Wild Oats XI near finish (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
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| Robert Oatley’s Wild Oats XI was announced this morning as the Overall Winner of the 68th Rolex Sydney Hobart. It had become clear overnight that none of the yachts still at sea could better the corrected time established by the 30.48m (100 foot) maxi skippered by Mark Richards. Wild Oats XI has repeated its historic performance of 2005, when it secured the treble of Line Honours, Overall Winner and Race Record.
Aside from Rani, in the very first race, Wild Oats XI is the only yacht ever to have achieved this impressive display of dominance. She has now done it twice. Bob Oatley was understandably impressed: “The main aim was the fastest time. To get the handicap too was fantastic, a real bonus. Getting the record trip was really the icing on the cake.”
By 15:00 AEDT on 29 December, 13 yachts had finished the 2012 Rolex Sydney Hobart including two of the international entries: KLC Bengal from Japan and Ambersail from Lithuania. Last year’s winner, Loki, has so far come closest to unseating Wild Oats XI. Finishing last night at just before 21:00 even she was two hours adrift on corrected time. Black Jack, which arrived an hour before Loki, lies in third overall. Chris Bull’s Jazz holds fourth.
Victorian yacht Calm had appeared to have the best opportunity of the yachts destined to arrive before dawn today. Needing to finish before 01:31, she was behind schedule yesterday afternoon. Owner Jason Van der Slot believed they would pick up pace but had not counted on stalling close to the finish: “We parked for two hours off Tasman Island and for an hour in the Derwent. We were aiming to finish in time to win and up to Tasman Island we were on track. It had all gone according to plan until then.” She eventually finished at 06:06 this morning and holds fifth place.
Five yachts have retired so far and, for the 58 yachts still racing, a difficult evening lies ahead. In the lee of northeastern Tasmania there is a substantial wind shadow. From midway down the eastern seaboard to Tasman Island spindrift is flying off 3 metre waves in a 26 – 36 knot west-southwesterly. These conditions are forecast to prevail through much of 30 December too. |
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Posted by admin on Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 10:32 am
Filed under Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Oats XI · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Australia, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, carlo borlenghi, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, hobart, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jaqueline IV, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Line Honors, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Mark Richardson, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Robert Oakley, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, Tazmania, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, winner, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
Wild Oats approaching the Hobart finish for 2012 Line Honors (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
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| On the morning of 28 December 2012, Wild Oats XI once again stamped her name in the Rolex Sydney Hobart history books. From the moment the start gun fired on Boxing Day the silver wraith seemed intent on condemning her rivals for line honours to the position of also-rans. Wild Oats XI’s finish time of 1 day 18 hours 23 minutes and 12 seconds sliced 16 minutes 58 seconds off her own record. Another commanding performance in a race she has begun to treat as her own.
Without doubt skipper Mark Richard’s crew of thoroughbred racers had some luck, but their race was not without problems. The first night saw the wind drop in the scheduled transition and her opponents close down the lead she had worked to establish during the afternoon. The crew held their nerve and once the northeasterly settled in they were off.
Ragamuffin-Loyal’s endeavours to stay in touch with Wild Oats XI were hampered by a headsail gear failure from which the 100-foot maxi never recovered; Syd Fischer’s equally accomplished crew forced to accept the unwelcome role of bridesmaid. Ragamuffin-Loyal finished almost five hours behind Wild Oats XI. Had the apparent error of starting the race too early been converted to a penalty, her crew’s sense of disappointment would have been complete. Fortunately, the International Jury found that race officials failed to notify Ragamuffin-Loyal after five minutes that they had jumped the start, leaving the crew unaware that they should have returned and restarted.
By 20:30 AEDT only four yachts had completed the 628 nm course. Lahana rounded out the maxi contingent just before 19:00, while Black Jack was the first mini maxi some 40 minutes later. Loki and Ichi Ban will be next home. None have so far been capable of posting a time that knocks Wild Oats XI off the overall podium position. The door may be open for a smaller yacht if the weather obliges. Calm, Jazz, Quest and Shogun look best placed to foil a second triple crown. They need the wind to shift substantially in their favour, something it has singularly failed to do so far. |
Wild Oats XI near finish (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster) |
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Posted by admin on Friday, December 28, 2012 at 9:39 am
Filed under Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Oats XI · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Australia, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, carlo borlenghi, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, hobart, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jaqueline IV, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Line Honors, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, Tazmania, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, winner, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
MALUKA OF KERMANDIE the smallest yacht in the fleet (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
The 68th Rolex Sydney Hobart got underway in exceptional conditions. The forecast southerly breeze providing the perfect angle for a spinnaker start and run down the harbour. The angle would prove less kind as the yachts exited the Sydney Heads and made their turn towards Hobart, finding the 20 – 25 knots now firmly on the nose. Mark Richards and Wild Oats XI looked to be in no mood to be interrupted in her bid to claim a sixth line honours, blasting off the line and showing Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin Loyal a clean pair of heels before popping out of the Heads comfortably in the lead.
