Team Australia now chasing Wild Oats XI’s record

by Lisa Ratcliff on 21 Feb 2013 <>Sean Langman’s Orma 60 trimaran, Team Australia, has a new target for its passage record attempt from Sydney to Hobart after the World Sailing Speed Council records were updated.

Team Australia now has to beat supermaxi Wild Oats XI’s fastest time of 1 day 18 hours 23 minutes and 12 seconds for the 630 nautical mile course.

The Mark Richards skippered 30m monohull, Wild Oats XI, beat its own previous record in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. This record now appears on the Council website and recognises Wild Oats as both the outright passage record holder and race record holder.

WSSRC member and Australian representative, John Brooks, explained this afternoon, 'Should Team Australia beat Wild Oats’ time, they will be added to the list as the passage record holder and Wild Oats XI will remain on the list of ratified records as the race record holder.'

Brooks is overseeing Team Australia’s passage record challenge.

The previous fastest passage time set by Marie Cha III in 1999 has now slipped out of the annals.

Team Australia still has to average 14.83 knots and, assuming a 10.30am start tomorrow between Sydney Heads, finish off Battery Point just before 5am on Sunday morning, 24 February, to better Wild Oats XI’s time. The giant multihull is capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots.

Based on the current forecast, the 60ft long by 60ft wide trimaran could potentially slice half a day or more off the fastest time.