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A RACE FOR ALL SEASONS AND ALL REASONS Return
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Homepage 03-01-01 11:37am For the third year in succession, strong to galeforce headwinds and heavy seas battered boats and bruised bodies in the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Yet this formidable sea challenge failed to dampen the enthusiasm, the sailing skills and seamanship of most of the 850 sailors from around the world who set sail in the traditional and spectacular start from Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, 26 December 2000. Even when the last boat crossed the line just over seven days later, that determination to reach Hobart was still apparent, as was the hospitality extended by Tasmanians to those who finally reach Hobart. There were the cases of cold beer brewed by Cascade on the slopes of towering Mount Wellington overlooking this beautiful port city on the River Derwent along with the famous scallop pies and many other seafoods that have made this island state more famous that its apples. This 56th Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the sixth sponsored by Telstra, Australia's largest telecommunications corporation, attracted 82 starters of which 24 retired and 58 boats completed the 630 nautical mile race down the east coast of mainland Australia, across the galeswept waters of Bass Strait and finally into more gales down the east coast of Tasmania. The race began somewhat in the shadow of the release by the Coroner of New South Wales, less than two weeks before the start of the race, of his findings and recommendations arising from the death of six yachtsmen in the stormswept 1998 Sydney to Hobart. Among his recommendations was to replace certain brands of liferafts and "mae west" type personal buoyancy vests on all boats. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia felt it had a duty of care to follow his directions, even with the possible fall-out of 15 to 20 boats unable to comply so late. In the end, every boat affected was able to obtain replacement liferafts and personal buoyancy vests and the final entry of 82 boats went to the line on Boxing Day. Two maxis had to make last-minute changes: Nicorette, the Swedish 80-footer, had to have a forward hatch built into the foredeck; while the Melbourne 83-footer Wild Thing had to have its fibreglass stanchions replaced with conventional metal ones. Telstra, the race's major sponsor, and Station 12 joined forces to again provide the fleet with Inmarsat-C satellite tracking systems which not only gave the Race Committee an additional means of locating yachts, but also added a new dimension to Telstra's official and highly informative website sydneytohobart.telstra.com. During the race (December 26 to January 2 when the last yacht finished) there were an amazing 26.5 million 'hits' on the website, plus several million hits during the December race build-up that included the Telstra Cup regatta and Canon Big Boat Challenge. From December 26 to January 2, sydneytohobart.telstra.com was the second-highest ranking sporting website in Australia, second only to the TAB betting site. Last year the Telstra Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race website attracted just under 9 million 'hits' during December (1999). With 10 overseas yachts and entries from all Australian states except Western Australia represented, the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was a world class fleet and this was reflected in the wide spread of trophy winners in this still Corinthian event in which most sailors are amateur club racing enthusiasts. As the Lieutenant Governor of Tasmania, the Honourable Justice WJE Cox, said at the race trophy presentation at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania on January 2 2001: "Alongside the newest and most sophisticated maxi yachts we have a very impressive fleet of smaller yachts...it is the egalitaran nature of the race that has led to the Sydney Hobart being regarded as one of the most well-loved sporting fixtures in the country." The major trophies were shared between yachts representing five nations: Sweden, Great Britain, Germany, Bermuda and Australia. Overall victory again went to a Bruce Farr designed, the 47-footer SAP Ausmaid, owned by Adelaide yachtsman Kevan Pearce with Cruising Yacht Club of Australia rear commodore Roger Hickman as his sailing master. It was the second win for the yacht (she won in 1996 as Ausmaid when owned by Victorian Giorgio Gjergja), and the second for Hickman who is regarded as one of the best ocean racing yachtsmen sailing out of the CYCA. 'Hicko' was co-skipper of Solbourne Wild Oats when it was Overall IOR winner in 1993. Since being owned by Pearce, Ausmaid has finished third in 1997, second in 1998, third in 1999 and now first in 2000. She is also only the third South Australian yacht to win the Sydney to Hobart, the others being Nerida in 1950 and Ingrid in 1952. Swedish maxi Nicorette, a South African designed and built 80-footer from the drawing board of Simonis/Voogd skippered by world maxi champion Ludde Ingvall took line honours, comfortably outpacing the Australian maxi Wild Thing, an 83-footer designed by Murray/Burns/Dovell and owned by Victorian yachtsman Grant Wharington. Snapping at their transoms was a pack of Volvo 60s, ex Whitbread 60s being used in training for the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race around the world, of which the 2001 Sydney to Hobart will be part of the trans-Tasman leg from Sydney to Auckland. First of the Volvos was the German-owned illbruck, skippered by John Kostecki. Nicorette's elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 02 minutes 09 seconds compared with the race record of 1 day 19 hours 48 minutes 02 seconds set by the Volvo 60, Nokia (Denmark) when it slashed the race record by some 18 hours in the 1999 race. In the 2000 race, Nokia limped home in seventh place in the fleet, her mainsail ripped in two and 37 hours slower than her time in 1999. But the 2000 race was 80 percent a hard beat to windward; 1999, meanwhile, was a spinnaker run and power reach most of the way in fresh to strong winds. The fine sailing skills of the sailors, and in many cases the prudent seamanship shown by those who chose to retire voluntarily rather than risk further damage, once again underlined the fact that the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is a challenge against the powers of nature. While 24 boats retired from the 82 boat fleet, there were no dismastings, only one yacht broke its rudder (although several had steering problems) and only one yacht reported structural hull damage. Several crew suffered injuries in the pounding seas, but none were serious. Four yachts reported having man overboard situations in which all were successfully recovered, including one crewman washed off the foredeck when not wearing a safety harness nor a lifejacket. Another reported that the crewman's harness strap had broken as the boat sailed out of control after its rudder snapped off. He grabbed the safety line and hauled himself back onboard. The major cause of retirement appeared to be HF radio problems and this forced several boats to pull out when they realised they would not comply with the mandatory check-in at Green Cape just before entering Bass Strait. Here skippers were to advise Telstra Control that the yacht, its crew and equipment (including HF radio) were in a fit state to make the crossing of 'the paddock' which for much of the race was being swept by galeforce winds, described by the Bureau of Meteorology as "vigorous south-westerlies". The 2000 race began with a tacking duel down Sydney Harbour between the maxis and Volvo 60s after a spectacular one-line start some three miles up the Harbour. More than 3000 spectator craft, ranging from kayaks and jet skis to Sydney Harbour ferries and luxury motor yachts packed the edges of the exclusion zone as the fleet crossed tacks before rounding the Telstra Buoy at the Heads. Many of these spectator craft followed the fleet several miles down the coast as Shockwave, Neville Crichton's recently launched 80-footer set the pace under spinnaker in a freshening north-easterly seabreeze. The nor'easter freshened to 25 knots in the late afternoon and continued well into the night with Shockwave setting a record pace in the first six hours as she surfed down the New South Wales South Coast, closely challenged by Wild Thing and Xena. By the first 3.05am position report ('sked') with the fleet, Shockwave was abeam of Ulladulla and by late morning had checked-in at Green Cape and poked her nose into a wild Bass Strait. It was then that owner/skipper Neville Crichton elected not to risk damaging his multi-million dollar maxi and advised Telstra Control that he was retiring from the race. Crichton had said before the start he did not intend bashing the boat into heavy seas when his real intention in building this turbo-charged maxi was to compete in the maxi regatta circuit in Europe and North America. Australia's best known maxi, George Snow's Brindabella was also an early retirement, reporting delamination problems in the bow of the 76-footer. By the 2.05pm sked on the second day at sea, a dozen yachts had pulled out of the race, most of them before they entered Bass Strait. A prominent boat to withdraw after failing to report to Telstra Control by HF radio at the Green Point check-in was David Coe's recently imported Farr 52, Loco, which was well placed on IMS corrected time at that stage of the race. Two notable later retirements off the Tasmanian East Coast were Bumblebee 5, the 62-footer skippered by the yacht's designer, Iain Murray, which lost the bulb of its keel and Shipping Central (Michael Spies) which broke its rudder. SAP Ausmaid sailed an outstanding race, consistently well placed in the fleet and, when she crossed the finish line in eighth place she was the first non water-ballasted boat to finish, comfortably outsailing her major IMS rivals, Yendys, Quest and Ragamuffin. On corrected time she placed first overall and first in IMS Division A. Hobart-born Hickman said SAP Ausmaid had handled the ongoing heavy conditions superbly, with the worst time being a 55 knot front that had swept up the Tasmanian East Coast on their final night at sea. Second place Overall and in IMS Division A went to the Nelson/Marek 46, Quest, chartered by British yachtsman Chris Bull, a committee member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Bull recently won the Round Britain and Island non-stop race in his own yacht. Yendys, Geoff Ross' Farr 49 which