An interesting night lies ahead. The decision how far to head out to sea was the first conundrum facing the crews. So far the bulk of yachts appear firm in the belief that staying inshore, and inside the rhumb line will pay better. Only, one or two boats have shown a determination to head offshore for any length of time. Mike Broughton, navigator on Chris Bull’s Jazz, felt ahead of the start that the fleet would do well to stay inshore for the initial section of the race, certainly until the major swing in wind direction expected during the night. This transition should see the wind back to the northeast and will have the yachts running under spinnaker for an extended period.
Start of the 2012 Rolex Sydney Hobart
Earlier this morning, Gordon Maguire, tactician on Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki, indicated some of their pre-race routing suggested the bigger yachts could profit enormously from the predicted northeasterly. If it arrives on cue, they could bite a huge chunk out of the course during the hours of darkness and be lying off Green Cape by mid-morning on the second day, 27 December. The small boats, meanwhile, such as race veteran Roger Hickman’s Wild Rose, might only find themselves parallel with Jervis Bay as dawn breaks. The difference in power between segments of the fleet will be all too apparent at this juncture.
Wild Oats XI leads out of Sydney Harbor (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
WILD OATS XI, after the start
At 17:30 AEDT Wild Oats XI was 8 nautical miles north east of Kiama travelling at 12 knots, with some 50 nm under her belt after 4.5 hours of sailing. Any thought of setting a new record seemed to be on hold as navigator Adrienne Cahalan called in to report the wind speed dropping as evening arrives. Ragamuffin Loyal lies within striking distance just astern. Lahana, Ichi Ban and Black Jack round out the top five on the water. Conditions have been wet and hard on crews during these first few hours and the measure of performance differential between front-runners and back markers is clearly demonstrated by Charlie’s Dream. Averaging just 3.4 knots, Peter Lewis and crew were parallel with Botany Bay having knocked a mere 13 nm off the 628nm course distance.
Black Jack charges down the harbor (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
The start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart is like few other yacht races. The natural amphitheatre formed by the deep-water harbour offers great viewing potential from the water, at water level from the beaches and coves, and grandstand opportunities from higher ground. Every Sydney-sider has a favourite location, and South Head must be one of the most popular and dramatic. A huge crowd always assembles to watch the fleet barrel down the harbour and make the sharp out into open water. This year’s spectacle was worth the effort involved. After a dreadful Christmas Day, when rain and wind battered Sydney, Boxing Day has been a joy. Blue sky and reasonably warm temperatures brought the locals out in their thousands to cheer the determined and enthusiastic crews off on their compelling adventure.
Crowds on the South End enjoy the spectacle. (Photo by Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi)
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Posted by admin on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 at 10:28 am
Filed under Loki, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Wild Oats XI · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Australia, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, carlo borlenghi, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, hobart, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, Tazmania, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
Syd Fischer and Tony Ellis (Photo by Rolex / Daniel Forster)
The 68th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race promises to be one for the true believers; if you admire people who constantly challenge your values, fire your imagination, refuse to quit when the going gets tough, can’t be told that they are too old, are too stubborn to give it away and who keep coming back for more, then this year’s race is a Christmas present you’ll never forget.
At centre stage of the race, again run by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, is Sydney yachtsman Syd Fischer, a national living treasure who is still in the grip of finish line fever. At the age of 85, when most men of his age might be shuffling around a retirement village in their slippers with their trousers braced up around their chest, Fischer wants to win line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht race – again.
He’s taken over the boat to do it, Investec Loyal, last year’s first across the line. The 100-foot super maxi becomes the latest iteration of Fischer’s Ragamuffin series, Ragamuffin Loyal.
Syd – lean, leather-skinned, laconic, highly competitive and still the subject of discussion for his exploits on and off the water – personifies Sydney: he won’t lie down.
The challenge he mounts at the front of the 80-boat fleet caps off an indifferent year for Australian sport internationally, a disastrous year for world cycling, but a great year for Australian sailing.
We had success at the Olympics with Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page in the 470 Men’s, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen in the 49er, Tom Slingsby in the Laser and Olivia Price, Nina Curtis, and Lucinda Whitty in the Women’s Match Racing in the Elliott 6. The TV coverage at the superb Weymouth venue has reinvigorated interest in sailing and helped to demystify it for non-sailors.
Fischer will be on his 44th Sydney-Hobart. He has already won line honours wins with Ragamuffin in 1988 and 1990, with an overall win in 1992 aboard an updated Ragamuffin.
This year he is leasing Investec Loyal with a view to knocking off five-time line honours winner and race record holder (1:18:40:10 set in 2005) Wild Oats XI, whose skipper, Mark Richards, is just young enough to be his grandson.
Last year Loyal, skippered by owner Anthony Bell, beat Wild Oats XI in the fourth closest finish in the race’s history; three minutes and eight seconds.
