Rolex Sydney Hobart Wild Oats XI takes number eight
by Rob Kothe and the Sail-World Team on 28 Dec 2014
Wild Oats XI in the Derwent River 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart Crosbie Lorimer
http://www.crosbielorimer.com
Wild Oats XI approaced the finishing line under clear skies on the Derwent river, from John Garrow Shoal, she gybed to the finish line and massive crowds off Battery Point,
Wild Oats XI finished at 303pm, with her big A2 flying. Her elapsed time was two days two hours three minutes and twenty six seconds 02:02:03:26 That was some eight hours outside the race record she set in 2012 of 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds.
Wild Oats XI has outdone the efforts of Morna/Kurrewa IV, the holder of seven line honours titles during the 1950’s and her last in 1960.
After a reaching start in which Comanche left the rest of the fleet in its wake, Mark Richards and his crew persevered to the end, Comanche chasing her and narrowing the gap to 10 nautical miles at Tasman Island, as Ken Read and the crew on the American yacht owned by Jim Clark and Kristy Hinze Clark did all they could to overtake the Mark Richards skippered Wild Oats XI.
Richards was all smiles as CYCA commodore John Cameron handed him the champagne and presented him with the J.H. Illingworth trophy. All thoughts of the start when he remarked “look at that thing go,” were forgotten.
“The boys did a wonderful job in overcoming Comanche which led for the first night. I can’t believe I’m standing here today,” Richards said.
“To win a Hobart is a great honour, but to win line honours for an eighth time – I’m so proud.”
Bob Oatley was effusive dockside as his yacht was brought to the dock by the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania escort vessel: “It’s a miracle – and we will be back next year, yes, we’ll definitely be back next year, a clearly emotional Oatley said. “She is the best boat in the world; she’s proved that.”
And Ken Read and his crew on the new ‘aircraft carrier’, dubbed so because two of Wild Oats’ narrow stern could fit inside that of Comanche’s, found the same problem, unable to recover the ground it had lost in Bass Strait.
Dignified in defeat, Comanche’s owner, Jim Clark, said: “Wild Oats and Mark Richards ran one hell of a race and it’s a really excellent boat. Disappointed we got stuck in that high pressure system, but they managed to sneak through it. And you’ve got to give them credit, that’s the nature of that boat, they’ve got the balance.
Will he bring Comanche back to the race? “We’ll see if we’re back next year, not sure. We have a lot of big plans and I just don’t know whether we’ll make it back or not, we’ll have talk to the crew and see what they think.”
On board Wild Oats XI, Steve Jarvin, who works the main traveller on the yacht, high fived mark Richard as the boat took the gun, celebrating for him a record 13th line honours victory. They include the two treble wins scored by Bob Oatley’s yacht in 2005 and 2014 respectively. He was perhaps also reflecting on his son Seve, racing in competition to him aboard Perpetual Loyal, not making the finish line.
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