One month to go

Maxi boats enter this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart race

Exactly one month out from the close of applications for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, momentum is gathering amongst those preparing to take on one of the world’s most famous ocean classics.

The closing date for applications is 2 November 2007. Already a healthy fleet of 25, representing Australia, the UK, New Zealand and Mexico, has been nominated for the 63rd running of the annual yacht race that will start from Sydney Harbour at 1300 local time on Wednesday 26 December, 2007.

A number of records are on the cards this year with Bob Oatley’s 30m Wild Oats XI, the current race record holder with a time of 1 day 18 hours 40 minutes 10 seconds, preparing to attempt a hat trick of line honours wins despite suffering a major setback last month.

Wild Oats XI is currently on its way back to Sydney on a ship from Porto Cervo, