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Wild Oats XI leads pack in Sydney-Hobart race
Source: Agencies |
December 27, 2010, Monday
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SYDNEY to Hobart race favorite Wild Oats XI, winner of line honors four of the past five years, led a fleet of 87 yachts out of Sydney Harbour yesterday and quickly opened up a healthy lead in the annual yachting classic.
The supermaxi sailed between Sydney Heads and into open ocean, facing favorable light winds as it made its way down the New South Wales coast. The fleet was expected to be hit by a gusty southerly change later yesterday that would slow the boats and make a race record unlikely.
More than six hours into the race, Wild Oats XI, skippered by Mark Richards, led Australian yacht Investec Loyal by five nautical miles, with Wild Thing in third.
"I'm very confident in the boat's speed, there's no question there at all," Richards said yesterday. "It just comes down to your luck and Mother Nature."
Wild Thing collided with a media boat while still in the harbor, with some apparent damage done to the bow of the racing yacht.
Wild Oats XI holds the race record of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes, set in 2005. The 628-nautical-mile (1,163-kilometer) race is being held for the 66th time.
Alfa Romeo, which beat Wild Oats XI last year, is not competing this year. The yacht was sold to Russian interests which decided to keep the boat in Europe instead of attempting to defend its race title.
Last year, Alfa Romeo won in a time of 2 days, 9 hours, 2 minutes, well off the race record due to light winds. Wild Oats XI holds the record of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes, set in 2005, a time that is unlikely to be improved on this year due to the wind forecasts.
Britain's RAN, which had some of its crew arrive late due to bad weather in Europe, heads the overseas challenge which also includes boats from the United States, France, Italy, New Zealand and two partially Russian-crewed yachts.
Another of the favorites for line honors - or first past the post victory - is Loyal, which is crewed in part by former Australian sportsmen such as test cricketer Matthew Hayden and rugby internationals Phil Waugh and Phil Kearns.
Robert Knox-Johnston, who in 1969 became the first sailor to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe, makes his race debut on board Titiania of Cowes at the age of 71.
A repeat of the major storm that sank five boats and killed six sailors in the 1998 race is also unlikely, however.
The supermaxi sailed between Sydney Heads and into open ocean, facing favorable light winds as it made its way down the New South Wales coast. The fleet was expected to be hit by a gusty southerly change later yesterday that would slow the boats and make a race record unlikely.
More than six hours into the race, Wild Oats XI, skippered by Mark Richards, led Australian yacht Investec Loyal by five nautical miles, with Wild Thing in third.
"I'm very confident in the boat's speed, there's no question there at all," Richards said yesterday. "It just comes down to your luck and Mother Nature."
Wild Thing collided with a media boat while still in the harbor, with some apparent damage done to the bow of the racing yacht.
Wild Oats XI holds the race record of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes, set in 2005. The 628-nautical-mile (1,163-kilometer) race is being held for the 66th time.
Alfa Romeo, which beat Wild Oats XI last year, is not competing this year. The yacht was sold to Russian interests which decided to keep the boat in Europe instead of attempting to defend its race title.
Last year, Alfa Romeo won in a time of 2 days, 9 hours, 2 minutes, well off the race record due to light winds. Wild Oats XI holds the record of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes, set in 2005, a time that is unlikely to be improved on this year due to the wind forecasts.
Britain's RAN, which had some of its crew arrive late due to bad weather in Europe, heads the overseas challenge which also includes boats from the United States, France, Italy, New Zealand and two partially Russian-crewed yachts.
Another of the favorites for line honors - or first past the post victory - is Loyal, which is crewed in part by former Australian sportsmen such as test cricketer Matthew Hayden and rugby internationals Phil Waugh and Phil Kearns.
Robert Knox-Johnston, who in 1969 became the first sailor to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe, makes his race debut on board Titiania of Cowes at the age of 71.
A repeat of the major storm that sank five boats and killed six sailors in the 1998 race is also unlikely, however.
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