Official – Wild Oats XI takes triple
by Event Media/Peter Campbell on 29 Dec 2005
Wild Oats crew and mainsail cross the finish to take the Trifecta of Line, Overall and the Race Record, in the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Crosbie Lorimer
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The Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Geoff Lavis, this evening announced that there is now no boat at sea that can beat Wild Oats XI as Overall Winner of the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
This makes Wild Oats XI the provisional Overall Winner, subject to protest. Race officials are unaware of any pending protests by any of the yachts still racing.
Commodore Lavis said it had been an interesting battle during the day for the title.
‘The oldest boat in this year’s fleet, Ray White Koomooloo, which was Overall Winner in 1968, has been the closest competitor to threaten Wild Oats XI all day,’ said Mr Lavis.’It reinforces the strength of the handicap system. Any well-sailed, well-founded boat has a realistic chance of winning this race.’
The Overall Win gives Wild Oats XI the treble – Line Honours, Overall Winner and a new Race Record. This will be the first time since Rani in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Race in 1945 took line honours, set a benchmark elapsed time and won on handicap.
Rani, a wooden 36-footer with canvas sails, sailed the 628 nautical mile course in 6 days 14 hours and 22 minutes. Her time was beaten the following year by the famous cutter Morna and the record has since been bettered nine times.
Wild Oats XI, a state-of-art 98-footer built of carbon fibre with carbon rig and working sails, sailed the course in 1 day 18 hours 40 minutes and 10 seconds to slice more than one hour from Nokia's sensational time in the 1999 race.
The Overall IRC placings and IRC divisional placings, if confirmed, are expected to be announced tomorrow morning in the traditional Constitution Dock ceremony.
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