The race to Hobart is on again

Over 90 boats have entered for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race so far

More than 90 yachts representing four countries and seven Australian states and territories will line up in Sydney Harbour at 1:20pm on 26 December to contest the 61st Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

This year’s 628 nautical mile journey south could be the fastest ever, with four maxis entered and previous restrictions on speed lifted. The maximum overall length for competing boats will remain at 30 metres. However, there are no restrictions on the degree to which canting keels* can swing to each side, the height of rigging or the size of sails.

Applications for entry will be accepted until 5:00pm Wednesday 9 November, allowing for as many yachts as possible to join a fleet whose size has already exceeded the expectations of organisers.

“To have such a big fleet the year after the 60th Anniversary and a tough race is very pleasing and we understand there are a few boats who are still to enter,” said CYCA Commodore Geoff Lavis.

“The enthusiasm for the race never wanes and it continues to attract yachts of all sizes and styles, as well as sailors from around the country and around the world.

“To date we have entries from the UK, Germany, Sweden, Ireland, four entries from New Zealand plus representation from New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia and the ACT.”

If the weather plays its part, the big boats could sight the Hobart finish line in record time. The line honours time to beat is 1 day, 19 hours, 48 minutes, 02 seconds set by Nokia in 1999.

The two brand new maxis, Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeo and Bob Oatley’s soon to be launched Wild Oats XI will join three former contenders returning to the fray. AAPT, which crossed the Hobart finish line second last year; Konica Minolta, which elected to pull out last year following some structural damage; and Skandia, which was also forced to retire last year after a keel system failure have entered again.

However, it is often the smaller boats who take the true victory of the race – Overall Winner. With so many different yachts competing in the race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia uses the International Rule Club (IRC) time correction system, with boats competing in different divisions according to their size and, or potential speed.

There are many yachts in this year’s fleet with the potential to claim the Tattersalls Trophy for Overall Winner. Among them are Yendys, Chieftain representing Ireland, Dekadence from Victoria, Loki which finished third overall in the IRC Division at Hamilton Island and Quest which has a previous first and second overall in this race.

International entrants to watch include the UK’s Open 60 Hugo Boss, skippered by Alex Thompson, a major new talent in international yachting. Thompson first made news in the 1998-99 Clipper Race when, at the age of 24, he became the youngest skipper ever to win a round the world race. Two years later, he took line honours in the Round Britain and Ireland Race. Following a second place in the 2002 Transat Jacques Varbre, Alex came in a close third in the 2003 Defi Atlantique, establishing yet another record in the process. This time was a new world speed record for solo monohulls, covering 468 miles in a 24 hour period at an average boat speed of 19.5 knots. For this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Alex will be joined by local Australian and fellow Vendee Globe 2004-5 competitor Nick Maloney, Olympic silver medallist Simon Hiscocks, Hobart-born Team New Zealand sailmaker Dick Parker and renowned navigator and meteorologist Chris Tibbs.

The appeal of the race continues for many in the fleet who return year after year. Among those with a continuing passion for the race are Lou Abrahams (Challenge) who will sail his 43rd Sydney Hobart and Tony Cable who will chalk up his 42nd trip on Philip’s Foote Witchdoctor, which is undertaking its 25th Sydney Hobart to equal Mark Twain’s record.

The classic yacht Berrimilla, only 10.1 metres long, has entered every race since the 50th anniversary in 1994 and will be back this year to complete a full year’s sailing adventure. After finishing sixth in their division last year, Alex Whitworth and Peter Crozier left Hobart and sailed via the Falkland Islands to the UK where they took part in the 2005 Rolex Fastnet Race. They finished eighth in IRC Class 3 and were awarded the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s Seamanship Trophy for an outstanding act of seamanship. They are currently making their way home and will have just a few weeks to prepare the boat before they line up for Berrimilla’s 15th Rolex Sydney Hobart.

John Walker, skipper of Impeccable will be celebrating his 22nd Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and at the youthful age of 83 again looks to be the most senior competitor in the fleet. At 23 years of age, the skipper of New Zealand’s Nevenka is the youngest skipper this year.

More than a million people are again expected to watch the race start on and around Sydney Harbour or via television. The start will be broadcast live by the Seven Network, including a preview from 1:00pm before the race begins at 1:20pm.

“The race is an Australian tradition which has become world-renowned and attracts the interest of people worldwide who check its progress on television or via the official website’s Yacht-Tracker, which experienced 1.8 million unique visitors in 2004,” said CYCA Commodore Geoff Lavis.

