Sydney Hobart - Hopes fade for Chutzpah

by Rob Kothe on 29 Dec 2007 Bruce Taylor’s Reichel Pugh 40 Chutzpah last night looked like a Hobart winner if only she had breeze as she rounded Tasman Island, across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River, in the early morning.

If that was to happen it needed some extra luck – the early arrival of today's predicted southerly front. No such luck for the 26 Sydney to Hobart veteran.

Chutzpah, after a booming run across Bass Strait and down the Tasmania coast rounded Tasman Island an hour ago in a 12 knot breeze, which has begun to drop.

She is now three nautical miles south east of the towering columns of Cape Raoul, just 34 nautical miles from the Hobart finish line. She has to finish by 8:26am to beat Roger Sturgeon’s STP Rosebud on overall handicap and that is just not going to happen.

Taylor already has seven divisional wins and numerous thirds and seconds in this race to his credit and he will win Division C, but not the Tattersall’s Cup. Right now Rosebud is the boat to beat with Syd Fischer’s TP52 Ragamuffin second and Chutzpah looking like she will be third.

IRC Overall

1

Rosebud

B

Finished

02:06:02:02

11.6

1.509

03:09:32:14

7.7

Roger Sturgeon USA

28 Dec, 7:02pm

2

Ragamuffin

B

Finished

02:14:19:41

10.1

1.33

03:10:53:47

7.6

Syd Fischer (37) NSW

29 Dec, 3:19am

3

Chutzpah

C

43° 17' S

147° 51' E

34.5

6.5

236

02:20:47:16

9.1

1.209

03:11:09:52

7.6

Bruce Taylor (26) VIC

3nm SE of Cape Raoul

29 Dec, 9:47am

Time to Win

02:19:26:29   29 Dec, 8:26am

4

Quantum Racing

A

Finished

02:14:12:47

10.1

1.342

03:11:29:24

7.5

Ray Roberts (16) NSW

29 Dec, 3:12am

5

Zephyr

E

40° 51' S

149° 06' E

191.7

7.6

196

03:15:28:20

7.2

0.959

03:11:53:09

7.5

James Connell (1) NSW

35nm E of Eddystone Pt

30 Dec, 4:28am

Time to Win

03:13:01:22   30 Dec, 2:01am

6

Ichi Ban

A

Finished

02:05:01:21

11.8

1.601

03:12:53:20

7.4

Matt Allen (18) NSW

28 Dec, 6:01pm

7

City Index Leopard

A

Finished

01:21:51:55

13.7

1.855

03:13:04:48

7.4

Mike Slade (2) UK

28 Dec, 10:51am

8

Yendys

B

Finished

02:14:12:49

10.1

1.377

03:13:40:05

7.3

Geoff Ross ( 12) NSW

29 Dec, 3:12am

9

Wedgetail

C

42° 44' S

148° 26' E

76.7

14.6

172

02:23:21:46

8.8

1.202

03:13:46:41

7.3

Bill Wild (3) QLD

13nm E of Maria Island

29 Dec, 12:21pm

Time to Win

02:19:50:03   29 Dec, 8:50am

10

Wild Oats XI

A

Finished

01:21:24:32

13.8

1.903

03:14:24:47

7.3

Mark Richards (3) NSW

28 Dec, 10:24am

11

Morna

E

40° 30' S

149° 06' E

212.2

7.6

184

03:19:13:33

6.9

0.953

03:14:56:18

7.2

Greg Zyner NSW

45nm NE of Eddystone Pt

30 Dec, 8:13am

Time to Win

03:13:33:29   30 Dec, 2:33am

12

Wot Yot

B

42° 53' S

147° 20' E

0.2

0.0

192

02:17:11:27

9.6

1.34

03:15:21:21

7.2

Graeme Wood (2) NSW

0nm N of Rolex Sydney Hobart Finish

29 Dec, 6:11am

13

AFR Midnight Rambler

D

42° 09' S

148° 43' E

113.3

5.9

200

03:03:02:50

8.4

1.167

03:15:34:48

7.2

Ed Psaltis (26) NSW

20nm NE of Cape Sonnerat

29 Dec, 4:02pm

Time to Win

02:21:52:07   29 Dec, 10:52am

14

Spirit of Koomooloo

E

41° 02' S

149° 12' E

183.0

8.6

196

03:13:33:02

7.3

1.024

03:15:36:14

7.2

Mike Freebairn (4) QLD

39nm E of Eddystone Pt

30 Dec, 2:33am

Time to Win

03:07:37:33   29 Dec, 8:37pm