was Overall winner of the 1999 race, placed third Overall and third in IMS Division A in another good performance. IMS Division B saw another excellent win by AFR Midnight Rambler, the little Hick 35 which Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas sailed to an Overall win in the stormswept 1998 Telstra Sydney to Hobart. Runner-up in the Division, and first Tasmanian boat to finish the race, was Doctor Who, the Davidson 52 skippered by RYCT member Rod Jackman in place of his father who was injured just days before the race. This was Rod Jackman's 25th Sydney to Hobart, so on completing this year's race he joined an elite group of sailors who have completed 25 or more races.Third in IMS Division B went to another 'small' boat, Chutzpah, the Murray/Burns/Dovell 35 skippered by Bruce Taylor from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. Another Tasmanian skipper, veteran John Bennetto, sailed his 40th Sydney to Hobart race when he skippered his 52-footer, Mirrabooka, equalling the record of Sydney navigator Richard 'Sighty' Hammond. Ranking as probably the most beautiful boat in the fleet, the varnished timber hulled Sunstone from Great Britain won IMS Division C. The Sparkman & Stephens designed 35-year-old, 38-footer is the floating home for owners Tom and Vicky Jackson and competing in the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race was part of a 30,000 nautical mile, three-year cruise around the world. Second place in IMS Division C went to BOOTS (By Order of the Secretary), the Cavalier 37 owned bv Rex Billing and John Porter from Melbourne's Royal Brighton Yacht Club; third place went to the Tasmanian yacht Hot Property, a Farr 37 skippered by David Hansen from Bellerive Yacht Club. Line honours winner Nicorette won IRC Overall and also won IRC Division A from the two Volvo 60s, illbruck from Germany, skippered by American John Kostecki, and TYCO from Bermuda, skippered by New Zealander Kevin Shoebridge. John Quinn, who survived hours in the Tasman Sea after being washed overboard from his then yacht, MEMM, on a dark and stormy night during the 1993 race, won IRC Division B with Polaris of Belmont. The 30-year-old Polaris of Belmont, a Cole 43, from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, has won her division three times since Quinn returned to racing in 1995, winning IRC Dvision B this year from the Swan 48, Loki, skippered Stephen Ainsworth from the CYCA, with third place going to the veteran Peterson 44, Summit Bacardi, owned by Graeme Ainley and John Williams from Melbourne's Sandringham Yacht Club. Ainley is member of the board of the Australian Yachting Federation. The spread of trophies continued in the PHS Division, with first place going to the Queensland yacht Cruz Control, a Santa Cruz 52, owned by Maynard Smith from the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. She II, Peter Rodgers' Olsen 40 from the CYCA, placed second; third place went to the much travelled Sorbent Helsal II, now owned by William Rawson from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. The Plum Crazy Trophy for the smallest yacht under 9.5m LOA to finish the 630 nautical mile race went to the 30-foot (9m) sloop Urban Guerrilla, skippered by Chris Bowling from the Drummoyne Sailing Club in Sydney. The Bill Owen Memorial Trophy for navigator of the winning yacht (SAP Ausmaid) went to Sally Gordon, recently named the CYCA's Ocean Racing Crew Person of the Year at the annual Ocean Racer Awards. Return
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Race Reports CELEBRITY SAILORS JOIN CREWS FOR TOUGH RACE TO HOBART 26-12-00 11:04am The 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will start on Sydney Harbour at 1pm today (AEST) when the Chief of the Australian Army, Lieutenant General Peter Cosgrove AC MC, fires a cannon to send the 82-boat fleet on its way in the 630 nautical mile ocean classic down the East Coast of Australia, across Bass Strait to the island State of Tasmania. It's a perfect summers day in Sydney for the spectacular start, hot and sunny, with every chance of a spinnaker running down from the Starting Line north of Shark Island to the Heads. This afternoon, a freshening north easterly seabreeze is forecast, giving the fleet a fast spinnaker run, aided by a three knot current, down the east coast of New South Wales. Ahead of them, however, is some tough sailing to windward, with a series of south-westerly to southerly fronts forecast to sweep across Bass Strait and up the East Coast of Tasmania over the next few days. It's been a colourful scene at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia this morning as the 850 crew members packed food and gear aboard the yachts, with the marina packed with families and friends to see them set sail. Among the celebrity sailors competing this year is Lachlan Murdoch, sailing aboard the Volvo 60, News Corporation, one of five VO 60s racing to Hobart. In the crew of the 83-footer Wild Thing is Gerard Healey, the well-known Melbourne TV and radio sports commentator and former Australian Football League (AFL) football star. Prominent Sydney businessmen skippering their own maxi yachts include Neville Crichton with Shockwave and George Snow with Brindabella, along with CYCA Rear Commodore Roger Hickman on SAP Ausmaid, former Royal Yacht Club of Victoria Commodore and Melbourne orthodontist Bruce Taylor skippering his 35-footer Chutzpah, and current Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron Commodore Jim Dunstan skippering his former race winner Zeus II -- one of the smallest boats in the fleet. All yachts in the fleet have fully complied with the strict safety regulations for the race and as they left the dock, skippers expressed their confidence they and their crews could cope with tough headwinds and rough seas. Each yacht must make a compulsory radio check-in with Telstra Radio on channel 6227 kHz when abeam of Green Cape, just south Eden, advising that the boat and crew are in a satisfactory condition to continue across Bass Strait. Further information Peter Campbell Media Director -- 2000
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| SPECIAL RACE FORECAST ISSUED BY THE BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY, SYDNEY, AT 6AM (AEST) ON 26/12/00 Important Information - Wind speed refers to the average speed over a 10-minute period. Gusts may be up to 40 percent stronger than the average speed. - Wave and swell heights refer to 'significant wave height' representing the average of the highest one third of waves. The likely maximum wave height can be up to twice the significant wave height. Current Weather Pattern A deep low to the far south of Tasmania will maintain a vigorous westerly airstream across Tasmania and through Bass Strait. A cold front embedded in this flow will strengthen winds in Bass Strait today and bring a S/SW change to the NSW far south coast this afternoon. The vigorous flow will be maintained through the remainder of the week with winds in Bass Strait and Tasmanian waters tending more southwest then southerly as a high in the Bight approaches waters south of Tasmania. Current Warnings For NSW and Victorian Waters Strong wind warning current for NSW coastal waters south of Merimbula: S/SW change 20/30 knots in the afternoon. Seas rising to 2 to 3 metres. Swell 2 metres. Gale Warnings For All Victorian Coastal Waters Gale Warning for Tasmania including waters between Tasman Island and St Helens Point: Westerly winds 20 to 30 knots increasing to 25 to 35 knots during the day reaching 40 knots at times this afternoon offshore in Bass Strait and the northeast. Seas mostly 3 to 5 metres. A westerly swell 4 to 5 metres, a little less over the north. Strong Wind Warning For remaining central eastern Tasmanian waters: West to northwest winds reaching 20 to 30 knots at times offshore with seas to 3 metres and a swell to 2 metres. |
| DRAMA BEFORE START OF 2000 TELSTRA SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE 26-12-00 12:25pm There was drama before the start of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, with one yacht being damaged soon after leaving its marina berth, another having to rush an injured crew member ashore, while a race spectator suffered a suspected broken ankle. Terra Firma, skippered by Melbourne's Peter Bartels, punched a small hole in its bow when it rammed the sea marina at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia after the yacht's engine failed to engage reverse gear. The incident happened alongside three media boats, giving cameramen an early news story as the Terra Firma crew carried out running repairs. Sydney yacht Crane Metals (Tim Cowdery) also returned to the CYCA dock where an ambulance was onhand to take an injured crewman to hospital. No details of the crewman's injuries were available, but next of kin have been notified of the incident. The condition of the spectator who has a suspected broken ankle is also unavailable. Race Media Director, Peter Campbell, said it was dead calm 45 minutes before the 1pm start of the race as a light southeasterly died out ahead of a forecast northeasterly sea breeze. |
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Turbo-charged maxi yacht Shockwave set a record-breaking pace to hold a slender lead from Xena and Wild Thing as the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race fleet enjoyed a highspeed spinnaker run down the New South Wales coast on its first day at sea. The 82 boat fleet sprinted down the coast under spinnaker after clearing Sydney Heads, and at the first official position report ('sked') at 2005 hours (8.05pm AEST), Shockwave was abeam of Ulladulla and about 120 nautical miles out to sea. At the 8.05pm sked, the Reichel/Pugh 80-footer, skippered by Sydney-based New Zealander Neville Crichton, was some nine miles ahead of last year's record breaker, Nokia, at the same time exactly one year ago in the 1999 race. However, this is hypothetical as the strong and vigorous south-westerly front sweeping up the South Coast tonight will slow the fleet considerably, turning the race into a hard bash to windward, becoming tougher as they continue south. The forecast south-westerlies are predicted to 40 knots-plus as the fleet nears Bass Strait and are expected to continue for the next couple of days, getting stronger and colder as the yachts head further south. At tonight's 8pm sked, Shockwave reported her position about 120 nautical miles to the east of Ulladulla which is south of Jervis Bay, having covered 94 nautical miles since the start from Sydney Harbour at 1300 hours (1pm). According to a computer assessment of the yachts' latitude and longitude, Shockwave was about half a mile ahead of Grant Wharington's 83-footer Wild Thing, although the Victorian maxi is much further inshore. Less than two miles astern was Xena, the red-hulled downwind flyer sailed by Sean Langman of Sydney and a crew of mainly skiff sailors; followed by the Swedish 80-footer Nicorette, skippered by Ludde Ingvall. Leading the five Volvo 60s in the fleet was News Corporation, skippered by Jez Fanstone with News Corp executive and keen sailor, Lachlan Murdoch, among its crew. News Corporation was 10 miles south of Jervis Bay and narrowly ahead of TYCO, another Volvo 60, with Bumblebee 5 and Brindabella about 14 miles astern of the leader Shockwave. Provisional corrected times for the IMS division place the oldest yacht in the fleet, Southerly, built in 1939 and skippered by 76-year-old Don Mickleborough as holding first place against the grand prix state-of-the-art ocean racers. In the IRC handicap division, the overall leader at the first sked was Polaris of Belmont skippered by John Quinn, famous for surviving being washed overboard from his previous yacht and spending five hours in the Tasman Sea at night during the 1993 Sydney to Hobart Race. Return
