Falling like flies

Maxi rivals suffer in big upwind conditions in Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

The police launch Van Dieman has safely rescued the crew of maxi yacht Skandia after keel problems forced last year's winner out of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. The 98ft maxi retired from the race when the hydraulic ram that controls the canting keel snapped, leaving the lead bulb jammed hard over to starboard. Initially it appeared that Grant Wharington and his crew would be able to limp back to shore, but the skipper decided the safer option would be to deploy two life rafts and wait alongside the stricken yacht.

While the Skandia crisis unfolded, her arch rival for line honours Konica Minolta was also forced out of the race after falling badly off a freak wave. Skipper Stewart Thwaites said: "We barrelled off a ginormous (sic) wave, crashed down the other side of it. I was down below, I heard the boat crash, and it came to a stop. The boys said it was twice as big as any other wave." So severe was the landing that it creased the cabin top, but the most serious damage was to the keel attachment point. Thwaites was worried that if they continued into the adverse southerly swell, the keel would break away from the yacht or that the yacht would even fold in half at the crease point. Retirement to the shelter of the Tasmanian fishing village, Binnalong Bay, was the only option.

These retirements have handed the race lead to Nicorette, Ludde Ingvall's brand new maxi competing in her first race. Launched from a Sydney boatyard just a few weeks ago, this was the yacht that many sailors and media pundits were predicting would fail to last the distance. And it could yet happen, as the fleet crashes and bangs its way to Hobart in southerly headwinds gusting to 40 knots. The race committee of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is receiving more retirements by the hour, with 42 of the 116 boat fleet now having pulled out and another 11 waiting in the haven of Twofold Bay at Eden before deciding whether to continue.

But so far so good for Ingvall's new 90-footer, which seems to be coping with the rough stuff better than most. The skipper was sounding very relaxed when he spoke on satellite phone from Nicorette this morning. He explained his strategy of heading inshore to finding less severe winds in the lee of Tasmania's eastern seaboard. "As soon as we go out it gets rougher, and it gets calmer as you come inshore. We try to keep ourselves in the 35-knot band. But I think it's going to get worse before it gets better. The forecast seems to be for more breeze today. The seaway is not too bad. We're just trying not to break anything."

Ingvall is aware that luck will play a strong part in the outcome. "It's not the way you want to win a yacht race, although we haven't won anything yet. It just takes one bad wave and you're in trouble," he said, adding his sympathies for the stricken yachts. "It's bad luck, I'm sorry for the other guys, but that's the game I guess. I guess it's a bit ironic about being people saying our boat was not being prepared or not being tested enough, but as it is we're quite comfortable, or as comfortable as you can be under the circumstances."

Top 30 position report at 0030GMT

Pos	Boat	Lat	Long	DTF	Spd	Crs
1	Nicorette	41° 43' S	148° 22' E	134.0	9.7	145
2	AAPT	40° 52' S	148° 40' E	185.9	9.2	165
3	Brindabella	40° 47' S	148° 35' E	190.4	9.2	160
4	Seriously TEN	40° 49' S	149° 07' E	194.6
5	Ichi Ban	40° 31' S	149° 57' E	225.7	8.6	145
6	Nokia	40° 09' S	148° 34' E	227.6	7.0	120
7	Yendys	40° 22' S	149° 46' E	230.1	8.1	195
8	Maserati	40° 06' S	148° 59' E	233.8
9	Aera	40° 43' S	150° 46' E	236.0	8.1	170
10	DHL - Getaway Sailing	40° 26' S	150° 42' E	248.3	8.1	250
11	Aspen 1	40° 18' S	150° 41' E	254.5	5.9	160
12	Dekadence	39° 52' S	149° 39' E	255.7
13	Hardys Secret Mens	39° 42' S	149° 14' E	260.3	7.0	260
14	Austmark	39° 45' S	150° 47' E	284.7	7.0	150
15	Prowler	39° 20' S	149° 36' E	285.5	5.9	170
16	Loki	39° 49' S	151° 10' E	290.6	6.5	140
17	Eureka II	39° 33' S	150° 39' E	292.0	7.6	285
18	Pale Ale Rager	39° 18' S	150° 03' E	294.7	6.5	290
19	Team Lexus	39° 21' S	150° 20' E	296.8	5.4	155
20	Chutzpah	39° 09' S	150° 02' E	302.4	4.3	135
21	First National	39° 19' S	150° 39' E	305.0	5.9	155
22	Interum	39° 01' S	149° 48' E	306.5	7.6	160
23	Vineta	39° 22' S	150° 54' E	307.5	3.8	325
24	Nips-N-Tux	39° 14' S	150° 35' E	307.6	7.6	165
25	Strewth	38° 56' S	149° 51' E	312.5	5.9	175
26	Extasea	38° 57' S	150° 04' E	314.3	7.0	260
27	Another Challenge	38° 44' S	149° 21' E	317.9	6.5	260
28	Love & War	38° 52' S	150° 19' E	323.4	5.9	160
29	Beyond Outrageous	38° 46' S	150° 09' E	326.1	5.4	180
30	Bacardi	38° 44' S	150° 04' E	326.8	5.4	185

Below: angry looking wind radar image showing the heinous upwind conditions. Hugging the east coast of Tasmanian is keeping the front runners out of the worst of the weather, but they can expect to feel the full brunt of the wind and waves (not to mention being on a leeshore) as they round Tasman Island (south east of Hobart)