This month Richards and Wild Oats XI recaptured a psychological advantage over Fischer by taking line honours in the 180 nautical mile Cabbage Tree Island Race, when Ragamuffin Loyal had to drop her mainsail after a pin dropped out of the port runner block. Sailing with a scratch crew, Fischer made repairs, but was unwilling to risk the rig. It must be noted she was eight miles behind Oats at the time and contesting her first ocean race with Fischer.
Prior to winning last year’s race, Loyal was second across the line in 2010 and fourth in 2009. Not only has Fischer leased Loyal for the next two Hobart races, he will buy it outright when the lease runs out.
For this year’s Hobart race, Fischer will have right-hand man, Tony Ellis, and David Witt as boat captain. Ellis will sail his 46th race (one behind the record), but will sail his 40 together with Fischer, while Witt was one of Australia’s best known 18ft skiff sailors in the 90s. He made the transition to ocean racing, via the great events: the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Melbourne-Osaka double-handed race and the Volvo Ocean Race.
Asked at today’s official launch if there are many arguments between him and Fischer on the boat, Ellis said: “We’ve had plenty of cross words over the years – but it stays on the boat.” Does Ellis win any of the arguments? “Syd’s won a few arguments with me,” Ellis quipped.
When asked about the crew that will be onboard for the Hobart race, Ellis said, “We’re going to have a pretty well rounded crew by the time we get to the start line… Andrew Cape (multiple Volvo Ocean Race and Rolex Sydney Hobart yachtsman) is going to come and navigate for us. The last time we sailed together (the 1992 Hobart), we won the race overall.
Geoff Huegill, the Aussie swimming legend and former butterfly world record holder, is back, sailing aboard the same boat he did his first race on in 2010; Ragamuffin Loyal. “To be part of a crew that has such great experience behind them is something that I am really looking forward to,” he said.
“Once you’ve got the bug for sailing it really gets you – the teamwork aspect is an opportunity that I really enjoy,” Huegill commented.
The hardest part of his first race, the retired swimmer said, was “Sleep deprivation – but I’m used to it now, because I have a 10 month old baby,” he said.
Owner, Bob Oatley, has gone back to the drawing board with Wild Oats XI after her defeat in the Derwent last year. Oats had been no match for Loyal in light weather. She keeps her retractable daggerboards that were fitted before last year’s race, but she has a new retractable, centreline fin, three metres aft of the bow.
The aim of all three is to reduce leeway, but they are each used in different phases of light weather sailing, the forward fin being used first before being retracted. In addition, there is a new fitting on the bulb of the keel, whose role is to minimise ‘tip vortex’, curling water at the tip of the bulb that can reduce lift.
Skipper, Mark Richards said at the official Rolex Sydney Hobart launch today, “Last year’s race was a great race all the way until the finish, but Loyal was quicker in light air – and we’ve made some radical modifications to rectify that. We’ve tested the new set-up and it’s
working well.”
This then is the battle royale to which we can look forward to at the front of the fleet, the old bull versus the young bull for the fastest boat at sea, but there will be other contenders.
Peter Millard and John Honan’s 98ft maxi Lahana is back after finishing third across the line in 2010 and 2011. Also on the front row of the grid is Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing, which took line honours in 2003, when she was named Skandia. The 98 footer has undergone modifications ahead of the race, including being lengthened to 100 feet.
Last year’s overall race winner, Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel/Pugh 63 Loki, is back to defend her title and still appears to be the boat to beat. In August, the CYCA boat broke the 13 year-old record for a conventional yacht in the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Race and won the race outright. This month she won the CYCA’s Cabbage Tree Island Race and she goes in to the Rolex Sydney Hobart as the pre-race favourite.
On board again are sailing master Gordon Maguire and navigator Michael Bellingham. Ainsworth has also declared this is his last. He will be selling Loki and spending future Christmases with his family (unless he suffers the Fischer Syndrome at some stage).
Fischer first took line honours in 1988 in a gale-strewn race that ended with one of the smallest boats in the fleet, the Davidson 34, Illusion, win the race outright. Illusion is back as well this year, this time in the hands of Kim Jaggar and Travis Read.
The two bought the boat in April and, according to Jaggar, have spent more on its reconfiguration than the actual purchase. They are seeking to reduce the boat’s rating by going to a masthead kite, smaller headsails and a longer spinnaker pole. It will sail with a crew of eight.
“We’d like to beat Hicko (Roger Hickman’s Wild Rose) and Simon (Simon Kurts’ Love & War),” Jaggar said, “but it has to be right race for us.”
Love & War is always a sentimental favourite for handicap honours in the race. Peter Kurts won the race in 1974 and 1978 and, after his death in January 2005, son Simon gave the nod for his navigator Lindsay May to sail the wooden boat to Hobart the following year.
May sailed her to an emotional third win in 2006 and is back in his role as navigator, while Peter’s son Simon will skipper the yacht with his 21-year-old son Phillip having his second crack at the race.
Bob ‘Robbo’ Robertson’s top performing Queensland yacht Lunchtime Legend is on a mission, coming off a win in the Magnetic Island Race Week series and second in both the Audi Hamilton Island and Airlie Beach Race Weeks.
