Bumbleebee 5's prospects strengthen as winds ease

by Peter Campbell on 30 Dec 2001 The chances of Zeus II, one of the smallest competitors in this year’s Sydney Hobart Race and a race winner in 1981, beating Bumblebee 5 for Overall IMS handicap honours in the 57th annual ocean classic are diminishing as winds lighten in southern Tasmanian waters this afternoon.

Zeus II, a Currawong 30 designed by Peter Joubert and built in 1979, is still racing down the Tasmanian East Coast in northerly winds, but at 1pm today she was still more than 100 nautical miles from the finish.

In contrast to 40 knot westerly winds overnight, yachts today have taken up to seven hours to sail the final 40 nautical miles from Tasman Island to the mouth of Derwent where they were greeted only by a gentle sea breeze

Race officials conceded that Bumblebee 5, an MBD 62, skippered by her designer, America’s Cup designer and skipper Iain Murray, looks strongly favoured to maintain her status at the top of the IMS projected corrected
times and win the grand prix handicap trophy, the historic Tattersalll’s Cup.

Murray is quietly confident that the IMS handicap honours will be determined in Bumblebee 5’s favour. “It’s a waiting game…we are confident of victory as Zeus II is a long way back and it has been taking the yachts today a long time to get around Tasman Island,” Murray said aboard Bumblebee 5 at King’s Pier this morning.

At 5pm, 30 boats had finished the race and 26 were still racing, with 18 retirements, the latest being the South Australia entry Liberator with a broken rudder.

The Royal Volunteer Coastal Patrol, Sea Guardian, was expected to rendezvous with Liberator, skippered by Geoff Catt, about 5pm and begin the eight tow to St Helens.

NOTE: The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania will formally announce the Overall winner and Division handicap winners and placings at Constitution Dock at 11am tomorrow, 31 December.