Please select your home edition
Edition
V-DRY-X

Solas Big Boat Challenge- Will Wild Oats XI score eighth line honours

by Rob Mundle on 8 Dec 2014
One her way to victory: Wild Oats XI closes on the finish line – and her seventh win – in the 2013 SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour. Andrea Francolini http://www.afrancolini.com/
Solas Big Boat Challenge 2014 - In what promises to be one of the greatest displays of high-speed supermaxi sailing seen on Sydney Harbour, Bob Oatley’s record breaking yacht, Wild Oats XI, will be racing to win her eighth SOLAS Big Boat challenge tomorrow.

The race is billed as a scene-setter for the Rolex Sydney Hobart race, which starts on Boxing Day. But, while everyone accepts that the outcome will not be a true indication on form for the classic, there will be some benefit associated with being first across the line.


'I guess there are bragging rights attached to being first home in the Big Boat Challenge,' said Wild Oats XI’s skipper, Mark ‘Ricko’ Richards, 'but in reality it has no bearing on the charge for line honours in the Hobart race. Tomorrow’s race is a 14 nautical mile smooth water sprint. The Hobart race is a 628 nautical mile marathon across waters that at times can be little short of heinous.

'Regardless, we will be going all-out to win tomorrow. It promises to be a day of high excitement for the sailors and the spectators.'

Richards and the Wild Oats XI crew will also be working hard to win the race for 86-year-old Bob Oatley AO, who will be in the cockpit alongside Richards. It is likely the veteran sailor will take the helm of his yacht during the event.

The Big Boat Challenge promises a spectacular showdown between three of the five largest contenders for line honours in the Hobart race. To be first home on the harbour Wild Oats XI will have to beat arch rival Perpetual Loyal (Anthony Bell), and the brand new American yacht, Comanche, owned by Jim Clark, and his Australian-born wife, Kristy Hinze.

It will be the first-ever race for the radical Comanche, which, at 30-metres overall, is the same length as Wild Oats XI and Perpetual Loyal.

A 10 to 15 knot south easterly wind is forecast for when the race starts off Nielsen Park at 12.30pm. The finish line will be off the Opera Event website

V-DRY-XSwitch One DesignPantaenius Sail 2025 AUS Footer

Related Articles

PredictWind launches PredictRain
New app From PredictWind delivers hyper-accurate, short-term rain predictions PredictRain is a groundbreaking standalone app that combines advanced AI modelling with intuitive tools to provide timely and precise rain forecasts for all types of outdoor activities.
Posted today at 4:51 am
49er & 49erFX Junior Worlds champions crowned
One final race before the storm kicked in at Øresund The final day of the 2025 Junior World Championship delivered high drama and even higher waves. As wind and rain swept across the Øresund, Race Committees managed to run one final race before safety concerns forced an early end to the competition.
Posted today at 4:43 am
Admiral's Cup: Emotional, Rare, Unforgettable
The 2025 Admirals' Cup set the stage for a bold new era in offshore racing Once the pinnacle of international offshore sailing, the return of the Admiral's Cup was a resounding success, setting the stage for a bold new era in offshire racing.
Posted on 4 Aug
29er World Championship at Porto Day 2
The breeze never quite showed up but the action didn't stop Day two of the Porto World Championships began with hope—and strategy. With light winds in the forecast, the race committee scheduled an early start in anticipation of a short sea breeze window.
Posted on 4 Aug
RS Aero World & Youth Worlds overall
The fine Brittany weather and afternoon sea breezes have provided excellent racing The stage was set for a dramatic final day showdown in Quiberon Bay, France, to decide the titles for the 7th RS Aero Worlds and 4th Youth Worlds.
Posted on 4 Aug
RS Feva Worlds at Aix-les-Bains, France Overall
Crowning of our 2025 World Champions As our World Championships drew to a thrilling close on Friday afternoon, the atmosphere was electric with anticipation! Sailors and families were buzzing with excitement as they prepared for their journey home.
Posted on 4 Aug
Just another event?
Is Cowes Week still a pinnacle regatta? We've been blessed with incredible sailing so far this summer in the UK (for once) with great breeze much of the time, and some of the best events in the world gracing our shores. But, like with Storm Floris, there are clouds on the horizon...
Posted on 4 Aug
Cadet World Championship day 0
Just how long is a piece of string? So here we are, day one of the Cadet Worlds proper. The British Worlds Team have all arrived safely on site after their marathon journeys and tales of Cadets visiting the Arc de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower.
Posted on 4 Aug
Tenerife Windsurf Grand Slam Day 3
Pierre Mortefon draws first blood after the wind fills in late After a couple of days of waiting for the wind, Day 3 eventually provided the goods to end the wait for some official competition as the Slalom X got under way during the early evening in 15-18 knots of wind.
Posted on 4 Aug
Festival of Sails 2026 expands to 5 days of racing
Australia's largest celebration of sailing just got even bigger Australia's largest celebration of sailing just got even bigger, with the Festival of Sails expanding to five action-packed days of racing.
Posted on 4 Aug