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27-12-00 6:50am The fleet in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is having a respite from the strong wind conditions as the leading yachts pass Montague Island, some 170 nautical miles to the south of Sydney early this morning. All 82 boats which set sail yesterday are still racing south in a moderate south-westerly breeze, with no problems experienced overnight, although the latest weather forecast still warns of galeforce west to south-westerly winds in Bass Strait and rough seas. Reports from the fleet at the 0305 hour position report schedule ('sked') said the strong north-easterly winds had died away overnight and at that stage the bulk of the fleet, now well south of Jervis Bay, was beating to windward into a 12 to 15 knot south-westerly wind. Shockwave, Neville Crichton's turbo maxi, still leads the fleet, 19 nautical miles south-east of Montague Island. She was still well out to sea after setting a very fast pace from the start yesterday as the fleet enjoyed a spinnaker run south in a freshening north-easterly seabreeze. Based on latitudes and longitudes reported to Telstra Radio aboard the radio relay vessel Young Endeavour, Shockwave was five miles ahead of the Swedish 80-footer Nicorette, skippered by Ludde Ingvall, which has markedly improved her position during the night. Just over a mile astern is Wild Thing, Grant Wharington's 83-footer from Melbourne followed close by Sean Langman's Open 60, Xena, which dropped back as the north-easterly breeze died away late last night. The first of the Volvo 60s is the Bermudan entry TYCO, which has moved slightly ahead of the Australian boat, News Corporation and illbruck. All these boats, with the exception of Shockwave, are water-ballasted, with the next of the conventionally ballasted big boats being Brindabella, seventh in the fleet. Progressive provisional corrected time place the Victorian yacht Breakaway (Martin Power) holding first place overall in the IMS category from the Sydney boats Shipping Central and Loco, with last year's Overall winner Yendys in fourth place. In the IRC division, the overall leader is the Greek-owned Aera (Nick Lykiaradopulo) from Polaris of Belmont and Shockwave while in the PHS division the Sydney yacht Delta Wing (William Koppe) heads the provisional results from Icefire and the Victorian pocket maxi, Sorbent Helsal. |
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27-12-00 10:21am New Zealand maxi Shockwave retired from the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race this morning. A crew spokesman told the Telstra Media Centre that in the face of forecast heavy weather conditions, it was 'prudent seamanship' to retire from the race. Each yacht must make a compulsory radio check-in with Telstra Radio on channel 6227 kHz when abeam of Green Cape, just south Eden, advising that the boat and crew are in a satisfactory condition to continue across Bass Strait. Shockwave called race control soon after passing Green Cape to advise of its retirement. The 80-foot high-tech yacht has yet to be tested in tough ocean seaways. The Bureau of Meteorology Victorian Regional Office issued a gale warning for the southeastern area of the Victoria. The seasoned Shockwave crew are understood to be apprehensive about sailing the untested maxi into the teeth of a deep slow-moving low pressure system which the Bureau of Meteorolgy said 'is directing a vigorous northwest/southwesterly airstream over the area'. Race control also received retirement notification this morning from Brindabella (hull delamination), Ice Fire (torn mainsail) and Orsa Maggiore (crew discomfort). Shockwave extended its lead overnight in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race race, despite racing in seemingly unfavourable conditions. The pre-race favourite had carved out a five mile lead over Swedish maxi Nicorette, the big mover during the night as the leading boats in the fleet covered almost a third of the total 630 nautical mile distance. As expected, Nicorette flourished as the wind swung round from the north-east to the south-west at a strength of between 10-15 knots. The Swedish boat moved up a couple of places while Victorian maxi Wild Thing and 60-footer Xena each dropped back a place to third and fourth respectively as the leading boats were just south of Montague Island. Xena, which prospered in the north-easterly breezes which were present yesterday afternoon and into the early evening, predictably found the going tougher after the wind swung round. However, it still enjoyed a good 12 mile buffer over fifth placed TYCO, the best placed of the five Volvo 60s. TYCO held a narrow advantage of under a mile over another Volvo 60, News Corporation, running almost side by side with favoured maxi Brindabella. The top 10 was rounded out by Volvo 60 illbruck, the 62 foot Bumblebee 5 and the Farr 52 Loco. At 11am today, 78 of the 82 race starters were still competing. In the fight for overall honours, the 36 foot Victorian craft Breakaway was leading the pack. The 40 foot NSW boat Shipping Central was next, followed by Loco and last year's overall winner Yendys. |
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27-12-00 12:18pm Xena, a high-profile Open 60 yacht skippered by Sydney's Sean Langman, retired from the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race this morning with a ripped mainsail and concerns about its mast rigging. Xena is the fifth boat to pull out of the race as fleet battles into 25 to 30 knot southerly winds and rising seas, with a gale warning still in force for eastern Bass Strait waters. Race control received notification from the yacht just before midday that it had pulled out of the race and was motor-sailing to the New South Wales coastal town of Eden, with an estimated time of arrival around 4pm this afternoon. Swedish maxi, Nicorette, skippered by Ludde Ingvall, and Wild Thing (Grant Wharington, Melbourne) were this afternoon fighting for line honours supremacy as they punched into a heavy Bass Strait swell and building southwesterly. |
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28-12-00 12:44am Testing conditions took toll on the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race yesterday with 11 boats retiring, but at the front of the pack Victorian yacht Wild Thing and Swedish maxi Nicorette smashed their way to Hobart as they scrapped for line honours in the presitgious bluewater classic. The two yachts were 53 nautical miles into Bass Strait at the 2.05pm scheduled position report ('sked') with Telstra Radio aboard to the radio relay vessel Young Endeavour and within sight of each other. They were more than 50 miles ahead of the rest of the fleet and they continued to maintain a similar break on trailing yachts, and a close watch on each other, as they sailed into the night. Illbruk, Bumblebee 5, News Corporation, TYCO, Assa Abloy, Starlight Express, Nokia and Eureka completed the list of top 10 line honours contenders at the time the position report was taken. At 11.30pm yesterday, eleven yachts had officially pulled out of the race in light of the punishing conditions they had battled since early morning. Of the leading yachts in line honours, Shockwave, Brindabella and Xena were out of the race. Xena pulled into Eden late yesterday afternoon after splitting her mainsail. Owner-skipper Sean Langman said ashore: "It was a seamanship call; there was too much punishment for the boat." Aspect Computing, sailed by skipper David Pescud and his crew of sailors with disabilities has had rig problems and was returning directly to Sydney. The retirements yesterday were: - Ice Fire (Terry Mullens, NSW) -- torn mainsail and returning to Sydney (retired at 0540 hours). - Brindabella (George Snow, NSW) -- reported delamination at the bow (retired 0820 hours, heading for Sydney). - Orsa Maggiore (Italian Navy, Italy) -- concern at lack of crew experience with new crew of Navy cadets. (retired 1000 hours, heading for Sydney) - Shockwave (Neville Crichton, NSW) -- apprehensive about forecast conditions, heading for Sydney. - Xena (Sean Langman, NSW) -- split main, concern about rig. To Eden. - Aspect Computing (David Pescud, NSW) -- rig problems, heading for Sydney. - Southerly (Don Mickleborough, NSW) - Valtair (Matt Allen, NSW) -- unable to repair their radio which is a race requirement to be able to sail past Green Cape. To Eden. - Crane Metals (Tim Cowdrey, NSW). To Eden. - More Witchcraft (John Cameron, NSW). To Eden. - Loco (David Coe, NSW) -- failed to comply with Race Control requirements at mandatory Cape Green radio callup (11.30pm, Wednesday). To Eden. Meanwhile, Doctel Rager (Gary Shanks, SA) yesterday sailed into Eden to affect repairs before rejoining the race; and B52 (Hughie Lewis, TAS) also sailed to Eden to repair a radio before continuing on to Hobart. |