“This is our year; we have to do it this year,” Robertson said, having built and launched the Beneteau 40 in time for the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart race and scoring a highly creditable third in IRC Division 4 after scoring the exact same overall time as Andrew Saies’ same design Two True (SA) and in the company of pacesetters of the calibre of Hickman’s Wild Rose (NSW) and David Rees’ Whistler from Tasmania.
This time, Lunchtime Legend has a younger crew fired up, Robertson says, after the Australian successes at the London Olympics: “That has done so much to get young people involved again in sailing. I reckon our average age will be 20 years lower than in the 2011 race.”
This is a strong fleet of 80 boats: four maxis and nine previous winners of the major trophy, the Tattersall’s Cup, presented to the overall winner.
Joining Illusion, Loki, Love & War, Wild Rose and Wild Oats XI in the previous winners’ club are Geoff Boettcher’s 2010 winner Secret Men’s Business 3.5, Andrew Saies’ 2009 winner Two True, which is one of four South Australian entries, Bob Steel’s 2008 winner Quest and Luna Sea, which won the nightmare 1998 race as AFR Midnight Rambler, which is now in the hands of James Cameron.
Anthony Lyall’s Cougar II, which was second overall in 2008 in the hands of Victorian Alan Whiteley, leads the Tasmanian contingent in this year’s race. She has just won the Maria Island Race in record time and claimed the treble of record, line honours and overall win.
All states and the ACT have boats in the fleet with the NSW fleet numbering 43, Victoria 13, Queensland nine, Tasmania and South Australia four each, WA two, the ACT one and there are four overseas entries.
The overseas boats include the first Lithuanian entry, Ambersail (Simonas Steponavicius), a Volvo 60 that had been the Assa Abloy training boat for the 2001/2 Volvo Ocean Race.
Beneteaus make up the biggest design contingent, 12 of them, all in the 40-foot range. Two True and Lunchtime Legend will be up against the other form boat, the reigning Blue Water Point Score champion, Darryl Hodgkinson’s Victoire and the chartered Balance, now known as Peugeot Surfrider, which will feature a mostly French crew headed by Sebastien Guyot.
Once again, David Kellett will lead an experienced team on the Radio Relay Vessel (RRV), JBW, which accompanies the fleet to Hobart each year, generously loaned again by John Winning. Young Endeavour will act in the role of Communications Support Vessel to the RRV this year, under command of LCDR Michael Gough, Commanding Officer STS Young Endeavour.
The CYCA’s annual race starts at 1pm AEDT on Boxing Day, December 26 on Sydney Harbour. The fleet will sail from two start lines off Nielsen Park. The start will be broadcast live on the Seven Network throughout Australia, webcast live to a global audience on Yahoo!7 and the Australia Network throughout the Asia Pacific Region.
By Bruce Montgomery, Rolex Sydney Hobart media team
THE 2012 RACE
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Posted by admin on Saturday, December 8, 2012 at 3:46 pm
Filed under Investec LOYAL, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race · Tagged with 10000, 10001, 10081, 1236, 360, 3838, 40RC, 421, 5200, 52002, 52566, 5299, 5612, 6146, 6590, 6669, 6686, 6689, 6834, 6841, 6953, 7075, 7407, 7551, 7771, 8008, 8339, 8679, 9988, A140, Abracadabra, Akatea, Ambersail, Andrews 52, Archambault, Ariel, Asylum, Aurora, AUS 03, AUS10, Beneteau 45, Beneteau First 40, Beneteau First 45 Celestial-Assistance Dogs, Black Jack, Bluewater 450, Blunderbuss, Brannew, Breakthrough, BRINDABELLA, Calm, Carbon Credits, Charlie's Dream, Chutzpah, CIC Technology Inca, Cookson 50, Copernicus, Corporate Initiatives, Cougar II, Daniel Forster, Davidson 50, Dekadence, DK46, Dodo, DUENDE, Dump Truck, Enchantress, Eressea, ESP6100, F108, F111, Farr 40, Finistere, Flying Fish Arctos, Frantic, GBR5211, Geomatic, Goss 60, Halcyon, Hanse, Helsal III, HKG2238, Icefire, ICHI BAN, Illusion, INSX, IRC 40, Jazz, Jazz Player, Jones 100, JPN4321, Jutson 79, JV52, Ker 40, Kioni, KLC Bengal 7, Lahana, Lithuania, Living Doll, Local Hero, Loki, Love & War, LOYAL, LTU1000, Luna Sea, Lunchtime Legend, M495, Maluka of Kermandie, Martela, maxi, Merit, MH60, Midnight Rambler, Muirhead 11, Mummery 45, N3, New Zealand, NSW Elliott 100 Rikki, NZL8008, NZL8710, Ocean Affinity, Papillon, Patrice Six, Peugeot Surfrider, Primitive Cool, Quest, R33, R55, R6572, Radford 12, Ragamuffin, Ragamuffin LOYAL, Reichel Pugh 63, Reichel-Pugh 66, RF360, Rogers 46, Rolex Sydney Hobart, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, RQ1920, RQ4000, RQ64, Rush, S20, S390, S777, SA, SA346, Sailors With Disabilities, SAM1. Samoa, Secret Men's Business 3.5, She, Shogun, SM4, SM5252, SM5985, SM602, SOUTHERN EXCELLENCE, St Jude, Syd Fischer, SYD100, Sydney, Sydney 38, Sydney Hobart, Sydney Hobart Race, This Way Up, Tony Ellis, Toybox 2, Tripp 47, TSA Management, Tusitala, Two True, veloce, VIC, Vickers 41, Volvo 60, Volvo 60 Occasional Coarse Language Too, Wicked, Wild Oats XI, Wild Rose, Wild Thing, X41, YC10, YC3300, YC400, Zen
eam Energy Crosses finish in Venice
Loïck Peyron continued to demonstrate the form he has shown all week, leading his Energy Team to a spectacular win on the final day of America’s Cup World Series racing in Venice. Peyron and his French crew have been perched atop the leaderboard all four days this week, demonstrating an impressive command of the Grand Canal race area.
