| Fleet of 116 nominated for 2009 Sydney Hobart |
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Photos By Carlo Borlenghi and
Alan Carville
for Rolex.
Additional photos by Peter Andrews and story edited from press release by Peter Andrews. |
| November 2, 2009. |
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The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia are delighted to announce an impressive fleet of 116 has been nominated for the impending 2009 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Last year’s event attracted 113 nominations, with 100 making it to the start line on Boxing Day and 92 crossing the finish line off Hobart’s historic Battery Point having completed the gruelling Bass Strait crossing. |
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Geoff Ross' Reichel Pugh 55 Yendys, outside the heads after the start
of the 2008 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Photo © Peter Andrews / Outimage.
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In 2004, 116 yachts sailed south for the 60th anniversary edition and prior to that 115 made it to the start line in 1998. It’s likely that this year’s fleet will finish up the second largest in more than a decade.
Expected to rendezvous in Sydney Harbour at 1pm on Saturday, December 26, for the traditional blast of cannon fire will be seven 100 and 98 foot heavyweights. They will line up for a title fight like never before, and there is plenty at stake. |
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Grant Wharington's Wild Thing, outside the heads after the start of
the 2008 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Photo © Peter Andrews / Outimage.
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| Apart from a single scare last year, Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI crew has largely had things all their own way in the 628 nautical mile premier blue water event since they took the treble of line honours, the overall win and set a new race record in 2005. But as Wild Oats XI stirs for a record fifth charge at line honours, the sharks are circling. |
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Bob Oatley's Wild Oats, outside the heads after the start of the 2008
Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Photo © Peter Andrews / Outimage.
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There are now at least four other similar sized maxis that are capable of stemming Oats’ amazing run says Neville Crichton, owner/skipper of Alfa Romeo who is riding high after his 143rd line honours win in New Zealand last week, and one of those challenging.
"It’s going to be the most spectacular big boat race we’ve ever seen," Crichton promises. |
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Out on the rail on Neville Crichton's Alfa Romeo, during the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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In a hard upwind slog, his money will be on Mike Slade’s proven UK based 100 footer ICAP Leopard. In a running race however, he would back Wild Oats XI, Grant Wharington’s modified 98 footer Skandia Wild Thing and Sean Langman’s soon-to-be 100 footer Loyal, and of course his own Reichel Pugh-designed 100 foot champion.
Joining the super sleek and modern will be many of the race faithfuls, including three-time overall winner Love & War, Simon Kurts’ 1973-launched S & S 47, and Mike Freebairn’s 1968-built S & S 49 Ray White Spirit of Koomooloo, a 22-time entrant. |
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Mike Slade's Farr 100 ICAP Leopard arriving in Marsamxett Harbour, to take line honours in the Middle Sea Race, earlier in 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Alan Carville.
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Ian Kiernan’s 1958-built Tasman Seabird Sanyo Maris, which tonight is running first in the IRC handicap stakes of the Hempel Gosford to Lord Howe Island Yacht Race, will also add a touch of old world charm to the starter’s list.
"The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is elated with the number of applications," said Commodore Matt Allen today.
"The decision to extend the maximum length overall limit from 98 to 100 feet has generated strong interest worldwide with five 100 footers promising an intense battle, when the focus of yachting worldwide turns to Sydney Harbour on the 26th of December. |
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Ian Kiernan's Tasman Seabird Sanyo
Maris outside the heads after the start of the 2008
Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.
Photo © Peter Andrews / Outimage.
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"There are a significant number of high quality applications including the recent Fastnet line honours and overall winners, ICAP Leopard and Niklas Zennström’s Rán. They will join last year’s Sydney Hobart overall winner, Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest, and other past winners spanning several decades.
"With so many competitive grand prix yachts entered we are anticipating an exciting battle for the Tattersall’s Cup, but of course like Love & War’s win three years ago, the overall victor could come from one of the classic ranks." |
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Niklas Zennstrom's Ran, passing Stromboli Volcano, Sicily, October 18, 2009, during the Middle Sea Race.
Photo © Carlo Borlenghi / www.carloborlenghi.com.
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All Australian states plus the ACT are represented, with 12 international entries sailing for the UK, USA, New Zealand, Spain, New Caledonia and the Netherlands.
Applications for entry, which closed at 5pm today, will continue to be processed by the CYCA sailing office and if all the race entry criteria is met, owners will be invited to submit an entry form, due December 4. |
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Lindsay May, skipper of Love & War and crew for their overall
win in 2006.
Photo © Peter Andrews / Outimage.
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The 2009 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet will be officially announced at the CYCA in Sydney, Tuesday November 24 at 10.00am. The Sydney Hobart will be preceded by another series of daily offshore races outside Sydney Heads. Racing for the one design classes, including Farr 40’s and Sydney 38’s, will take place between December 11 and 13 and the IRC and Performance Handicap boats between December 17 and 20, 2009.
For further information about the Sydney Hobart, the official race website can be found at: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com. |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2009 |