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28-12-00 6:59am Swedish maxi yacht Nicorette opened up an eight nautical mile lead overnight from the Melbourne 83-footer Wild Thing as the two leaders in the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race neared the north-east coast of Tasmania, still sailing in strong west to south-westerly headwinds that continue to sweep Bass Strait. The galeforce winds and rough seas of the past 36 hours have now forced 13 boats out of the 82 boat fleet that set sail from Sydney on Boxing Day, among them early race leaders Shockwave and Xena. At the 2.05am position report from the fleet, Nicorette, an 80-footer owned and skippered by Ludde Ingvall, was 29 nautical miles north of Eddystone Point and 200 miles from the finish. Wild Thing, owned and skippered by Grant Wharington, was 23 miles south of Flinders Island, having slipped astern of Nicorette during the night as the two power-reached across Bass Strait. Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania officials predict that the leading yacht will not reach Storm Bay until the early hours of tomorrow morning, possibly setting the scene for a spectacular dawn sail up the River Derwent. At this morning's positions report, some 40 to 50 miles astern of the two water-ballasted maxis were the Volvo 60s, led by News Corporation, the Australian entrant in the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race around the world. She was less than a mile ahead of TYCO from Bermuda, which was followed by illbruck from Germany and Assa Abloy, with last year's record-breaking line honours winner, Nokia, failing to report her position to Telstra Radio aboard the Young Endeavour. The retirements overnight included Loco, one of the favoured yachts in the IMS handicap division, bringing the total to 13 while several boats have put into Eden to effect repairs and then resume racing. Some 50 yachts were crossing Bass Strait at first light, with the latest forecast indicating continuing west to south-westerly winds of 20 to 30 knots and seas of two to three metres. On handicap, the Overall leader in the IMS division was Graham Gibson's Ninety Seven, the Farr 47 which took line honours in the galeswept 1993 race. Holding second place was the tiny 30-footer Zeus II, skippered by Jim Dunston, which won the race on handicap in 1981. The maxi yacht Nicorette was holding her time in the IRC handicap division from Wild Thing and the Volvo 60, Assa Abloy from Hong Kong. The Sydney yacht Delta Wing (William Koppe) was heading the progressive placings in the PHS division from the little Berrimilla (Alex Whitworth) and Hogsbreath Witchdoctor (Rum Consortium). Retirements as at 7am, Thursday December 28: Return
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28-12-00 11:25am Sagacious V, a former overall race winner in 1990, has retired from the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race after her skipper Ian Paterson was thrown onto the yacht's deck, resulting in suspected spinal injuries. The yacht retired to Eden and was met late last night by an awaiting ambulance which transferred Paterson to Pambula District Hospital. Paterson is currently undergoing x-rays and further medical assessment. In a separate incident, a female crew member from Lady Penrhyn, a 36-foot Navy training vessel from New South Wales, was taken to Narooma hospital yesterday with a suspected fractured ankle. The crew of Lady Penrhyn pulled into Narooma and was hoping to continue their race but was forced to retire as a result of insufficient crew. Tasmanian yacht Mirrabooka, skippered by veteran yachtsman John Bennetto, also put ashore a crewmember yesterday. John's son Peter Bennet is recovering from a diabetes related illness after being transferred ashore at Narooma by a Coast Guard vessel. Mirrabooka has resumed racing and is well into Bass Strait. Kickatinalong was anchored near Eden late this morning, attempting to fix a marine radio before continuing for Hobart. It seems that Grant Wharington's chances of the first line honours win for a Victorian yacht are slipping away as the latest helicopter report has Ludde Ingvall's Nicorette 19 miles ahead of Wild Thing. The report indicates that Wild Thing had a luff tape stuck in the track and has chosen to head inshore to change to a larger headsail, which has cost her time. While this afternoon's 2.05pm position report will give a more accurate ETA, an early morning finish of around 2.00am on the Derwent River is likely for the line honours winner. |
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28-12-00 2:31pm Bumblebee 5 retired from the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race this afternoon after a crewman was injured when the 62-foot pocket-maxi's keel bulb fell off. Skippered by international yacht designer and America's Cup legend Iain Murray, the vessel reported the incident to race control during its mandatory 'sked' at 2.05pm today. The New South Wales yacht was some 50 nautical miles northeast of the Tasmanian coastal town of St Helens when the keel bulb fell from the base of keel. The crewman suffered injured ribs. His condition was not available. A yacht's keel is shaped like a fin. It is filled with lead ballast and fixed to a yacht's hull underside to give a vessel stability, resisting the lateral force of the wind and sea. A keel bulb is commonly found on modern ocean racers. Torpedo shaped, it is an essential to maintaining stability. Bumblebee 5 owner, John Kahlbetzer, was not onboard. He was understood to be in Hobart playing golf at the time of the incident anticipating his yacht to finish tomorrow. Bumblebee 5 was running seventh in the race for line honours. It was sailing upwind in a 20 knot southwesterly when the keel bulb detached. Its retirement brings to 18 the number who have pulled out of the race which began on December 26, with an 82-strong fleet. |
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28-12-00 7:47pm At 1915 hours this evening the NSW yacht Ninety Seven (Graham Gibson) reported to Telstra Radio on Young Endeveour that a crew member had been recovered after falling overboard at 1840 hours off Flinders Island. It's not known at this stage who the crew member is, but we can report that the recovery was rapid, the crew member is OK and the boat is proceeding south in the race. At this afternoon's (1405 hours) position report, Ninety Seven was leading on IMS Overall. |
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28-12-00 11:50pm Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race leader Nicorette rounded Tasman Island at 10.47pm tonight. With 40 nautical miles to sail to claim line honours ahead of Victoria's Wild Thing, the Swedish 80-footer has an estimated finishing time of 3am Friday (AEST) in Hobart. At midnight Nicorette was sailing across Storm Bay and heading for the finish in the Derwent River off Battery Point, Hobart, with Wild Thing some 30 nautical miles astern. Nicorette is skippered by maxi yacht world champion yachtsman, Ludde Ingvall. Following Wild Thing came the first of the Volvo 60s, the Bermudan boat TYCO, skippered by Kiwi ace Kevin Shoebridge, with illbruck (John Kostecki) and News Corporation (Jez Fanstone) further astern. Then came Assa Abloy, skippered by Olympic yachtsman Roy Heiner, with last year's record-slashing Nokia (Stefan Myralf) chasing the tight pack of V60s. Southwest winds of 30-40 knots, locally 50 knots near the southern Tasmanian coast and rough to very rough seas and a heavy swell have been forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology in an 11pm facsimile release. Strong wind warnings for northern Tasmanian coastal waters were also forecast. |
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29-12-00 2:42am Swedish maxi Nicorette took line honours this morning in the 630 nautical mile 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. After battling galeforce winds reaching 50 knots as it sailed across Storm Bay and up Hobart's Derwent River, the 83-footer, skippered by Ludde Ingvall, crossed the finish line off historic Battery Point at 3.02am (Friday, 20 December 2000 AEST). Victorian yacht Wild Thing (Grant Wharington) was some 30 nautical miles astern of Nicorette, but the 83-footer comfortably held second place. Nicorette's elapsed time was 2:14:02:09, some 20 hours shy Nokia's race record time of (1:19:48:02) set in last year's race. Winds were blowing from the south-west at 30 to 40 knots, reaching 50 knots with very rough seas and a heavy swell in Storm Bay when Nicorette finished. A small flotilla of spectator craft braved cold and blustery conditions to welcome Ingvall and his star-studded crew of ocean racers. Following Nicorette and Wild Thing in the line honours chase were the first of the Volvo 60s, the Bermudan boat TYCO, skippered by Kiwi ace Kevin Shoebridge, with illbruck (John Kostecki) and News Corporation (Jez Fanstone) further astern. Then came Assa Abloy, skippered by Olympic yachtsman Roy Heiner, with last year's record-slashing Nokia (Stefan Myralf) chasing the tight pack of V60s. Southwest winds of 30-40 knots, locally reaching 50 knots near the southern Tasmanian coast and rough to very rough seas and a heavy swell have been forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology. Strong winds were also forecast for northern Tasmanian coastal waters and southern Bass Strait where the bulk of the 62 boats still racing were located. The retirement list grew to 20 at 1.50am today when Shipping Central, a Beneteau 40.7 skippered by Michael Spies, reporting that their rudder had snapped off as they neared the Tasmanian East Coast. Spies reported that the crew had rigged jury steering and were awaiting a tow from the Tasmanian Police boat Van Dieman based on the East Coast specially for the race. |
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29-12-00 5:10am The following are quotes from Ludde Ingvall, owner-skipper of the Swedish maxi yacht Nicorette after the 80-footer took line honours in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Nicorette, a Simons/Voord-designed 80-footer which has been racing in Europe as Skandia, crossed the finish line at 03.02.09 hours today, 29 December 2000 (AEST) to record an elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds, the second fastest in the history of the race. Ashore, owner-skipper Ludde Ingvall told the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Media Information Office how he won the race. "Wild Thing forced us to go faster than we were comfortable with. When you see another boat you want to race. They really put up a good fight". "This is what the new boats can do and it has been done in upwind conditions. It's a new style of boat and I'm glad Australians are starting to play with it." Q. What do you think about the lightweight boats doing this race? Q. What next? "We could have lost everything in Storm Bay, just 20 miles from the end. We were on our side in 50 knots. The barometer dropped by 4 millibars around Tasman Island so I knew something was coming." "My team has given it all, they have spilled their guts all over Bass Strait." "This is one of the milestones of my career." "The big guy threw everything at us. This is the toughest two-day race of my life. It feels like you take the hardest parts of the Volvo Race and put them into two days. It's a hell of a beating that we took out there. Getting to Hobart is a victory for me; coming first makes it all the sweeter." "My crew hasn't eaten for two days. What they did eat they fed the fish in Bass Strait with it. The freeze dried food has been flying all over the cabin." "My mainsail looks like Swiss cheese and we had to bury a Number 5 in Storm Bay. The list of damages has made it rather a costly trip but it has all been worth it." Q. Did you think it was necessary for all those boats to retire? Peter Campbell Media Director -- 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race |