“I think the lighter conditions were good for us,” Peyron, the veteran multihull sailor, said. “I’m used to this kind of tricky game, trying to be as cool as possible. The pressure was in the red zone, but it made for an exciting race for sure. This was a big victory for us. We are a small team, and hopefully this is just the beginning.”
Winds were exceptionally light on Sunday, turning the San Marco race course into perhaps the most challenging one the teams have faced in the World Series to date. The smallest puffs of wind were rewarded with dramatic bursts of speed, leading to teams quickly moving up and down the race leaderboard on the first lap of the course, the positions changing from minute to minute.
Early in the race, on the first long downwind leg, Peyron proved to be the best at finding a clear lane and escaped clear ahead of the fleet, with ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill following suit a few moments later.
While the French built what seemed to be an insurmountable lead, Spithill kept the pressure on, closing the gap right down to the point where the result wasn’t secure until the final gybe on the finishing line. As the horn sounded to signal victory, Peyron collapsed on the trampoline of his boat in dramatic relief, while his crew celebrated around him.
Loick Peyron 34th America's Cup - America's Cup World Series Venice 2012 - Final race day (Photo © ACEA 2012/ Photo Gilles Martin-Raget)
In contrast to the leaders, the bulk of the fleet had trouble separating themselves and at one point became trapped in a very slow pile-up at one of the turning marks, with too many boats trying to squeeze between the mark and the nearby shoreline at the same time.
Terry Hutchinson’s Artemis Racing popped out of that incident in third place, with Emirates Team New Zealand chasing them around the race course – even closing enough to incur a penalty for a slow motion collision – before Artemis regained the advantage to lead the Kiwis across the line.
Meanwhile the rest of the fleet was too far back to finish within the time limit and were scored as ‘did not finish’, earning no points on the day.
Earlier in the afternoon, and for the second consecutive event, Artemis Racing defeated Chris Draper’s Luna Rossa-Piranha to win the Match Racing Championship. In the light, shifty, and tricky conditions, Hutchinson and his crew won the start and protected a narrow lead early before stretching away in the middle of the race for a hard-earned victory.
“We’ve had a good result in Naples and now here, in quite different conditions,” Hutchinson said. “The nice thing about the match racing at these regattas is we’ve executed on our game plan. We’re starting to feel with the training in the boat that it’s paying off for us.”
The results in Venice see ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill gain some breathing room on the overall AC World Series leaderboard over Emirates Team New Zealand. The Kiwis will also now be looking over their shoulders, with Artemis Racing closing in as well, nine points further back.
“We came here with a one-point lead over Emirates Team New Zealand. We’re leaving with a four-point lead,” said Spithill as he looked ahead to Newport. “That’s the important thing. I’m happy with how the team did. Obviously we’ve got a lot to work on but there’s no question we’ll be ready for Newport.”
The final event of the 2011-12 AC World Series will take place next month in Newport, Rhode Island from June 26 through July 1, 2012. At the conclusion of racing in Newport, the 2011-12 AC World Series champion will be crowned.
2011-12 AC World Series Overall Championship Leaderboard (after five of six events)
1. ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill…84 points
2. Emirates Team New Zealand…80 points
3. Artemis Racing…71 points
4. Energy Team…65 points
5. Team Korea…56 points
6. ORACLE TEAM USA Bundock…53 points
7. Luna Rossa Piranha…34 points
8. China Team…31 points
9. Luna Rossa Swordfish…21 points
AC World Series Venice Fleet Racing Championship – Final Leaderboard
1. Energy Team…74 points
2. ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill…58 points
3. Emirates Team New Zealand…54 points
4. Artemis Racing…52 points
5. Luna Rossa Piranha…43 points
6. Luna Rossa Swordfish…43 points
7. Team Korea…37 points
8. ORACLE TEAM USA Bundock…22 points
9. China Team…18 points
AC World Series Venice Match Racing Championship
Final Match: Artemis Racing defeated Luna Rossa – Piranha; 1-0
1. Artemis Racing
2. Luna Rossa Piranha
3. ORACLE TEAM USA Spithill
4. Energy Team
5. Emirates Team New Zealand
6. Team Korea
7. Luna Rossa Swordfish
8. ORACLE TEAM USA Bundock
9. China Team
*The losers of the Semi Final and Quarter Final matches have been assigned final finishing positions (3rd through 9th) in the Match Racing Championship as per the Sailing Instructions.
