sailing, or is it…?
Tomorrow we update you on Glen Jeffery and his Grand Soleil 50, Wave.
