New leader Wild Oats in Hobart race

by Rob Kothe on 27 Dec 2005 Bob Oatley’s Reichel Pugh 98 footer Wild Oats has sailed into a narrow lead this morning, as the 61st Rolex Sydney to Hobart fleet has split seeking winds, in the light conditions.

Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo, another 98 footer from the same designer, is now 33 miles east of Green Cape and now 0.5 mile behind, at least on paper, with Oats XI, 12 miles closer to the coast. Another major tactical play has come from Grant Wharington’s Skandia, now 54 miles offshore. The 2003 Hobart line honours winner, re-built after she broke and capsized in last year's race, is following navigator Will Oxley's plan to take advantage of greater current and breeze wider on the course, particularly in the next 12 hours.

Grant Wharington reported just after sunrise, that the blue hulled Skandia was coming back in. 'We have better pressure than we expected overnight; we are defintely slower than the other guys (Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats) in the light, so we are pleased with our situation. We are waiting fro the breeze to stregnthen, then we should make some gains.'

Certainly the separation between the three boats is likely to be decisive over this period. The angles to Tasman Light and the amount of current under each boat will certainly be greater than their on water hull speed differences.

The soft conditions overnight have caused all three lead boats to fall well behind the record pace set by the Volvo 60 Nokia, in the heavier running conditions of 1999.

However the northerly winds are expected to steadily increase in strength today and if they reach the forecast 25-35 knots, then in less than 24 hours, the leading group will all be dockside in Hobart.

Roger 'Clouds' Badham, a leading yachting meterologist, suggested that the winds might not come in as early as forecast, leaving the fleet behind the record.

A revised forecast this morning indicates a 10 to 15 knot north-easter for this afternoon, freshening to 20 to 30 knots overnight, and if the breeze does pick up early it could be that the record hangs in the balance right up to the 9:28:02 time expiry.

The second Kiwi boat in the 2005 race, Stewart Thwaite’s Bakewell–White 98 footer Konica Minolta, is ten miles behind Skandia, though closer to the coast. Behind her, Sean Langman’s AAPT is another eight miles back, 34 miles south east of Montague Island. Langman's crew had some untidiness yesterday, when their giant Code Zero sail went in the water close to Maroubra Beach.

On IRC handicap, its still a big boat race with Wild Oats leading from Alfa Romeo, in third place is Graeme Wood’s Wot’s Next. The Sydney 47CR has one of the most experienced race crews, with 140 Hobart’s between them. Fourth on handicap is Geoff Boettcher's Reichel Pugh 46 Hardy’s Secret Mens Business with Anthony Nicholas’ Quest, fifth.

As winds build during the day, its likely that the IRC handicap race will favour the 40-50 footers and the Tattersall’s Cup winner could easily come from this size band.

On Performance handicap Geoff Smith’s Radford 50 SeaQuest, a downwind flier designed for round the world running, is now 26 miles east of Batemans Bay and leads from David Pescud’s Lyons 54 Kaz, with John Cameron’s Fincorp More Witchcraft. In fourth place is David Ferrall’s Japanese entry Pekljus, another Radford 50.

In the eight boat Sydney 38 One design fleet, Hobart veteran Lou Abraham’s Challenge is leading the fleet towards Bass Strait. Abeam of Bateman’s Bay and 24 miles seawards, she is two miles ahead of Frank Sticovich’s Team Lexus. In third place, close behind, is Star-Dean Willcocks.

The benign conditions during the race todate has meant there have been no retirements. Dirk Weigmann's Beale 46 Conergy, is headerd north to effect repairs on a leaking stern gland, but the German entry has not offically retired from the race.

The next Radio sked is at 0700 this morning.