Hiking-Team-Energy-©-ACEA-2012-Photo-Gilles-Martin-Raget
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Posted by admin on Friday, May 25, 2012 at 2:30 pm
Filed under AC45, AC45, America's Cup, America's Cup World Series, Latest News, Loick Peyron, Oracle · Tagged with AC World Serie, AC45, ACWS, America's Cup, America's Cup World Series, Artemis Racing, Ben Ainslie Racing, challenge, China, Chris Draper, countries, crews, Darren Bundock; Team Korea, Dean Barker; Energy Team, Fleet Racing, France, Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand, helmsman, Italy, Korea, Loïck Peyron; Luna Rossa, Nathan Outteridge, New Zealand, Paul Campbell-James; ORACLE Racing, seven, skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team, Sweden, USA James Spithill, Venice, Venice Italy
Spithill and Oracle Team USA (Photo © Guilain Grenier/ORACLE TEAM USA)
ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL heads into Thursday’s start of the ACWS – Venice looking to extend its overall lead at the penultimate event of the 2011-12 ACWS season.
ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL leads the overall standings by 1 point after placing second last month in Naples. That helped skipper Jimmy Spithill and his four-man crew leap Emirates Team New Zealand into the top spot. Teams have been accumulating points in the two formats since the first regatta last August in Portugal.
Venice figures to be more than just a change of scenery. The 14th century Gothic architecture of the historic city will provide a photogenic backdrop for the speedy AC45 wingsail catamarans, and a tight racecourse will keep crews jumping more than normal on the athletic cats.
“I think it’s going to be a fantastic event from an iconic picture – racing in the canals of Venice is gonna be cool,” said Spithill, who at 30 years of age in 2010 became the youngest skipper to ever win the America’s Cup.
Spithill at press conference ©Guilain Grenier/ORACLE TEAM USA
At today’s opening press conference Spithill recognized Italian soccer
star Gianluigi “Gigi” Buffon by wearing a jersey of the Italian national
team. Buffon was goalkeeper for Italy when it won the World Cup in 2006 and also stars for Serie A club Juventus F.C. Spithill and Buffon traded jerseys yesterday after Buffon sailed on the canals with ORACLE TEAM USA.
“Gigi is a legend,” Spithill said. “He sailed with us yesterday. It’s great to be able to show athletes from other codes how athletic our sport is. These guys are blown away by what they see.”
ORACLE TEAM USA BUNDOCK holds fifth in the overall standings,
20 points behind Spithill and crew. Skipper Darren Bundock will welcome a new tactician to his crew: Russell Coutts, the team CEO and four-time America’s Cup winner. Coutts steps in for Tom Slingsby, who is taking time to focus on his Laser campaign for the London Olympics.
“Russell is a true legend in the America’s Cup and a great addition to our boat tactically. Russell has been thrown in at the deep end. He’s up front, pulling ropes and seeing how physical he’s made these boats! How often do you get to boss the boss around? Normally he’s used to be being at the back of the boat giving orders. Now he’s at the front coping with them.”
Racing in Venice will be a mixture of fleet and match racing. The final fleet race on Sunday, May 20, will award more points than the first six races – 30 points for first as opposed to 10 points – which should afford many in the fleet an opportunity to shake-up the standings.
“Most of the teams in Naples put in a lot of practice time. We’re seeing a bit of equalization going on where anyone can win a race,” said Team USA Spithill tactician John Kostecki. “It’s becoming tougher to get an advantage and be at the very top. That’s a good evolution and I’m sure we’ll see more of that to come in Venice.”
“I think the racecourse could be really tricky,” Spithill said. “The racing will be inshore, flat water, narrow lanes…the boundary will be the shoreline. That’ll be great for the spectators and I think we’ll see a lot of people.”
ACWS – Venice is the fifth of six stops on the inaugural America’s Cup World Series. The final event is scheduled for Newport, R.I., home to the Cup for 25 years, in late June.
