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| Wild Oats XI first boat home. |
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Photos by
Daniel Forster and Carlo Borlenghi for Rolex,
Story from press release and page edited By Peter Andrews. |
| 23:20 AEDT, December 28,
2010. |
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| What has been touted as one of the toughest Sydney Hobart Races in recent years, saw the first finisher arrive in Hobart early this evening. The 100-foot super maxi Wild Oats XI blazed up the Derwent River and crossed the finish line off Battery Point at 20:37 AEDT with an elapsed time of two days, seven hours, 37 minutes, 20 seconds; since leaving Sydney Harbour at 13:00 on 26 December, Boxing Day. |
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Line Honours Winner Wild Oats XI, skippered by Mark Richards, rounds
Tasman Island, during the 2010 Sydney Hobart.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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This year’s 66th Hobart was one of Wild Oats Xl's physically most difficult and one of her more hard fought finishes, with sustained periods of headwinds along the way and crushing gale-force conditions through the notorious Bass Strait. In an interview as he stepped off the winning vessel, skipper Mark Richards said, "It was a tough race, no doubt about that. The boat Wild Oats, the boys, and the team did a fantastic job."
The Reichel Pugh design was the provisional line honours winner pending the decision of the International Jury over a protest by the Race Committee regarding the use of her HF radio. The jury will convene Tuesday afternoon at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania to arrive at a decision. |
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Bob Oatley's Wild Oats XI skippered by Mark Richards, approaching Tasman
Island, during the 2010 Sydney Hobart.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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After sailing a near perfect tactical race in extremely difficult conditions, with extremes ranging from a hair-removing 25 to 40 knot southerly and a mountainous seaway during the first night, race favourite Wild Oats XI didn’t disappoint followers. This was Wild Oats XI fifth win after participating in six Sydney Hobart Races.
Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards was happy with the race and said, "We couldn’t have asked for a better result. To
arrive here, first, in Hobart, is the most amazing feeling." Referring to Oats’ second place finish of last year, Richards said, "First is hell of a lot better than second. We’re back and we’re just very happy to be here."
Dockside after the race finish, Adrienne Cahalan co-navigator aboard Wild Oats XI and a veteran of now her 19th Sydney Hobart Race, commented on the extreme sea and wind, "I do think it’s one of the toughest races I’ve ever done. We did our best to make sure we didn’t break anything." |
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Bob Oatley's Wild Oats XI crossing Storm Bay, during the 2010 Sydney
Hobart.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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A seasoned offshore sailor, Cahalan told of encountering 20 to 30 knot headwinds across the Bass Strait. As to how the boat managed, she said, "The boat held together really well. It was a technically sound race for us." She continued, "To get there in one piece and in first place, it’s one of the greatest victories we’ve had."
The remaining 70 boats in the Hobart fleet are spread across from the southeast corner of the New South Wales coast, across the Bass Strait down towards the finish in Hobart, and are being pushed along by a 20-knot north-northeasterly. The fleet includes six international entries from the USA, UK, Italy, France, as well as two partly crewed Russian boats, as well as entries from seven of the eight Australian states and territories. |
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Line Honours Winner Wild Oats XI passing the Tasmania Peninsula's
iconic Organ Pipes, during the 2010 Sydney Hobart.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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Next boat expected across the finish line is Sean Langman’s 100-foot Investec Loyal at around 22:30 tonight. However, breeze looks to be shutting down in the Derwent River, so their exact arrival is now anyones’ guess.
In a phone interview earlier today, Investec Loyal’s Sean Langman explained about his boat’s troubles during the last two days. "The damage we sustained was to the reef lines earlier and some tack lines on the headsail which, running without a headsail, put us an hour back. Also, a fuel tank broke lose. These tanks carry so much fuel that you’ve got a quarter of a ton to manhandle which is difficult."
On the final race day, Langman and crew discovered flooding in a forward hold, "We didn’t realise that we had a substantial leak in the bow and carried on with a ton and a half of water, which we only detected this morning. We have a watertight bulkhead up there and when we opened it, water came pouring out." Langman believed that the leak was not a puncture in the hull but due to loose deck fittings. |
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Sean Langman's 100-foot Elliott Investec Loyal, approaching Tasman Island
during the 2010 Sydney Hobart.
Photo © Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi.
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The 2010 Sydney Hobart race may well go down as one of the roughest in recent years and has certainly lived up to its reputation as one of the world’s toughest ocean going races.
To date, 16 yachts have been forced to retire due to issues including a broken mast, damaged booms, rigging and engine problems. Almost all racers have their share of minor injuries due to the high seas and associated gale force winds. |
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Sean Langman's 100-foot Elliott Investec Loyal, rounding Tasman
Island during the 2010 Sydney Hobart.
Photo © Rolex / Daniel Forster.
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| For further information about the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, go to: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com. The race can also be followed on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/rshyr. |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2010 |
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