| Hobart fleet joins pre-Christmas rush |
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Photos By Carlo Borlenghi
and Kurt Arrigo for Rolex, and Peter Andrews.
Story edited from press release by Peter Andrews. |
| December 8, 2009. |
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The Sydney Hobart fleet of 100 has joined the pre-Christmas rush with unforeseen hitches, pushing a number of crews to the limit as they scramble to prepare for the Boxing Day start of Australia’s great ocean classic. While Christmas shoppers dash around department store aisles with their present lists in hand, a number of crews will have little chance of getting to the shops over the next fortnight, given the list of tasks they have to complete before they are race ready.
The crew of Sean Langman’s Elliott 100, Investec LOYAL, is working against the clock to have the boat’s new keel fitted prior to next Tuesday’s Big Boat Challenge, the annual maxi boat race on Sydney Harbour. |
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Out on the rail on Charles St Clair Brown and Bill Buckley's Elliott 100 maxi Maximus at the heads after the start of the 2006 Sydney to Hobart
Yacht Race. This year, Sean will race this boat to Hobart under the name Investec
LOYAL.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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A delay in the boat’s arrival from New Zealand followed by a further delay in the build time for the new keel has cost Langman and his crew valuable time. The new keel left Brisbane by road yesterday and is due to be fitted this weekend with the boat likely to be re-launched at Woolwich Dock on Monday.
"We’ve organised two teams to work around the clock to fit the keel this weekend," said Langman.
They might be under plenty of pressure, but the crew’s intense fitness and sail training schedule rolls on. Keeping up with this schedule, Investec LOYAL was out last weekend completing its 24hr qualifying sail with its original keel.
For UK entries Rán 2 and ICAP Leopard, an unforeseen shipping delay has cost them two weeks preparation time.
Niklas Zennström’s JV72 Rán 2 and Mike Slade’s 100 footer, ICAP Leopard, are currently on a cargo ship bound for Port Kembla, which is due to dock on the 14th or 15th of December. A delayed departure from Malta in the Mediterranean will cost both crews valuable preparation and on-water training time, and it will prevent Zennström from contesting next week’s Big Boat Challenge. |
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Niklas Zennström’s Rán 2 rounding Fastnet Rock at
sunrise, during the Fastnet Race 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Kurt Arrigo.
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"We are obviously very disappointed by the two week delay," said Rán’s race team manager Tim Powell.
"We spent a lot of time and energy making sure we had enough time to prepare the boat then compete in the regattas before the Sydney Hobart, the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge and the Rolex Trophy. The SOLAS Big Boat Race is definitely cancelled for us and we are going to struggle to make the Rolex Trophy," said Powell.
"The team is still arriving as planned and whilst we now have a very hectic schedule and a lot of work to do, we are all very excited about competing in the Sydney Hobart," added Powell. |
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Niklas Zennström’s JV 72 Rán 2 heading to towards Fastnet Rockin 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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The impact on ICAP Leopard’s program isn’t too significant says boat captain Chris Sherlock.
"The arrival date will be six or seven days later than we had hoped, however the impact on us is not significant due to the fact we hadn’t planned to contest the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge or the lead up series. Fortunately, we had a few weeks in Malta last month to prepare the yacht after the last event so when it arrives it will really be a case of mast in, main on and off we go. Even the sails are down below and race packed." |
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Mike Slade's Farr 100 ICAP Leopard, during the Middle Sea Race 2009.
Photo © Rolex / Kurt Arrigo.
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"Transporting maxis to and from Australia for specific dates is very difficult. Because we are doing a lot of regattas in a short space of time, we have to take the risk of delays," added Sherlock.
ICAP Leopard’s owner, Mike Slade, will arrive on the 18th of this month for the crew’s first training sail, and the delivery from Port Kembla up to Sydney for the boat’s second Sydney Hobart; having finished runner up to Wild Oats XI in 2007. |
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Mike Slade's 98 foot version of Leopard on its final approach to the Hobart
finishing line in 2007.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Grant Wharington’s Melbourne based Jones 98, Wild Thing, sustained minor cosmetic damage earlier this week when an unexpected strong north westerly change caused the bowline to break and the bow to bump up against the pier at Mornington Yacht Club.
The damage has now been repaired and the crew are readying themselves for a massive re-branding exercise over the next few days, following this morning’s announcement of the winner of the Amazing Naming Rights project - Etihad Stadium.
Wild Thing’s fully crewed delivery to Sydney in race mode will start late Thursday night. |
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Grant Wharington's Wild Thing, working up to the Hobart finishing line
in a 30 knot squall, to arrive second over the line in the Sydney Hobart
Yacht Race 2008.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Entries for this year’s Sydney Hobart closed last Friday with 100 starters confirmed for the 1pm start on 26 December, the same sized fleet that started the 628 nautical mile race in 2008.
For further information about the 2009 Sydney Hobart, go to the official race website at: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2009 |