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29-12-00 8:55am Melbourne maxi Wild Thing crossed the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race finish line at 8.23.41am to claim second place on elapsed time -- some five hours after line-honours winner, Nicorette, which had crossed the line at 3.02.09am. And crossing the line in third position this morning was the first of the Volvo 60s, illbruck, at 9.03.47am. Wild Thing (Victoria, Grant Wharington) and illbruk (Germany, Mark Christiansen), had sailed into frustratingly light conditions in the River Derwent after a boisterous night at sea. Yet when Nicorette (Sweden, Ludde Ingvall) had finished, wind gusts of up to 50 knots were recorded in Storm Bay. At 9.15am (AEST), TYCO (Bermuda, Kevin Shoebridge) was due to finish fourth across the line. |
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29-12-00 11:49am Around the world cruiser/racer Sunstone has taken the overall handicap lead in the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race as she sails down the Tasmanian east coast into the teeth of a gale force southwesterly. Skippered by Tom and Vicky Jackson, the comfortable Sparkman and Stephens 38 was in a pack of yachts off the Tasmanian east coast this morning bound for Tasman Island. Corrected time results issued by the Race Committee place Sunstone was leading from Ninety Seven (Graham Gibson) and the Tasmanian yacht Interum (Craig King). Yendys, the state of the art Farr 49 skippered by Geoff Ross, has dropped to 13th in amended results for the IMS Division. With a crew of six, the 35-year-old varnished timber Sunstone has been a floating home for the Jacksons for the past 20 years, setting out three years ago on an around-the-world cruise with a desire to race when the opportunity arose. Competing for the first time in the Hobart race, the Jacksons have won numerous honours, including representing Britain in the Commodore's Cup, the international IMS teams event for cruiser/racers. Ironically, before they bought Sunstone in 1981, Vicky and Tom "weren't looking for a racing boat particularly". "We hadn't thought we would be able to do very much racing and live aboard as well," Tom said before the Boxing Day race start. "Our view was that the only way that amateurs can be seriously competitive with professionals who who can spend loads of time on the water is by sticking with one boat. "Unless you're really gifted (and I make no claims to that) the way to be competitive is to really get to know one's boat" Tom said. The Swedish maxi, Nicorette (Ludde Ingvall) which took line honours early this morning with an elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds, continues to hold first place on corrected time in the IRC handicap category. Provisionally second placed in the IRC division was illbruck, the German Volvo 60 skippered by American John Kostecki, which crossed the finish line in third place at 9.03.47am this morning. Provisionally third this morning in IRC was the Melbourne maxi Wild Thing (Grant Wharington) which finished second to Nicorette when it crossed the finish line at 8.23.41am. Leading the PHS handicap category this morning was the veteran yacht Hogsbreath Witchdoctor, owned by the Rum Consortium, with Berrimilla (Alex Whitworth) in second place, Delta Wing (Bill Koppe) dropping back to third position overnight. "It has been a very wet night sea, but we are battling our way south," Whitworth said in a satellite phone call late this morning to the Telstra Sydney to Hobart website sydneytohobart.telstra.com. |
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29-12-00 12:22pm Victorian maxi Wild Thing crossed the finish line in the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in second place, more than five hours behind line honours winner Nicorette, after a frustrating struggle with eratic winds in Storm Bay. Gale force winds that gusted to 55 knots near Tasman Island and buffeted the race front runners during the night pushed Nicorette to the second fastest time in the 56 year history of the 630 nautical mile bluewater classic. But when Wild Thing entered Storm Bay, the winds had abated and became relatively light and fickle. It took Wild Thing an hour more to sail the 41 miles from Tasman Island to the finish on the River Derwent than it did Nicorette. Grant Wharington's Wild Thing, recently extended to an 83-footer, took 2 days 19 hours and 23 minutes to complete her Hobart campaign and finish ahead of the first Volvo 60, illbruck, which crossed just after 9am, with TYCO almost an hour later. Speaking after docking alongside Constitution Dock, Wharington said: "This was one of the coldest Hobarts ever. The guys did an awesome job staying on deck in those conditions." Wild Thing stayed in touch with Nicorette until the halfway point of the race, when she suffered two major breakdowns resulting in two ripped mainsails and a torn Code 4 headsail. "After we realised we wouldn't catch the front guys, we went into boat preservation mode," said Grant, as he explained how the Swedish and Australian crew onboard Nicorette managed to extend their lead to 30 nautical miles down the Tasmanian East Coast. Grant congratulated the crew of Nicorette upon arrival saying, "They sailed an excellent race -- they didn't make a mistake and they deserved to win." Wild Thing crew member Gerard Healy, former Sydney Swans Australian Rules Football player and sports commentator, was still wearing his ski goggles on his head as they berthed at Constitution Dock this morning. "The conditions last night were the most dangerous I have ever experienced," he said. "I have seen more courage on this boat in the last three days than I ever experienced on the football field." "More than once on this trip, especially in the last 14 hours, have I said a few Hail Marys," he added. "Wild Thing has finished third over the line three times and second once in this race and Grant promised a return challenge to his crew next year: 'Guys'.silver medals this year...bronze last year.....we'll just have to come back again!" Remarkably, illbruck's American skipper John Kostecki and his Volvo 60 crew were due to stop-over in Hobart for just three hours before heading for Auckland in a trial run for next year's Volvo Ocean Race around the world, with the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race a leg of the course. Upon arriving in Hobart, however, Kostecki advised Volvo Ocean Race officials that he needed time to assess the damage, including four broken bunks, ripped sails and possible mast damage, and indicated it could take up to 24 hours to repair. "We will be rethinking how we prepare the boat for next year," said John. "The Sydney to Hobart leg next year could make or break the Volvo Race for competitors," he agreed. |
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29-12-00 2:54pm News Corporation crossed the finish line at 2.35.35pm this afternoon -- the fifth yacht to finish the gale-swept Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The New Zealand-base Volvo 60, sailing for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, is skippered by Jez Fanstone. Among its star-studded crew for the 630 nautical mile ocean classic were News Corp executive, Lachlan Murdoch. News Corporation suffered rig damage and possible hull delamination during the race. A diver was due to inspect the vessel this afternoon to determine whether it needed to be put into dry-dock for repair. Swedish maxi, Nicorette (Ludde Ingvall) took line honours early this morning with an elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds. Melbourne maxi Wild Thing (Grant Wharington) finished second to Nicorette when it crossed the finish line at 8.23.41am (AEST) -- an elapsed time of 2 days 19 hours 23 minutes 41 seconds. illbruck, the German Volvo 60 skippered by American John Kostecki, crossed the finish line in third place at 9.03.47am -- an elapsed time of 2 days 20 hours 3 minutes 47 seconds. TYCO, the Bermudan Volvo 60 skippered by New Zealander Kevin Shoebridge crossed the line in fourth place at 9.49.46am -- an elapsed time of 2 days 20 hours 49 minutes 46 seconds. News Corporation's elapsed time was 3 days 01 hours 35 minutes 35 seconds. Another Volvo 60, Assa Abloy (Mark Rudiger, Hong Kong), was due to sail through the finish line in sixth place around 4.30pm today. Remarkably, Kostecki and his illbruk crew were, on completing the race, due to stop-over in Hobart for just three hours before heading for Auckland in a trial run for next year's Volvo Ocean Race around the world, with the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race a leg of the course. Upon arriving in Hobart, however, Kostecki advised Volvo Ocean Race officials that he needed time to assess the damage, including four broken bunks, ripped sails and possible mast damage, and indicated it could take up to 24 hours to repair. "We will be rethinking how we prepare the boat for next year," said John. "The Sydney to Hobart leg next year could make or break the Volvo Race
for competitors," he agreed. Danish Volvo 60 Nokia, meanwhile, reported
this morning that it had a split mainsail, two injured crewmen. This afternoon
it was limping towards the finish under Return
