Audi Victoria Week Passage Race multihull win to Cascade

The 46 foot catamaran Cascade proved that age is no barrier, the 35 year old boat taking the Geelong Taxi Network Multi-Hull Series provisional race win in today’s Audi Victoria Week Passage Race from Melbourne to Geelong.

“It was light at the start which was a bit of a problem for us, but once it filled in, it was ideal,” said owner Alex MacNaughtan. “Being the biggest multihull in the fleet, we were the most powerful upwind and managed to work our way through the fleet, which gave us the break.

“Then when we reached the Point Richards channel beacon and eased off slightly, the boat took off. We were doing 16 knots in 25 knots of breeze and we caught up to the leading monohulls.”

MacNaughtan has a long history with Audi Victoria Week. He’s been competing at Australia’s longest established regatta with Cascade for the past 34 years. Before that, his father was competing in the 1920s.

In today’s 34.3 nautical mile race, which began off Williamstown this morning at 9.30am, Cascade beat Peter Boyd’s Farrier F9A Goldfinger and George Bulka’s Farrier F82R Redshift, into third place.

While today marked the start of Audi Victoria Week for the majority of the near-record 441 entries, the multihulls are nearing the end of their regatta with just two races remaining, to be sailed tomorrow on Corio Bay.

On the series pointscore after six races, Shaun Fishley’s Farrier 31 Frassld is leading Goldfinger by two points with Tim Pepperell’s Farrier F9AX E-Marineworld Skips the third placed boat a further five points adrift of Goldfinger.

Follow the action daily and view images, video and full results at: www.victoriaweek.com

Lisa Ratcliff, Audi Victoria Week media