Rolex Sydney Hobart- Race Start Images by Crosbie Lorimer

by Crosbie Lorimer on 26 Dec 2014 One of the largest fleets in many years started the 70th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race today in a building southerly and in bright sunshine.

There seemed to be some mind games going on amongst the super maxis during the pre race dry runs as each in turn put in a single reef in the 30 minutes before the start. Possibly there was some tossing of the coin as to whether it was faster to throw in a reef before the start rather than lose pace putting one in on the fetch from the harbour mark to the seaward mark.

Whatever the thinking, with ten minutes to go Wild Oats XI, Comanche and Loyal were sailing with full mainsails whilst Rio and Ragamuffin 100 kept their reefs in.

As the gun went Comanche unfurled her kite and engaged the afterburners, leaving the rest of the 100s in her wake on the dash to the inner harbour mark.

It was a mighty impressive sight to watch Comanche smoke her way down the harbour. Even Mark Richards, skipper of Wild Oats XI, was to be heard on the onboard sound of Seven's TV coverage expressing his amazement at their rival's speed!

In next to no time the rest of the fleet had cleared the harbour, with the elegant Maluka of Kermandie bringing up the rear in style.

Crosbie Lorimer was on the water to capture the action. These are some of his images.