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29-12-00 5:41pm News Release News Corp, one of the five Volvo 60 round the world yachts competing in this year's Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has finished third over the line despite rudder problems which dogged the yacht in its approach to the finish. The yacht crossed at 1435 hours this afternoon and was assessed by divers shortly after tying up alongside Elizabeth St Pier in front of a crowd of several hundred spectators. Jez Fanstone, skipper of News Corp, believes that the yacht struck a solid object, possibly a sunfish, while they were moving at high speed, causing damage to the leading edge of both the keel and rudder. Upon arrival at Constitution Dock, Ollie Allard, a member of the News Corp shore crew, immediately dived into the cold waters of the Derwent to assess the damage to the yacht and was relieved to report, "It is obvious that they hit something pretty hard but it's not as bad as we first thought." The repairs will be a priority in order for News Corp to join her fellow Volvo 60s, TYCO, illbruck and Assa Abloy, as they restart tomorrow at 10am off Castray Esplanade and make their passage to Auckland. News Corp encountered rough conditions of up to 60-knot winds and seas of 4 metres also resulting in damaged wind gear, broken bunks and ripped sails. "It was a typical, lumpy, windy, wet, banging, awful, horrendous Bass Strait conditions," said Fanstone. "The Sydney to Hobart has a reputation which is relatively feircesome and we had people who have done the race before so they knew that it wasn't going to be a walk in the park." Media magnate and Deputy Chief Operating Officer of News Corporation, Lachlan Murdoch, was a member of the 12 person crew for his third Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. "I think I must jinx the boat. It was pretty rough out there, especially last night we saw 60 knots. It was different from the year before and different from '98 in that it was consistently stronger winds and bigger swells whereas we had a really intense period last night," said Murdoch. Five Volvo 60's are using the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race as preparation for the 2001/2002 Volvo Ocean Race (formerly the Whitbread Race), where the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will be a component of leg 3 of the round the world race. |
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SAP Ausmaid, owned by Graham Gibson with four-time Bluewater Champion Roger Hickman as sailing master, currently poses the biggest big threat to Another Challenge as she strives for a second overall win having taking honours in the 1996 Sydney to Hobart Race. The changing weather patterns will continue to affect the Overall placing as the fleet spreads out and then compresses with each front that hits the Telstra Sydney to Hobart fleet, making an early prediction for an IMS handicap winner impossible. The Sparkman & Stephens 38, Sunstone from the UK, skippered by owners Tom and Vicky Jackson is currently in third place on IMS Overall handicap and has consistently appeared in the top five placings at each position report. Pittwater yacht Polaris of Belmont (John Quinn) is the current IRC Overall leader followed by Summit of Bacardi (Graham Ainley/John Williams) and the Greek yacht Aera (Nick Lykiardopulo). In PHS overall placings, Alex Whitworth's tiny Brolga 33 Berrimilla is leading from Delta Wing (William Koppe) and She II (Peter Rogers). The next yacht to cross the finish line tonight is Nokia, the last of the five Volvo 60s to finish consecutively. Their ETA is 2130 hours, followed by SAP Ausmaid, due at 2200 hours. The Volvo 60s are due to start their Hobart to Auckland leg at 10 am tomorrow. However Roy Heiner, skipper of Assa Abloy, has reported generator, water ballast and Inmarsat-C problems which could mean a delayed start for the four yachts, or starting without the Hong Kong registered V60. Seven yachts have now finished with another 55 still at sea, the tailenders almost completing their Bass Strait crossing and heading towards the north eastern tip of Tasmania. The latest retirement is Boomaroo Morse Fans, skippered by John McIntosh, which lost a liferaft overboard at 1900 hours. This brings the total number of retirements to 21. |
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29-12-00 8:38pm Hong Kong Volvo 60 Assa Abloy finished the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race at 4.58.12PM this afternoon in sixth place in the line honours chase, just over two hours after her rival News Corporation crossed the finish line. Assa Abloy's elapsed time was 3 days, 3 hours, 58 minutes and 35 seconds and she was the fourth of five Volvo 60 racing in the bluewater classic. Nokia has an estimated time of arrival of 9.30pm this evening. Assa Abloy co-skipper and navigator Mark Rudiger says despite their early spinnaker problems "the important stuff held together and the boat did really well". Rudiger views Assa Abloy's entry in the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race as very highly beneficial to their Volvo Ocean Race campaign. "The crew is a lot more prepared because we are a little more acclimatised to ocean racing by sailing to Hobart. The sail from Hong Kong was 5000 miles was different kind of sailing. We feel more prepared but it's hard tuning around straight away." Early problems involving a jammed halyard meant the boat had to run off four nautical miles to perform repairs. During this time the wind changed to the west and they lost further time. Rudiger described this as a "rich get richer scenario". Assa Abloy plans to be one of the four Volvo 60s leaving Hobart tomorrow for Auckland as part of training for the 2001/2002 Volvo Ocean Race. The first Volvo 60 to cross the line in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race was the German entry illbruck, who battled light winds in the River Derwent and finished at 9.03.47am today. Skippered by American John Kostecki, it crossed the finish line in third place with an elapsed time of 2 days 20 hours 3 minutes 47 seconds. TYCO, the Bermudan Volvo 60 skippered by New Zealander Kevin Shoebridge, crossed the line in fourth place at 9.49.46am -- an elapsed time of 2 days 20 hours 49 minutes 46 seconds. News Corporation's elapsed time was 3 days 01 hours 35 minutes 35 seconds. |
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29-12-00 10:49pm Race record-holder Nokia failed to defend its Telstra Sydney to Hobart line honours title, tonight finishing a disappointing seventh across the line -- and last of the five Volvo 60s who contested the rugged 630 nautical mile bluewater classic. When the Danish-owned vessel took line honours last year in a sensational record-breaking time of one day, 19 hours and 48 minutes, it prompted several larger boats to enter this year's race. And maxi yachts ruled the waves in the battle for line honours this year, with 80-foot Swedish maxi, Nicorette (Ludde Ingvall) taking line honours early this morning with an elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds. Melbourne 83-footer Wild Thing (Grant Wharington) finished second to Nicorette when it crossed the finish line at 8.23.41am (AEST) -- an elapsed time of 2 days 19 hours 23 minutes 41 seconds. Before the race started on Boxing Day, Nokia helmsman Christian Jensen said he believed his boat could defend the Telstra Sydney to Hobart line honours title, despite being pushed out of favouritism by the maxi yachts. Jensen even said another record was possible if the conditions were right, although it wouldn't come from his boat. But gale force southwesterly headwinds for most of the race put Nokia's back-to-back record bid on the backburner. Nokia finished at 9.46.49pm -- an elapsed time of 3 days 8 hours 46 minutes 49 seconds. Meanwhile, SAP Ausmaid, owned by South Australian Kevan Pearce with four-time Bluewater Champion Roger Hickman as sailing master, now poses the biggest big threat to Sydney 38 Another Challenge as she strives for a second IMS handicap overall win having taken honours in the 1996 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. SAP Ausmaid tonight finished a highly creditable eighth place across the line in this year's Telstra Sydney to Hobart when it sailed in at 10.44.43pm. Another Challenge (Victoria) was this afternoon leading the IMS handicap division and at the 2.05pm 'sked' when it had 118.9 nautical miles to sail to the Battery Point finish line in Hobart. The sked positions put SAP Ausmaid in second place in the IMS division and its crew will now be nervously awaiting Another Challenge's arrival in Hobart as it will likely determine who takes IMS overall victory. Skippered by veteran Victorian campaigner Lou Abrahams in his 37th Hobart race, Another Challenge has performed particularly well over the past 48 hours, staying near the front of its class on handicap at each position report. |
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30-12-00 7:56am South Australian yacht SAP Ausmaid is shaping as the first South Australian contender in 50 years to win the Telstra 2000 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on handicap. Ausmaid, skippered by Kevan Pearce, crossed the Hobart finish line at 10.44.43pm last night to become the IMS Overall race leader. Ausmaid, a Farr 47 design, is ahead of the UK entry Quest, skippered by Chris Bull, from the Royal Ocean Racing Club and last year's IMS Overall winner, Yendys, the Farr 49 skippered by Geoff Ross. If she is confirmed as the race winner at the declaration of results at 11am tomorrow (December 31). SAP Ausmaid will be first South Australian entry to take the title in 50 years. The last and only South Australian Overall winner was Nerida in 1950. However, race organisers say several yachts still at sea remain with a chance. They include AFR Midnight Rambler (Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas, NSW), which at this morning's race sked (3.05am AEST), was abeam of Freycinet Peninsula, Chutzpah (Bruce Taylor, Vic), the cruiser/racer Sunstone (Vicky and Tom Jackson, UK), and BOOTS (Rex Billing and John Porter, Vic). Yachts which have crossed the finish since midnight include Yendys, Quest (Chris Bull, UK), Ragamuffin (Syd Fischer, NSW), Loki (Stephen Ainsworth, NSW), Cruz Control (Maynard Smith, Qld), Ninety Seven (Graham Gibson, NSW), and Eureka (Bob Roberston, Qld), bringing to 15 the number of finishers with 45 yachts still at sea at 8am this morning. The first Tasmanian entry Dr Who rounded Tasman Island at 4.16am and is expected to finish mid-morning. The Volvo 60 yachts preparing for next year?s around-the-world Volvo Ocean Race will resume competition at 10:00 am this morning when they start the next leg of their journey from Hobart to Auckland. The yachts, News Corporation, illbruck, TYCO and Assa Abloy, will start from near the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race finish line off Castray Esplanade |
