Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race officials anticipate the leading boat to finish at Constitution Dock between 10 pm and midnight tonight, depending on the effect of a strengthening south easterly which could increase their speed up the Derwent River.
A short time ago, recordholder Wild Oats XI was abeam of Maria Island on the Tasmanian east coast, about 80 nautical miles from the finish line off Hobart’s Castray Esplanade.
Ahead of Wild Oats XI is Tasman Island, the turning mark of the course that brings the fleet across to Cape Raoul and into Storm Bay for the final obstacle, the 11 nautical mile passage from the Iron Pot lighthouse at the mouth of the Derwent River, up to Castray.
If Wild Oats XI can hold off Grant Wharington’s Skandia and a fast-finishing Ichi Ban, she will become only the second boat to win back-to-back line honours in the race. That particular record is held by Astor, which won in 1963 and 1964, having already won in 1961.
Wild Oats XI has maintained a 20 mile lead over Skandia since yesterday afternoon when the Wharington boat lost its canard, a retractable centerboard forward of the mast that reduces leeway on boats with canting keels. Leeway is the tendency of a boat to slip sideways downwind because of the effect of the wind on the sails. At that stage Skandia had been about five miles behind Wild Oats XI. The disadvantage of the missing canard is now telling.
Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban has been the story of the day. The former Volvo 70 which Wharington took in this year’s Volvo Ocean Race is snapping at the heels of Wharington’s maxi, about five miles astern and gaining.
The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting continuing southerly to south-easterly winds in Storm Bay and the Derwent tonight.
Some well-known names in Sydney Hobart racing – Impeccable, Bacardi and Yendys - are leading the race on corrected time in the IRC division that determines the overall winner of the race.
Impeccable is sailed by the race’s oldest skipper John Walker, who is 84 and a three time winner of the Cruising Yacht Club’s Ocean Racing Veteran of the Year. Bacardi, sailed by John Williams with his three sons aboard, has competed in 21 Sydney-Hobarts. Yendys, skippered by Geoff Ross, is the newest yacht in the race and owner Ross has previously won overall with a former version of the boat.
For much of the day the leading boat had been Lou Abraham’s Challenge. Abrahams this year joins the late John ‘the Fish’ Bennetto as the most capped sailor with 44 consecutive starts.
The leading boat in the Performance Handicap section is currently Phillips Foote Witchdoctor, which is sailing its 26th Hobart this year to set a new record for most Hobart races sailed by a yacht.
There have been no more retirements today and 69 yachts remain at sea, stretched out from Eden on the NSW South Coast to Mistaken Cape, Tasmania.