2011-12 America’s Cup World Series Overall Standings
Team (Country) Match – Fleet — Total
1. ORACLE TEAM USA SPITHILL (USA) 30 – 37 — 67
2. Emirates Team New Zealand (NZL) 30 – 36 — 66
3. Artemis Racing (SWE) 33 – 21 — 54
4. Energy Team (FRA) 25 – 23 — 48
5. ORACLE TEAM USA BUNDOCK (USA) 26 – 21 — 47
5. Team Korea (KOR) 25 – 22 — 47
7. China Team (CHN) 11 – 13 — 24
8. Green Comm Racing (ESP) 11 – 12 — 23
9. Luna Rossa Piranha 9 – 10 — 19
10. Luna Rossa Swordfish 7 – 5 — 12
(After four of six scheduled events)
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Posted by admin on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 8:43 am
Filed under AC45, AC45, AC72, ACWS, America's Cup, America's Cup World Series, Artemis Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand, Energy Team, Latest News, Oracle · Tagged with AC World Serie, AC45, America's Cup, Artemis Racing, Ben Ainslie Racing, challenge, China, Chris Draper, countries, crews, Darren Bundock; Team Korea, Dean Barker; Energy Team, France, Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand, helmsman, Italy, Korea, Loïck Peyron; Luna Rossa, Nathan Outteridge, New Zealand, Paul Campbell-James; ORACLE Racing, seven, skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team, Sweden, USA James Spithill, Venice
Venice © ACEA / Gilles Martin-Raget
The America’s Cup World Series has moved north. After the excitement of Naples, the next stop is Venice and this past week has seen the build out of the AC Village and team bases, as well as the first test sailing by one of the teams.
Within a week of the ship containing all of the AC World Series ‘materiel’ arriving in Venice, team bases were sprouting up, the AC Village in the Arsenale was taking shape, the television compound on Lido Island was being erected and the Italian team, Luna Rossa Challenge, had gone for its first sail with both crews.
With just one World Series regatta under its belt in Naples, Luna Rossa is out of contention for the 2011-12 AC World Series title. But that hasn’t made the team any less keen to be at the top of its game performing on home waters. It’s ‘Piranha’ crew, led by Chris Draper, won the Fleet Racing Championship in Naples – a sparkling debut. Now the team is hoping these early practice sessions will pay dividends in Venice.
America's Cup World Series Standings
At the top of the overall leaderboard, ORACLE Racing’s James Sptihill holds the slimmest of leads – one point – over Dean Barker’s Emirates Team New Zealand. Artemis Racing, with an impressive Match Racing win in Naples, has closed the gap in third place.
So it’s all to play for when the Championship Racing starts in Venice on May 17, in the penultimate event in the opening circuit. The 2011-12 AC World Series will then conclude in Newport, Rhode Island, home of the Cup from 1930 to 1987, at the end of June. And preparations are already ramping up there. It’s going to be an exciting few weeks in the 34th America’s Cup.
AC World Series Venice Village
AC World Series crews have the opportunity to compete for €50,000 in prize money in the City of Venice Trophy on May 12-13. The invitational regatta, organized and announced today by the yacht club Venice Compagnia della Vela, marks the opening of a nine-day celebration of the America’s Cup World Series in the historic Italian city.
With €50,000 at stake, the City of Venice Trophy becomes an important prologue to the AC World Series championship. The new, two-day event consists of five, 30-minute fleet races, to be sailed on a course just outside Lido Island.
But the highlight will be Sunday’s long fleet race, which starts outside Lido Island and finishes just off St. Marks Square. The first team to finish at St. Marks Square will receive the City of Venice Trophy presented by Arzanà Navi as well as a cash prize of €30,000. The remaining €20,000 in prize money is distributed to the top three crews from the five 30-minute fleet races.
Download the Notice of Race for the City of Venice Trophy here
The results of City of Venice Trophy will not count towards the overall AC World Series rankings, but the generous prize money is sure to stoke competitive fires among the teams.
“This is a great opportunity for us to get in some meaningful racing against the other teams,” said Luna Rossa Challenge skipper Max Sirena. “We were always planning on sailing as early as possible in Venice, and now the City of Venice Trophy represents a great opportunity to participate in an additional very exciting and spectacular race.”
“The debut of the AC45s racing in Venice will certainly be very interesting,” said Mayor Giorgio Orsoni. “To have the teams competing for a trophy that bears the name of the city adds prestige to an already important event. Special thanks for this must go to Arzanà Navi, which has chosen to support us.
“This two-day regatta, with the grand finale a unique point to point race from Lido to St. Marks Square, is a first step towards seeing Compagnia della Vela as a host for high level sailing. This is a beautiful way to begin this nine day event, which we hope will be memorable, both for Venetians and for those who want to discover a new face of Venice – one linked to its traditions and the sea, but also to technology and a lesser known part of the city, the Arsenale, where the catamarans berth after racing for the City of Venice Trophy.”
The weekend of May 12-13 also marks the opening of the public event village for the full nine-day festival, highlighted by the championship races of the America’s Cup World Series Venice.
Championship Racing in the AC World Series Venice runs from May 17-20 and here, every race matters. Venice is the penultimate event in the 2011-12 World Series and James Spithill’s ORACLE Racing crew holds the overall lead by just one point over Dean Barker’s Emirates Team New Zealand.