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30-12-00 1:40pm For 30-year-old Tasmanian yachtsman, Matthew Clougher, finishing this year's Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race at 6am this morning was much more significant than his previous five Sydney to Hobarts. Clougher fell overboard from the New South Wales yacht Ninety Seven on Thursday evening, but was quickly recovered by the crew who executed a precision man-overboard operation to rescue him. The yacht was between Eddystone Point and Flinders Island when Clougher, the for'ardhand on the 47-foot yacht, was swept overboard while undertaking a sail change. Fortunately, the incident occurred during daylight and the well-prepared crew performed a successful rescue in 20-25 knots of wind and a reasonable sea. "I was working to leeward on the boat and in a second I was washed over," Clougher said shortly after arriving at Constitution Dock this morning. "The boat dug the gunwale in and I flipped over the rail and I lost hold of the rail. The boat stopped in a matter of about 20 metres, but it was too far to swim. Unable to go in reverse, they tacked around and bore down on me, swinging the stern so I could jump on. " In the water for only 10 minutes, Clougher held complete confidence in his crew. "We had definitely been through the operational procedures. We were all well versed in the procedures." Graham Gibson, the owner/skipper of the yacht, firmly believes that his crew's preparation, training and experience resulted in a very competent response. "We went straight into drill mode. We hit the man-overboard and one person was watching him the whole time. We just dropped the sails awfully fast and then went around to pick him up," said Gibson. Ninety Seven was leading the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race on IMS Overall handicap at the time. "It set us back quite a bit and allowed (SAP) Ausmaid to pick up a fair bit of time on us," Gibson said. SAP Ausmaid currently holds first place on the IMS Overall standings with the official result being announced at a presentation at 11am (AEST) on Sunday December 31 at Constitution Dock in Hobart. |
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30-12-00 6:41pm News Release The race committee of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race today praised the honesty and seamanship of the skipper and crew of the Danish yacht Nokia when imposing a minimum penalty for using their engine for about two hours during the race. In a voluntary declaration to the Race Committee, skipper Stefan Myralf advised that he had used the engine between 0220 and 0320 hours on December 27 to keep the yacht stable while a crewman was sent aloft to clear a jammed halyard and headboard lock. The mainsail could not be reefed until the halyard could be cleared and the action in starting the engine had been a question of seamanship. The Race Committee imposed the minimum penalty possible under race rules --10 % of placings in the IRC handicap category (Nokia is currently placed 7th but her final position will depend on the final placings of yachts still to finish). A spokesperson for the Race Committee said tonight," We have recognised that Nokia used prudent seamanship as the crewman was is some danger in going aloft and without his actions the mainsail could not be reefed. "We appreciate the honesty of the skipper in advising us of his actions." Return
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31-12-00 7:39am The overall winner of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will be officially named and presented with the historic Tattersall's Cup at the Telstra Landing outside Hobart's famous Constitution Dock at 11am today (AEST), December 31. SAP Ausmaid, the Farr 46 owned by Adelaide yachtsman Kevan Pearce, looks virtually certain to win her second Sydney to Hobart race on IMS (International Measurement System) overall handicap, and become only the third South Australian yacht to win the race in its 56-year history. The low-rated British cruising yacht Sunstone had to finish before midnight last night to displace SAP Ausmaid, but she still had 45 nautical miles to sail at this morning's 3.05am position reports from the 28 boats still to complete the 630 nautical mile race. SAP Ausmaid, with Cruising Yacht Club of Australia rear commodore Roger Hickman as sailing master, finished eighth in the fleet, the first non water-ballasted yacht to cross the line. She has already held her time against her IMS Division A rivals, with the Nelson/Marek 46 Quest, chartered by British yachtsman Chris Bull, in second place and the 1999 Overall Winner, Yendys, Geoff Ross' Farr 49, holding third place in provisional results. AFR Midnight Rambler, the Hick 35 owned by Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas and overall winner of the storm-battered 1998 Telstra Sydney to Hobart, provisionally clinched victory in IMS Division B when she finished the tough 2000 race late last night. Line Honours winner, the Swedish maxi Nicorette, skippered by Ludde Ingvall, has provisionally won the IRC Overall Trophy and IRC Division 1. The veteran Cole 43 Polaris of Belmont, skippered by Pittwater yachtsman John Quinn, is expected to be named first in IRC Division 2. PHS results will not be not be known until tomorrow, with the Queensland yacht Cruz Control (Maynard Smith) at the top of provisional progressive placings after finishing early yesterday. Still challenging are the Brolga 33, Berrimilla, skippered by Alex Whitworth, which is still at sea, and the last boat in the fleet, Delta Wing (Bill Koppe) which is not due until the afternoon of New Year?s Day. The 28 boats still racing at 5am today are still battling fresh to strong south-westerly headwinds down East Coast of Tasmania and Storm Bay, but they should have a final spinnaker run up the River Derwent in a freshening sea breeze. |
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31-12-00 3:54pm News Release Roger Hickman, Sailing Master on SAP Ausmaid, and the IMS overall winner of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, has praised his crew for their responsible attitude to safety during the heavy weather conditions experienced in this year's race. "The work that has been done since the 1998 race is all about education of people," said Hickman at the presentation ceremony at Constitution Dock this morning. "It's an absolute pleasure to be a skipper of a yacht now because when the wind gets up, people automatically put their life jackets and harnesses on." "For me the biggest benefit, in a tragic way, from the 1998 race is that the crew are educated and they are more prepared to look after themselves. While the skipper is ultimately responsible for the crew, his life is made easier because everyone is aware." Hickman believes the safety changes implemented by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia for the 1999 and 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races are not particularly onerous for boat owners. He feels the biggest change to the event has been the education of skippers and crews, and the sense of responsibility crews now feel for their individual safety. The latest yacht to finish is the Sydney entry Impeccable, owned by John Walker, who at 78 is the oldest skipper in this year's race. Impeccable crossed the finish line just after 3.00pm this afternoon. This brings the total number of finishers to 39 with 19 still racing. The Radio Relay vessel for the Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Young Endeavour, has just arrived at Constitution Dock to a warm welcome for the team responsible for all communications between the fleet and the Race Management team in Hobart. At this stage, some sixty crew aboard nine yachts will spend New Year's Eve at sea, many of these finishing in the early hours of tomorrow morning for a dockside welcome by the last of the New Year's revellers. The last yacht in the fleet, Delta Wing from Sydney, is due to arrive at 9.00pm tomorrow night. |
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01-01-01 9:57am The crew of 12 yachts in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race celebrated the New Year at sea -- and nine of them were still racing at 9am (AEST) today. Two boats were in the River Derwent at that stage, struggling to make way in very light conditions and some of the tailenders may not even finish until late tonight. However, they were enjoying pleasant off-the-wind sailing conditions with freshening northeasterly breezes in contrast to the days of pounding into headwinds and rough seas across Bass Strait and down the east coast of Tasmania. Since midnight three yachts had crossed the finish line -- the veteran sloop Mark Twain (Hugh O'Neill) from Sydney finishing her 23rd Sydney to Hobart Race at 4.13.32am; the Lake Macquarie yacht Santana (Mike Kelaher) at 5.48.44am; and the Melbourne yacht Amaya (David Bingham) finished at 8.52.44am, leaving nine yachts still racing at 9am. Mark Twain's 23 races is a record for the Sydney to Hobart Race. Another remarkable achievement in this year's race has been Tasmanian yachtsman John Bennetto's 40th Sydney to Hobart, equalling the record of Richard 'Sightie' Hammond from Sydney, who did not compete this year. Bennetto skippered his Frers 47-footer Mirrabooka. Victorian yachtsman Lou Abrahams, skippering Another Challenge, completed his 38th race, 35 of them as skipper of his own yachts. This is believed to be a world record. Now in its 56th year, the 630 nautical mile race started at 1pm on December 26, with 24 yachts retiring to date from the 82-strong fleet in the face of a southwesterly gale that finally abated on December 30. Swedish maxi Nicorette took line honours in the annual bluewater classic when it crossed the finish line on the River Derwent in Hobart at 3.02.09am, December 29, for an elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 2 minutes 9 seconds -- some 20 hours outside the record-slashing time set by the Danish 60-footer Nokia in the 1999 race. |
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01-01-01 10:49am Veteran Sydney sailor John Quinn is a believer in the value of commitment and persistence to get a result -- and the result this summer has been another divisional handicap win in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. With the last nine boats still racing expected to finish today, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia confirmed late this morning that Quinn's 30-year-old Cole 43, Polaris of Belmont, was the winner of IRC Division B in the 630 nautical mile ocean classic. Quinn sparked a major night search during the stormy 1993 Hobart race, in which 71 yachts retired and only 44 finished. He was washed from his then yacht, the J35 MEM, in Bass Strait and spent more than five hours in the water before being sighted in the spotlight of a searching container ship and picked up by a yacht that had retired. The courageous yachtsman resumed racing in 1995 with Polaris, winning his division, and has maintained that form with divisional 4th placing the following year and then won his division in 1997 and again in 1998. After a break from the 1999 race, Quinn returned this year for his 18th Sydney to Hobart Race, with his experienced crew, which between them have 55 Hobart races to their credit. "It was a hard race but a great result," he said after receiving his Telstra divisional winner's pennant at a presentation at Hobart's historic Constitution Dock. "We have a very experienced crew and most of us have sailed on the boat for many years, and we have a fabulous boat that can handle hard conditions," he added. Quinn said race tactics were to remain close to the rhumbline throughout the race. "It was a hard race, not so much because of the conditions but continuously dealing with the wet weather. " Quinn sails out of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Sydney. His other wins include the Gosford to Lord Howe Island Race. |
