Sports Tab has Shockwave at short odds

by Peter Campbell on 22 Dec 2000 Sports Tab, the New South Wales betting agency, has listed the maxi yacht Shockwave as one of the shortest priced favourites in years to take Line Honours in the 2000 Telstra Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

In betting odds released yesterday, the projected dividend for a $1.00 bet on Shockwave, the 80-footer owned by Neville Crichton, the international yachtsman and former production racing car driver, is only $1.30.

Nicorette, the Swedish 80-footer skippered by Ludde Ingvall, is listed as paying $4.00 while the Grant Wharington's extended Wild Thing from Melbourne, now an 83-footer, is $9.00, the same as Australia's best known maxi yacht, George Snow's Brindabella.

Xena, Sean Langman's spectacular Open 60, appears a good bet with a dividend of $21.00 for Line Honours.

Nokia, the Volvo 60 from Denmark which last year shattered the race record, is listed as paying $26.00, but then the weather conditions in 1999 were the best in 25 years for the fastest race in the history of the 630 nautical mile ocean classic.

Her four sisterships, former Whitbread round the world racing yachts now being used as training boats for the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race (which replaces the Whitbread) are at even better odds.

Assa Abloy, illbruck and Team News Corporation are all listed as paying a dividend of $51.00 while Tyco is $67.00

Sports Tab is also running a Line Honours betting list without Shockwave. In this Nicorette heads the list, paying $2.20 for a $1.00 outlay, Wild Thing and Brindabella $4.75, while Xena is paying $11.00 and Nokia $14.00.

Punters can also bet on a Quinella (first and second to finish) across the line and on the elapsed time of the Line Honours winner. Quinella odds start with Shockwave/Nicorette paying $2.35 with a successful Shockwave/Tyco combination is paying $42.00.

A successful Wild Thing/Brindabella Quinella is currently paying $54.00 while Wild Thing/Xena is offering $128.00.

The race starts on Boxing Day, December 26, with a line-up of 82 boats, including the largest number of big boats since the 50th race in 1994.