Rolex Sydney Hobart - Loki or Wild Rose?

by Di Pearson on 29 Dec 2011 Loki and Wild Rose are the two yachts names that throughout the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race have kept appearing at the top of the overall standings.

It looks likely the two will replicate the thrilling line honours battle between Investec Loyal and Wild Oats XI, as they battle to win the Tattersall’s Cup.

Stephen Ainsworth and his Loki crew have proved themselves the offshore racers to beat over the two last seasons in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s major ocean races, breaking records along the way. The Reichel/Pugh 63 is a good boat sailed by an exceptional crew.

Wild Rose is a small 26 year-old Farr 43 that Roger Hickman and two partners won the Rolex Sydney Hobart with in 1993. This season has been a good one for ‘Hicko’, Tasmanian by birth, who lives in Sydney. The noted ocean racer won the Audi Sydney Offshore Newcastle and Gosford Lord Howe Island Yacht races this year.

Loki’s race finished in the early hours of this morning in the corrected time of 3 days 22hr 34min 32sec. Wild Rose has to finish the race by 8.12am tomorrow morning (Friday) to beat Loki.

Both are members of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, which hosts the Rolex Sydney Hobart and as each hour ticks away, Wild Rose will find it harder to overcome Loki’s time.

Ainsworth was having a late lunch at the quaint yachties haunt, the Shipwrights Arms at Battery Point this afternoon. The recently crowned Ocean Racer was getting increasingly nervous as the time ticked by. Lunch and a few drinks combined with tiredness 'has eased the pain,' he said, laughing nervously. 'I quizzed my navigator (Ocean Racing Navigator of the Year, Michael Bellingham) just after 4.00pm and he said the wind was softening. It’s going to be a late night, I think…'

There are three others that have a slight opportunity of beating Ainsworth’s boat, but they will have to have the right conditions. All three are Beneteau designs, and the 20-24 knot southerly that hit the fleet again at 2.00am this morning, suited them down to the ground.

Two True, a Beneteau 40 that won the 2009 race overall for South Australian owner Andrew Saies is still in the running. And two Beneteau 45’s from NSW, Balance (Paul Clitheroe) and Victoire (Darryl Hodgkinson) could also make it in time, but they will need plenty of breeze to bring them home.

The trio needs to finish by 5.29am, 2.02am and 2.06am respectively if any are to win the 628 nautical mile race. And although all three have less than 88 nautical miles to make the finish, they are about to sail into lighter winds which could well kill their chances.

Jennifer Wells reported from Wild Rose this afternoon: 'We’ve been up with the leaders (overall) most of the time. At approximately 2.30pm we were 75 nautical miles from Tasman Island in light and flukey winds. 'It’s been fabulous sailing down the east coast of Tasmania, but we’re hoping we’ll get better breeze. We’re ecstatic to be able to do so well in such an old boat (it’s 26) that won the race 1993,' she said. 'The crew are very excited to sail on what was the original Wild Oats.'

'It was wet and rough the first night, especially off Pambula. It was quite easy coming across Bass Strait – easier than sailing down the south coast!' By very early tomorrow morning the outcome will be known.

Rolex Sydney Hobart www.rplexsydneyhobart.com!website