30 Dec – One More Time
For the 69th year in a row the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race brought the sailing year to an end.
The 94-boat fleet got the Boxing Day spectacular underway in picture perfect conditions and is summed up by the image above taken by Daniel Forster.
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In another testing race Wild Oats XI, skippered by Mark Richards, took the line honours for the seventh time. Wild Oats XI has now drawn level with Morna/Kurrewa IV, winner of the classic race in 1946, 1947, 1948, 1954, 1956, 1957 and 1960.
- Victoire took the overall honours and for all the news from the race; read more…
- Look for the “Overall Winner Highlights” video HERE…
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28 Dec – Oats tramping like a train to the finish
After 2 days and about 6-7 hours, six-time line honours winner Wild Oats XI is tramping at 25+ knots across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River towards Hobart on Tasman Island and is expected to finish within the hour.
Closely followed by Perpetual LOYAL (35nm back), Ragamuffin 100, Black Jack, Giacomo, Beau Geste and Wild Thing, all of whom are within 100nm and will likely be home in Hobart by the time you read this…
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You may also want to read SailWorld-Aus’ report, HERE… (It’ll be busy, thus slow to upload, but be patient, it will come up. Give it time!)
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At the start – Wild Oats XI, to leeward of Perpetual Loyal – Borlenghi
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, 2300hours
For the first time in a long time, Wild Oats XI is being given a real run for her money by not just one challenger, but a bunch of big boats and at 18.00hrs this afternoon, had just a 1 nautical mile lead over Wild Thing and Beau Geste, with Ragamuffin 100 a further mile away as the two VOR 70’s, Black Jack and Giacomo along with Perpetual LOYAL gave chase 1 nautical mile behind Ragamuffin 100.
Skippered by Mark Richards, Bob Oatley’s line honours and overall defending champion Wild Oats XI was off Kiama, sailing east of the rhumbline and on pace with her record of last year, travelling at 15 knots in a south-easterly breeze with six boats snapping at her transom.
Sailing just west of the rhumbline, all were happy campers aboard Wild Thing from Queensland. Navigator, David Turton, commented shortly before 6.00pm: “We’ve got four boats abeam; Wild Oats, Beau Geste, Perpetual LOYAL and Ragamuffin – we’re inshore of them and they’re sailing in a bunch.
“We’re in a sou-easter in the early teens and we’re going as far south as we can as soon as we can. We’re just getting into our watch system – and we can see a bit of a rain cell which should hit us in the next half hour,” Turton said.
“We’re pretty happy to be in touch the other big boats and we’re doing our best to stay in touch with them so we can get into the next breeze transition with them. Hopefully the rain cell won’t affect us too much,” Turton ended.
So Karl Kwok’s Beau Geste is living up to owner Karl Kwok and sailing master Gavin Brady’s promise. The dark horse of the fleet, due to it being brand new and only arriving from New Zealand four days ago, is 80 feet and keeping pace with the 100 footers in what is shaping up to be one of the most fascinating races since the 50th anniversary race in 1994.
So too the newly purchased VOR 70’s are up with the 100 footers; Peter Harburg’s Black Jack (Old) in the bunch, while Jim Delegat’s Giacomo from New Zealand is level pegging, but further to sea.
Further down the track, the game is just as strong, with the bulk of the fleet just south of Wollongong.
Aboard the Beneteau 45, Balance, owner Paul Clitheroe said: “Bumping along in a very nice 13 knots. After such a peaceful start, we had time to be entertained by a boat on the eastern side of the Harbour, which seemed to be using their kite to trawl for prawns.
“In the third miracle of our day, the kite came down intact and off to sea we went, as far as we could tell, we were leading the boats from our line. Can we finish now? It can only get worse!”
Aboard a second Beneteau 45, brothers Martin and Derek Sheppard and crew aboard their tongue-in-cheek named Black Sheep, were happy campers. “We’re sailing along in 10-12 knots and we’ve got Colortile in our sights. All’s going well, we’re enjoying the conditions,” tactician Mike Kennedy reported.
Two boats retired in the early stages of the race;
- Rod Jones’ Welbourn 50, Audi Sunshine Coast was first to go when a masthead fitting failed.
- Shortly after, Adrian Dunphy retired his Andrews 52, Dodo after sustaining mainsail damage.
Ninety-two boats remain in the race.
