Hobart yachtsmen Phillip Turner and Duncan Hine are aiming for a victorious farewell to their summer sojourn in southern Tasmanian waters with their 2018 Sydney Hobart winner Alive when they contest today’s historic Bruny Island race.

The 89 nautical mile race, first held by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in 1898, starts at 9.30am from off the Hobart Regatta grounds with the fleet circumnavigating the elongated island south of Hobart.

Alive, a Reichel Pugh 66, has twice taken line honours in the Bruny Island race, in 2016 falling just 12 minutes short of the race record of eight hours two minutes and 59 seconds.

“To break the record would be a great finale to our summer in Tasmania….unlike the Sydney Hobart our crew for Bruny is almost Tassie boys, including Derwent Sailing Squadron commodore Scott Brain and champion helmsman Sam Tiedemann,” skipper Duncan Hine said yesterday.

“Owner Phillip has flown in from Singapore especially and we will sailing our best to break the record,” added Hine who, like Turner spends most of his time away from Hobart.

The JJ Richards Bruny Island race has attracted a talent fleet including seven boats that contested the recent 75th Rolex Sydney Hobart, among them three past winners of the Sydney Hobart.

Rivalling Alive for line honours are Mike Pritchard’s Cookson 50 Oskana and lightweight 2Unlimited, skippered by by Greg Prescott.

by Peter Campbell