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01-01-01 3:09pm British couple, Tom and Vicky Jackson, have climaxed sailing 30,000 nautical miles around the world in their classic 35-year-old yacht, Sunstone, by winning IMS Division C of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Sunstone, a varnished timber hulled Sparkman & Stephens-designed 28-footer launched in 1965, crossed the finish line on the River Derwent late yesterday afternoon, 40th in the fleet of 58 expected finishers. Although seven boats were still racing at 12 noon today, January 1 2001, the Cruising Yacht of Australia has confirmed the overall and division winners in the IMS and IRC handicap categories, with PHS results hinging on the final finishers. Sunstone has placed first in IMS Division C and 14th in IMS overall results, with second place in IMS Division C going to the Victorian boat, BOOTS, a Davidson 36 owned by Rex Billings and John Porter from Victoria, and third place going to the Tasmanian boat, Hot Property, a Farr 37 skippered by David Hansen. As co-skipper of Sunstone, Vicky Jackson also wins the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy for the first placed woman skipper, a trophy that commemorates the first woman to sail in the Sydney to Hobart, back in 1946. Although this is the first Sydney to Hobart race for Tom and Vicky, both are widely experienced ocean-racing sailors, Tom having sailed in 11 Fastnet Races and Vicky in 10. Both are members of the Royal Ocean Racing Club in England. Vicky's father was in the crew of the original Margaret Rintoul when it took line honours in the 1950 Sydney to Hobart -- as a result he gave his daughter a middle name of d?Entrecasteaux after the well-known cruising waters to the south of Hobart. Sunstone, a successful ocean racing yacht in England, has been the floating home for the Jacksons since 1981 and just a few days before the start of the Telstra Sydney to Hobart they celebrated their 28th wedding anniversary. They hope to compete in Sydney to Hobart Races in the future, as long as it remains an event for yachts of all sizes. "We would love to do another Hobart," said Tom Jackson. "In the future, I hope it will still be a race for small boats and amateur crews, not just a race for professionals," said Tom Jackson. Another British success has been second place Overall and second in IMS Division A by RORC committee member Chris Bull, who skippered the chartered Nelson/Marek 46, Quest. Bull recently won the Round Britain and Ireland Race with his UK-based yacht. |
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01-01-01 6:00pm When Ludde Ingvall, the skipper of the line honours winner Nicorette, an 80-foot maxi yacht, spoke to awaiting crowd in the early hours of Friday morning, he said his admiration went to the crews who were sailing 30 footers in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart. Almost four days later and seven days from the Boxing Day start of the 630 nautical mile race on Sydney Harbour, some of those 30-something footers were this afternoon still making their way to the Tasmanian capital city. The smallest yacht in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart fleet, Urban Guerrilla, a Hick 30 owned and skippered by Chris Bowling from Sydney, crossed the finish line just before midday (AEST) today, picking up four places in the final miles of its journey to Hobart. The remaining seven yachts still racing this afternoon were enjoying 10-15 knot southeasterly breezes as they made their way across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River. The last yacht in the fleet, Kemenys Food & Liquor (Gabor Kemeny) with Tasmanian yachtsman Barry Simpson and three members of the Ratcliff family of sailors onboard, was due to finish at 10.00pm tonight. Trophies for this year's Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race will be presented at an official ceremony tomorrow morning at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, starting at 11.00am. |
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02-01-01 6:16pm The last yacht to complete the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Delta Wing, crossed the finish line on the River Derwent at 1.40.24am this afternoon -- just over seven days after setting sail in the gruelling 630 nautical mile ocean classic. Delta Wing, owned and skippered by Bill Koppe from the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club in Sydney, is a steel-hulled cruiser designed by Boden and while she handled the heavy weather well, the light winds of the past 24 hours have not been to her liking. In fact, she took some five hours to edge her way up the River Derwent in light winds, being becalmed half a mile from the finish line off Battery Point before finally picking up sufficient breeze to cross the line under spinnaker. "The Derwent River is a different race," said Koppe at Constitution Dock. "We spent what seemed like days in the River and at one stage we contemplated turning the motor but having retired in 1996, it made us all the more determined to finish this year." "Nevertheless, skipper hamburger was on the menu on numerous occasions," he admitted, referring to the crews' frustration during the final stages. As Delta Wing sailed towards the finish, many other early finishers were heading out of Constitution Dock to compete in the King of the Derwent Race, swinging by to give the crew of Delta Wing a rousing cheer to acknowledge that they had indeed made it to Hobart. Delta Wing's elapsed time was 7 days 00 hours 40 minutes 24 seconds, compared with elapsed time of 2 days 14 hours 02 minutes 09 seconds set by the line honours winner, Nicorette from Sweden. Last night, the Zeston 40, Kemenys Food & Liquor, owned by Gabor Kemeny, crossed the finish line at 9.36.43pm, second last, to finish with an elapsed time of 6 days 8 hours 36 minutes 43 seconds. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia this morning confirmed the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron entrant, Cruz Control, skippered by Maynard Smith, as winner of the PHS division, second going to She II (Peter Rodgers) from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, third to Sorbent Helsal II, skippered by Bill Rawson from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria. |
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Swedish maxi yacht Nicorette, line honours winner of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race, today swept to another outstanding victory -- outpacing the fleet in the Wrest Point King of the Derwent, the traditional round-the-buoys river event that follows the two annual ocean races to Hobart from Sydney and Melbourne. Among the opposition was the Australian maxi Wild Thing, which had chased Nicorette home in the 630 nautical mile race from Sydney -- and did the same thing today in the 16 nautical mile King of the Derwent race. Sailing in a patchy 5 to 12 knot east-south-easterly seabreeze, Ludde Ingvall's 80-foot Nicorette led from start to finish, finishing 4 minutes 22 seconds ahead of the 83-foot Wild Thing (Grant Wharington, Melbourne), with 27 minutes 34 seconds to the next boat SAP Ausmaid, the IMS Overall winner of the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Close astern of SAP Ausmaid came Sorbent Helsal II, followed by Wild One, the line honours winner of the 2000 Indec Consulting Melbourne to Hobart race. On corrected time, PHS (Performance Handicap System) winner was the Tasmanian yacht Kaos (Peter Blake, Melbourne) with the crew obviously recovered from the hard race from Sydney to Hobart and following New Year celebrations. Second place on PHS went to Terra Firma (Peter Bartels, Sydney), third to SAP Ausmaid, skippered by Sydney-based Roger Hickman for her South Australian owner, Kevan Pearce. The Greek entry in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart, Aera, skippered by Nick Lykiardopulo, won PHS Division 2 from two Tasmanian yachts, Why Do I Do It (Wayne Banks-Smith) and Uncensored (Jeff Cordell). PHS Division C saw Melbourne yacht Sea Eagle (Kevin Curtis) claim first place; Hobart's Buggbear (Ron Bugg) second; and third place went to the smallest yacht in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Chris Bowling's 30-foot sloop, Urban Guerrilla (Sydney). IMS results in the Wrest Point King of the Derwent were due to be announced later today. |
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Line Honours Nicorette, Simonis/Noogd 80 (Ludde Ingvall, Royal Swedish Yacht Club, SWE) elapsed time -- 2 days 14 hrs 02 min 09 sec. IMS Overall 1. SAP Ausmaid, Farr 46 (Kevan Pearce, Cruising Yacht
Club of South Australia, SA). IMS Division B 1. AFR Midnight Rambler, Hick 35 (Ed Psaltis and
Bob Thomas, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, NSW) IMS Division C 1. Sunstone, S&S 38 (Tom and Vicky Jackson, Royal
Ocean Racing Club, GBR) IRC Overall Nicorette, Simonis/Noogd 80 (Ludde Ingvall, Royal
Yacht Club of Sweden, SWE). IRC Division B 1. Polaris of Belmont, Cole 43 (John Quinn, Royal
Prince Alfred Yacht Club, NSW). PHS Division 1. Cruz Control, Santa Cruz 52 (Maynard Smith, Royal
Queensland Yacht Squadron, QLD) Special Trophies Tasmanian Government 25 year medallions (men): Roger Jackman (TAS), Peter
Duffield (NSW) Geoff Barter (NSW). Bill Owen Memorial Trophy for navigator of winning yacht (IMS): Sally Gordon (SAP Ausmaid). Alan Payne Memorial Trophy to designer of winning yacht: Bruce Farr (USA/NZL). Jack Rooklyn Memorial Trophy for first yacht out of Sydney Heads: Shockwave (Neville Crichton). For The Record 630 nautical miles, 82 yachts started, 58 finished, 24 retired. Return
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