Rolex Sydney to Hobart- New Zealand's Volvo 70 leads on rating
by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team on 27 Dec 2013
Giacomo - Start 2013, Rolex Sydney Hobart Race © Andrea Francolini / Rolex
http://www.afrancolini.com
Sixteen hours, at 5.00am local time, in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, Perpetual Loyal leads the now 92 boat fleet. She is 176 nautical miles south of the Sydney start with 452 nautical miles to go. She is abeam Tathra on the New South Wales South coast and is the most easterly boat in the fleet. She is heading due south at 12 knots.
Pre-race favourite, the Mark Richards skippered, six time Hobart line honours winner Wild Oat XIs, is ten miles back with much to do in this 69th race.
The two Volvo 70's in the race are sailing much better than expected with New Zealands Giacoma (Jim Delegat), being 13 nautical miles off the lead, sailing well above expections depite being only two thirds the length of the supermaxis, and of who are staring at her transom.
A second Volvo 70, Black Jack, the former Telefonica, owned by Peter Harburg is lying fourth, some 18 nautical miles behind the leader. Syd Fischer’s Ragamuffin 100 is three nautical miles astern of her, then comes Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing in seventh place abeam of Hong Kong's Karl Kwok’s 80 footer Beau Geste.
On IRC handicap Jim Delegat’s Giacoma (NZL) who is currently 49 nautical miles south east of Montague Island is still leading, but in this big boat race Perpetual Loyal is now second, an hour and 15 minutes off the pace in corrected time.
Third place overall is Clipper Ventures United Kingdom, 38 miles south east of Jervis Bay. Fourth is Daryl Hodgkinson’s Victoire. Fifth is Peter Harburg’s Black Jack. Sixth is Old Pulteney, another Clipper 70.
On ORCi Victoire leads from Billl Wild’s Wedgetail with Michael Martin’s Frantic in third place.
On PHS David Pescud’s Facebook Sailors with DisAbilities leads decisively projected to win by more than a day on corrected time of Paul Mara’s Hesell III and Michael Crew’s Magic Miles.
In the Clipper fleet Old Pulteney currently 55 nautical miles of Jervis Bay is well ahead of Team Garmin and Henri Lloyd.
In the Sydney 38 fleet Gordon Ketelbey’s Zen now leads Ray Sweeney’s Mondo with Stephan Howard’s Mille Saboirds.
Full race standings can be viewed by clicking here
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