Di Pearson, RSHYR Media
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You can follow the race on tracker; visit the Rolex Sydney Hobart website HERE…
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Sydney, Australia
A fleet comprising 94 yachts, including 22 international entrants, five 100-ft Maxis, seven former winners and the current race record holder, is arguably the strongest in recent Rolex Sydney Hobart history. Running for the 69th uninterrupted year and sponsored by Rolex since 2002, the 2013 edition of the 628-nm race starts – as is tradition – on 26 December from Sydney Harbour.
OATS versus LOYAL
“What an amazing line up we have this year, it’s a very exciting prospect for all of us,” comments Mark Richards, skipper of Bob Oatley’s 100-ft Maxi Wild Oats XI. Six-time line honours winner and current race record holder (1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds), Wild Oats XI is one of the race’s symbolic names and has undergone extensive structural improvements over the course of the past year in a bid to equal Morna’s (later Kurrewa IV) record of seven line honours victories. It will not be easy; she faces a stringent examination of her credentials with the emergence of a new rival.
Anthony Bell’s Perpetual LOYAL is another 100-footer, and is expected to provide a stern test. “It will be a tough battle with Wild Oats XI,” explained Bell, line honours winner in 2011 with his previous boat, “we’re up against the best maxi racing team in the world – they’re like the Ferrari team of ocean racing.” Perpetual LOYAL, the former Rambler 100, boasts vast speed potential and a talented crew including Australian Olympian Tom Slingsby.
“This will be my first Rolex Sydney Hobart and my first offshore ocean race. I haven’t been sick on a yacht before – only once when I was on a fishing boat – so I’m curious as to how I’ll fair,” said Slingsby, ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year in 2010. “The two boats are very different craft,” added Richards. “Wild Oats is a long, narrow boat, Perpetual LOYAL is very beamy and a very powerful boat. It’s going to come down to the conditions.”
Wild Oats XI and Perpetual LOYAL know that focusing only on each other could have detrimental consequences, with the fleet comprising three other 100-ft yachts with similar ambitions of finishing first – Wild Thing, Zefiro and Ragamuffin 100. Skippered by Australian sailing legend Syd Fischer, 86 years young and preparing for his 45th Rolex Sydney Hobart, the latter will not lack experience. Tony Ellis will compete alongside Fischer for an incredible 41st time while taking part in his 47th ‘sail south’ to Hobart, Tasmania.
Records to fall?
The fleet is peppered with former winners, both sailors and boats. 2012 was a fast boat edition with Wild Oats XI claiming the overall win on handicap and the famous Tattersall’s Cup. The limelight, as history proves, can be stolen by any boat in the fleet, professional or amateur-crewed. Recent winners include a vast range of yacht types – including the 47-ft Love & War in 2006; the 40-ft Two True in 2009 and the 60-ft Loki in 2011.
“As a kid it’s something you always dream of. Just doing the race is fantastic, but to be a winner is the ultimate in sailing for Australian blokes,” explained Geoff Boettcher who led the 51-ft Secret Men’s Business 3.5 to success in 2010. It is one of the seven former winners to participate in the 2013 race although will sail as under the guise Primitive Cool with John Newbold.
The last overseas entrant to win the race was American Roger Sturgeon’s 65-ft Rosebud, back in 2007. A statistic the large contingent of overseas entrants will seek to alter, in particular Karl Kwok from Hong Kong, who could become the first foreign owner to win the race twice.
Kwok last won the Rolex Sydney Hobart in 1997 and this year inaugurates his latest Beau Geste. Also seeking a place in history is Martin Power’s Bacardi, a yacht that will set a record for most Rolex Sydney Hobarts completed if she finishes for a 28th time.
Viewed worldwide
The international fleet includes entries from Cyprus, Germany, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Singapore (Zanzibar, winner of the 2012 Rolex China Sea Race) and a large contingent from the United Kingdom. The global audience for the race start in Sydney harbour is estimated to reach one million, including those watching in numbers from the shore and the water, together with viewers following live coverage on the television and internet. The sight of the fleet exiting Sydney Harbour provides one of the iconic images of the Australian sporting calendar, taking place as the equally renowned Boxing Day cricket Test Match breaks for lunch.
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From ISAF Sailing
You can read more, get updates and follow the race on tracker; visit the Rolex Sydney Hobart website HERE…
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Sailing With Devious, 2014 