Rolex Sydney Hobart Start report - Etihad Stadium retires

by Sail-World.com on 26 Dec 2009
The Rolex Sydney Hobart, the 628 nautical mile blue water ocean classic, began at 1.00pm this afternoon (Boxing Day) on Sydney Harbour.

The overnight drizzle stopped, the day was cool with overcast skies and low cloud and 5-10 knots of breeze ... but nothing dampened the spirit of the crews preparing to race. The excitement built as the countdown continued to the start.

Four or five helicopters buzzed the fleet. Onshore, all the vantage points were claimed by large crowds of spectators. Due to the weather, the on water spectator fleet was slightly smaller than in previous years.

Many of the big boats ran the start line early ran down the Harbour and returned to the start line, ready for the ten minute gun.

As the five minute gun fired, all boats hoisted their sails and the fleet moved into their starting positions.

Wild Oats XI (Bob Oatley) and Alfa Romeo (Neville Crichton) engaged in a start line duel. Alfa Romeo tried to duck Wild Oats XI as the fleet shadowed down towards the start line. ICAP Leopard (Mike Slade) was placed mid line.

The start gun was fired and it was a spectacular spinnaker start to the Rolex Sydney Hobart race. Alfa Romeo appeared to have a momentary kite problem, but recovered quickly.

Ran (Niklas Zennström’s) won the start on the pin end of the line, Etihad Stadium (Grant Wharington) was very conservative, while ICAP Leopard started well. Wild Oats XI, fully powered up, led the early charge to the Heads. Sean Langman and his crew of celebrities on Loyal made up ground and sped up the Harbour; however Etihad Stadium was unable to hoist their spinnaker and slipped back through the fleet.

Wild Oats, Alfa Romeo and ICAP Leopard were neck and neck then Alfa Romeo went to the opposite side of the Harbour to Wild Oats XI and Leopard. Wild Oats XI followed Alfa and gybed. Alfa Romeo was by then, just to the north of Sow and Pigs, and crossed ahead of Ran. She tacked back towards the shore.

Wild Oats and Alfa Romeo were by now on cross tacks, with Wild Oats XI looking like she would win the 'first to the Heads' battle.

Just then Wild Oats XI had a spinnaker problem forcing an early spinnaker drop; they lost ground.

As light rain began to fall, Alfa Romeo led the fleet, doing about 12 knots. Wild Oats followed around the mark, with Leopard third. Ran took the inside run ahead of Loyal (Sean Langman) at the first mark.

Limit (Alan Brierty) rounded ahead of rival Loki (Stephen Ainsworth) and Yendys (Geoff Ross). The 2008 Hobart handicap winner Bob Steel's Quest was well back. She had an incident with Lion New Zealand and chose to do a 720 rather than possibly lose in the protest room.

The lead boats in the fleet were approaching mark Zulu, the last mark before Hobart. The crew was hiking hard on Wild Oats XI, trying to make up time lost during their spinnaker issue.

Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI turned at Sydney Heads and headed to Hobart, while Leopard headed more easterly.

Imagination (Robin Hawthorn) just touched the mark and attempted their penalty turn in heavy traffic.

Alfa Romeo opened a slight lead as the fleet divided on their chosen Hobart routes. Alfa reduced their sail area, as the breeze began to build to 25 knots.

Loyal had problems after losing their spinnaker, which appeared to come out of its track; it was quite a sight flapping in the breeze as their bowman headed up the mast to try and retrieve the situation.

Sadly, Etihad Stadium had a major problem, unable to raise a spinnaker. Its appears they were not happy with the tuning on the rig; the boat a sorry sight sitting in Sydney Harbour behind the fleet.

Grant Wharington never, never gives up and he and his crew are trying to resolve their problem on Etihad Stadium. She headed back towards Rozelle and has not yet retired from the great race. She has a four hour time limit in which to sort the issues.

At 14:05 Etihad Stadium official retired with 'rigging issues'.

Quest (Bob Steel) completed a 720 degree penalty turn following a minor collision with Lion New Zealand (Alistair Moore skipper).

She's the Culprit (Todd Leary) retired after an incident at the first mark. She is protesting.

More soon.