Sydney to Hobart - Another 40 foot white-wash?

by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World team on 28 Dec 2014 With the Supermaxi battle probably all over in this 70th Rolex Sydney to Hobart race, unless Wild Oats XI drops her rig in the next five hours, she is set to take her eighth line honours victory before noon today, so at last the attention will shift to the real race, the battle for handicap honours.

As happens so often it’s about being in the right place at the right time and Heuey will decide the race.

Back in 2009 it was very much the same when South Australian yacht Two True, a brand new Beneteau First 40, owned by orthopaedic surgeon Andrew Saies, won the race overall on handicap, with another Beneteau First 40 second followed by two Australian built Sydney 38 One Designs.

This year its seems increasingly likely that the building northerly's pushing down the Tasmanian east coast could produce another 40 foot whitewash in 2014 albeit with a more diverse mix of boat.

In the Tattersall's Cup, in the wee hours this morning Tony Levett's Sydney 38 TSA Management has surged into the lead on IRC handicap, with long time handicap leader Roger Hickman's IOR Farr 43, the 1983 winner in second place.

David Redfern’s Beneteau First 40, Not a Diamond is in third place followed by Tony William’s Tasmanian IMX38 Martela, Breakthrough the Jonathan Stone/Mat Vadas Beneteau First 40 and another blast from the past Darren Cooney's IOR Farr 40 sixth. (Go RMYC Toronto)

So if the northerlies gust to 40 knots at Tasman Island on Sunday afternoon nad hold into Monday, as forecast it’s likely that someone from this pack of 40 footers is going to surf to victory.

Time and Heuey and a determined crew will decide who that might be.

But the Fat Lady is still in bed, so there is plenty of time yet.