WSSRC sanctions Team Australia’s new world record

by Lisa Ratcliff on 14 Mar 2013 The World Speed Sailing Record Council this week has sanctioned Team Australia’s passage record from Sydney to Hobart which was set over 22nd and 23rd February 2013.

The ORMA 60 with its six crew members established a time of 1 day 5 hours 52 minutes and 23 seconds for the famous 630 nautical mile Tasman Sea crossing, their average speed 22 knots.

Since delivering the 60-foot trimaran from Hobart back to its base at Noakes at Berrys Bay, Sydney, Team Australia’s racing team has commenced a new sail development program with Doyle Sails NZ.

Owner/skipper Sean Langman, a Rolex Sydney Hobart veteran, has always pushed the limits in terms of minimum crew weight and he’s also in discussion with professional fitness trainer Andrew Verdon regarding crew weight and reaching peak team fitness.

'The past Xena program of a small light and physically fit crew shall be enacted for this coming racing schedule' Langman says.

Xena was Langman’s Open 66 with which he regularly sailed with six crew in the early 2000s, a time when the larger ocean going yachts were carrying big crew numbers for offshore races. These days the ‘less is more’ philosophy is well entrenched at the pointy end of the fleet.

So what’s next for Team Australia?

'Discussions have taken place with Team Tritium from the USA and Team Vodafone Sailing from NZ to race together at both Airlie and Hamilton Island race weeks. There is also talk of lining up against Team Vodafone as an official or unofficial entry for this year’s Sydney Hobart yacht race,' Langman added.

Team Australia has now set up a dedicated Facebook page and posted YouTube video clips of the trimaran’s record run to Hobart.

Official notification from the WSSRC:

Record: Sydney to Hobart
Yacht: 'Team Australia' ORMA 60
Name: Sean Langman AUS
Dates: 21st to the 23rd February 2013.
Start time: 23;58;57 UTC (Coordinated Universal time) on 21/02/13
Finish time: 05;51;20 UTC on 23/02/13
Elapsed time: 1 day 5 hours 52 minutes and 23 seconds
Distance: 630NM
Average speed: 22kts

Comments: Previous record: 'Mari Cha III' Robert Miller GBR, Dec 99. 1d 18h 27m 10s. ('Wild Oats XI' Robert Oatley AUS recorded 1d 18h 23m 12s in 2012 under rule 21c)