Outimage Publications - 11th hour battle for Tattersall's Cup glory

The outimage dot net ocean yacht racing banner is an image of Roger Sturgeon's Transpac 65 Rosbud from the United States, working up Hobart's Derwent River into the late afternoon to take out an overall win of the 2007 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The photograph was taken by Peter Andrews.

11th hour battle for Tattersall’s Cup glory

Rolex Sydney Hobart - News Update
11:20 AEDT December 28, 2008

Article By the Rolex Sydney Hobart Media Team

December 28, 2008.

An 11th hour battle among Australia’s top 50-foot yachts for the ultimate prize in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the Tattersall’s Cup for the winner on corrected time, has been taking place in Storm Bay at the entrance to Hobart’s Derwent River.

Bob Steel's TP52 Quest on Sydney Harbour during the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, a lead-up race to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Bob Steel's TP52 Quest on Sydney Harbour during the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, a lead-up race to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.

Three TP52s are in the top six places, with Bob Steel’s Quest in first place, the indomitable Syd Fischer sailing his 40th Hobart race with his latest Ragamuffin snapping at Quest’s transom in second and Alan Whiteley’s Victorian sister to those two boats, Cougar II, in sixth place.

Between them are Ray Roberts’ Quantum Racing and Geoff Ross’s Reichel Pugh 55 Yendys.

Syd Fischer's TP52 Ragamuffin on Sydney Harbour ahead of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Syd Fischer's TP52 Ragamuffin on Sydney Harbour ahead of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.

Ragamuffin, behind Quest on the water, is within seven minutes of Quest’s corrected time. Quest is 11 hours inside her required finishing time to win the race on corrected time as she enters the Derwent for the final leg of the race.

Fischer on Ragamuffin is also well inside his required finishing time but with an hour less to spare. Quantum Racing, Yendys and Cougar II are a further hour behind in their zone of comfort.

Alan Whiteley's TP52 Cougar II on Sydney Harbour ahead of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Alan Whiteley's TP52 Cougar II on Sydney Harbour ahead of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.

At 9.52am this morning Bryan Northcote, navigator of Quantum Racing, reported damage to the Sydney-based canting keeled Cookson 50.

"Everything was rosy until around 10pm last night we hit something doing 27 knots and broke our rudder at the post leaving about 1 metre below the hull. This reduced our boat speed down to 60 per cent, making it a very difficult trip down the Tassie coast."

Ray Roberts' Cookson 50 Quantum Racing on Sydney Harbour ahead of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Ray Roberts' Cookson 50 Quantum Racing on Sydney Harbour ahead of the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2008. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.

"After extensive checking of the steering system established we could continue at reduced speeds, which dashed all our high hopes for IRC overall," said Northcote.

Despite the damage, Quantum Racing remains fourth overall.

Official race website: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

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