The Rolex Trophy - One Design Series (10-12 December) and the Rolex Trophy- Rating Series (15-18 December) will again be the lead-up events to the 61st Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

For more information about the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, visit www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

Entry List:

	Yacht Name	Sail Number		Type
1	AAPT 2*	AUS11111	NSW
2	AAPT*	A99	NSW	Open 66
3	ABN AMRO*	NOR2	NSW	Volvo Ocean 60
4	Addiction*	S16	VIC	Inglis 37
5	AFR Midnight Rambler*	8338	NSW	Farr 40
6	Alfa Romeo*	NZL80	New Zealand	Maxi
7	Apollonius*	TYC250	TAS	Robinson 41
8	Aurora*	4057	NSW	Farr 40 - One Off
9	Balance*	F308	WA	Lidgard 35
10	Berrimilla*	371	NSW	Brolga 33
11	Beyond Outrageous*	AUS S 37	VIC	Inglis 39
12	Brindabella*	C1	NSW	Jutson 79
13	Cadenza*	8301	NSW	Farr 50
14	Challenge*	SM2	VIC	Sydney 38
15	Chancellor*	7407	NSW	Beneteau First 40.7
16	Chieftain*	IRL5005	Ireland	Cookson 50
17	Chikara*	G990	VIC	Dibley 33
18	Chutzpah*	R33	VIC	Sydney 38
19	Cougar*	SM 447	VIC	Beneteau 44.7
20	Dekadence*	SM46	VIC	DK46
21	Diomedea*	6520	NSW	Van de Stadt 48
22	Dodo*	6081	NSW	Sydney 38
23	Farr South*	1124	TAS	Farr 36
24	Fincorp More Witchcraft*	8402	NSW	Dibley 40
25	Flirt*	SM4321R	VIC	Corby 49
26	Flying Fish BMS*	1987	NSW	Peterson 51
27	Fuzzy Logic*	R69	VIC	ILC 40
28	Goldfinger*	8880	VIC	Farr 52
29	Hardys Secret Mens Business*	YC3300	SA	Reichel/Pugh 46
30	Heaven Can Wait*	H 1	QLD	Welbourn 50
31	Hidden Agenda*	9797	NSW	Sydney 38
32	Hollywood Boulevard*	AUS8889	NSW	DK46
33	Horwath BRI*	MH60	NSW	Sydney 38
34	Hugo Boss*	GBR 99	UK	Open 60
35	Icefire*	R6572	VIC	Mummery 45
36	Impeccable*	MH106	NSW	3/4 tonner IOR
37	Infinity III*	5474	NSW	Farr 65
38	Inner Circle*	M762	NSW	Farr 40 IOR
39	Inon*	7008	NSW	Beneteau
40	Isabella*	5776	NSW	Northshore 380 Sports
41	Jailhouse Grill*	A121	TAS	Adams 13
42	Kaz*	7878	NSW	Lyons 52
43	Kioni*	6146	NSW	Beneteau First 47.7
44	Konica Minolta*	NZL10001	NZ	Maxi 30m
45	Live It*	RQ80	Germany	Beal 45
46	Living Doll*	R50	VIC	Cookson 50
47	Loki*	60000	NSW	Reichel Pugh 60
48	Lucifarr*	M666	NSW	Farr 40
49	Merlin*	93	NSW	Kaiko 51
50	Mr Kite*	6522	NSW
51	Namadgi*	6388	ACT	Bavaria 44
52	Nevenka*	NZL 2716	New Zealand	Townson 36
53	Ocean Skins*	G147	VIC	Inglis 47
54	Pale Ale Rager*	YC560	SA	Elliot 56
55	Pekljus*	6419	NSW	Radford 50
56	Phillip's Foote Witchdoctor*	2557	NSW	Davidson 42
57	Polaris of Belmont*	5527	NSW	Cole 43
58	Pretty Fly II*	8924	NSW	Beneteau First 47.7
59	Prime Time*	7447	NSW	Beneteau First 44.7
60	Prion*	R63	VIC	Mod. Mount Gay 30
61	Quest *	AUS6606	TAS	Nelson Marek 46
62	Ragamuffin*	AUS70	NSW	Farr 50
63	Ray White Koomooloo*	RQ68	QLD	Kaufman 41
64	Rayo*	CHI330	NSW	Mumm 36
65	Renegade*		SA	Holland 40
66	Rush*	B45	VIC	Corel 45
67	Savcor*	2999	Sweden	Sydney 38
68	Sea Quest*	6285	NSW	Adams 15
69	Seriously 10*	8844	NSW	Volvo 60
70	She*	4924	NSW	Olsen 40
71	Shogun*	G4646	VIC	DK 46
72	Sirromet Lifestyle Wines*	8447	NSW	Beneteau First 44.7
73	Skandia*	M10	VIC	IRC Maxi 98
74	Stormy Petrel*	508	NSW	Sparkman & Stephen
75	Sweethart*		QLD	Jutson 39
76	Swish*	6073	NSW	Sydney 38
77	TBA*	TBA	NSW
78	Team Lexus*	6565	NSW	Sydney 38
79	Tilting at Windmills*	SM117	VIC	MOD J. Dory 41
80	Toecutter*	R1111	VIC	Hick 31
81	Torpan International*	5985	NSW	Kaufman/Jutson
82	Tow Truck*	M6	NSW	Mumm 30
83	Viva*	NZL 9477	New Zealand	Beneteau 47.7
84	Wedgetail*	HW42	QLD	Welbourne 42
85	White Hot*	6469	NSW	F36 Razer
86	Wild Oats XI *	10001	NSW	Maxi 30m
87	Wild Rose*	4343	NSW	Farr 43
88	Wistarie*	263	NSW	Moodys 38
89	Wot's Next*	6559	NSW	Sydney 47
90	Yeah Baby*	6068	NSW	Sydney 38
91	Yendys*	1836	NSW	Judel Vrolijk (JV52)
92	Zen*	3838	NSW	Sydney 38