Won in a Canter
by Rob Kothe on 28 Dec 2005
Bob Oatley’s third canting keeler, Wild Oats XI, has won the 2005 Rolex Sydney to Hobart in record time this morning. A victory for a magnificent bunch of sailors lead by skipper Mark Richards, but a victory too for the 76 year old owner who backed the technology that has revolutionised offshore racing.
In 2002, Bob Oatley’s revolutionary Reichel-Pugh designed 60 footer Wild Oats IX, won the Big Boat series at Hamilton Island Hahn Premium Race Week.
Oatley had been the first owner to incorporate the canting ballast twin foil concept into a grand prix race boat. At the time he forecast that the new concept would revolutionise yachting.
‘People have likened this to the development of Ben Lexen's winged keel on Australia. We think that was for a purpose built boat, but this canting keel design is a much, much bigger step. It's an incredible breakthrough. When you trot on a horse for most people it’s pretty uncomfortable, but when you break into a canter it’s another world and that what this is like, you just lope along. We've refined it. A great thing for sailing.'
This morning Oatley has been proven right as his Wild Oats XI, launched only in December, has broken the race record in the 61st Rolex Sydney to Hobart race and now with fading conditions behind her, she might yet take the historic treble; race record, line honours and the handicap win.
Behind her are two more canting keelers, Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo and Grant Wharington’s Skandia. On handicap, yet two more canting keelers, the Cookson 50's Living Doll and Chieftain, are leading on IRC handicap.
Had Wild Oats XI had the benefit of the weather experienced by Nokia when she set the record in 1999, she would have been dockside in less than 38 hours.
The 628 nautical mile Sydney to Hobart race has been won in a 'canter', but now it’s a Sprint.
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