Nine crews from seven countries are competing in the AC World Series in Venice, including: Artemis Racing (Sweden), skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team (China), skipper Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand (New Zealand), skipper Dean Barker; Energy Team (France), helmsman Loïck Peyron; Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy), with two boats, helmsmen Chris Draper and Paul Campbell-James; ORACLE Racing (USA) with two boats, skippers James Spithill and Darren Bundock; and Team Korea (Korea) with skipper Nathan Outteridge.
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Posted by admin on Saturday, May 5, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Filed under AC45, AC45, America's Cup, America's Cup World Series, Artemis Racing, Emirates Team New Zealand, Energy Team, Latest News, Luna Rossa, Oracle · Tagged with AC World Serie, Artemis Racing, Ben Ainslie Racing, challenge, China, Chris Draper, countries, crews, Darren Bundock; Team Korea, Dean Barker; Energy Team, France, Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand, helmsman, Italy, Korea, Loïck Peyron; Luna Rossa, Nathan Outteridge, New Zealand, Paul Campbell-James; ORACLE Racing, seven, skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team, Sweden, USA James Spithill, Venice
Venice (Photo © 2012 ACEA/Gilles Martin-Raget)
Fresh from record crowds and success in Naples, Italy, the America’s Cup World Series heads to Venice, Italy, for the penultimate regatta in the inaugural AC World Series. Racing takes place from May 15 to 20 and is part of a festival of sailing over nine days from May 12 to 20. The race course is one of the narrowest and most challenging in competitive sailing.
Having just won their first regatta in front of home country fans, first-time competitor Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy) anticipates tough competition in Venice. “Naples showed us that any of the teams can win on any given day,” said Luna Rossa’s skipper Max Sirena. “The racing is so close that you can’t afford to be off the pace for even one race or you will fall down the leader-board. Venice will be exceptionally tight putting a premium on boat-handling.”
More than 500,000 fans turned out during the week’s racing in Naples to watch the regatta. 70 hours of live coverage was broadcast globally, while over 350 media were accredited on site to cover the event, resulting in coverage in more than 850 media outlets.
Although Luna Rossa Challenge won the fleet racing competition, and Artemis Racing prevailed in the match racing in Naples, ORACLE Racing Spithill is now the AC World Series overall point leader overtaking Emirates Team New Zealand by just 1 point.
Venice will produce the narrowest race course yet at any AC World Series venue, and the backdrop to the racing will be the entrance to the Grand Canal, the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Square.
“The magnificent waterways of Venice and its stunning Grand Canal will provide an exceptional arena for the AC45s,” said Regatta Director Iain Murray. “The mix of courses and the tricky winds will provide more challenging racing than ever.”
Event preparations are well underway in what will be a spectacular venue. “Venice has a great maritime heritage and we look forward to welcoming the world’s best sailors to our waters,” said Venice Mayor Giorgio Orsoni.
The racing area includes spectator access along numerous points on the waterfront, including the team bases in the Venetian Arsenal. Dating back to the 1100s, Arsenale di Venezia was originally a shipyard and naval depot, providing a uniquely historic home base for the world’s top sailors throughout the event.
The innovative regatta format includes a mix of speed trials, head-to-head match racing, and all-out fleet racing with identical AC45s on the line. The forerunner to the next generation of America’s Cup boats, the AC45 wing-sailed catamaran is the official boat of the AC World Series. While capable of closing speeds more than 35 mph, the AC45 remains nimble enough to handle the tight, tactical race course.
Racing Program and Schedule
The ACWS Venice Race Village opens to the public on Saturday May 12. The City of Venice will host an invitational event “the City of Venice Regatta” over the opening weekend. America’s Cup teams are invited to compete, but the results will not count toward the ACWS Venice scoring.
America’s Cup World Series racing begins on Tuesday, May 15, and runs through Sunday, May 20.
Racing will be held from 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. alternatively on two courses: one in the open sea, in front of San Nicolo del Lido (the Lido Race Course), and one in the lagoon (the San Marco Race Course), between the island of Lido, the basin San Marco and Punta della Dogana.
The event will feature nine boats from seven countries, including: Artemis Racing (Sweden), skipper Terry Hutchinson; China Team (China), skipper Fred Le Peutrec; Emirates Team New Zealand (New Zealand), skipper Dean Barker; Energy Team (France), helmsman Loïck Peyron; Luna Rossa Challenge (Italy), with two boats, helmsmen Chris Draper and Paul Campbell-James; ORACLE Racing (USA) with two boats, skippers James Spithill and Darren Bundock; and Team Korea (Korea) with skipper Nathan Outteridge.
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Posted by admin on Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 9:23 am
Filed under AC45, AC45, America's Cup, America's Cup World Series, Latest News · Tagged with America's Cup, America's Cup World Series, Artemis Racing, China, China Team, Chris Draper, Darren Bundock, dean barker, Emirates Team New Zealand, Energy Team, Fred Le Peutrec, helmsman, Italy, James Spithill, Loick Peyron, luna rossa, Luna Rossa Challenge, Nathan Outteridge, New Zealand, ORACLE Racing, Paul Campbell-James, skipper, Sweden, Team Korea, Terry Hutchinson, USA
