Ryujin has hauled in Peccadillo to take the lead in the race for line honours in the second day of the Melbourne to Hobart yacht race.
Peccadillo was the first boat out of Port Philip Bay Heads on the opening day but was overtaken by the Sayer 12, skippered by Alex Toomey from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron.
The race went to plan under Toomey, who said he was looking to hang onto the leaders early and then stretch the boat in the run along the south coast of Tasmania before heading northeast to Storm Bay.
Handicap favourite Ginan, co-skippered by best mates Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie from the Mornington Yacht Club, is currently in third place.
Ginan remains a boat to watch with the experienced crew looking to better last year’s second place on AMS handicap and get their hands on the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual trophy.
Lord Jiminy sits fourth closely followed by Andrew Neeson’s Runnalls 39, Jaffa, from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club.
Vertigo, skippered by father-daughter combination Tim and Clare Olding from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, is leading the race on AMS handicap.
Just 23, Clare is the youngest skipper in the race and was winner of the Rookie Skipper award in the 50th anniversary race last year.
The Westcoaster, as the race is affectionately known, is one of the world’s great ocean races, covering 435 nautical miles from the start in Port Philip Bay to the finish line in the River Derwent in Hobart.
Line honours contenders are expected to arrive in Hobart in the early hours of Saturday morning.
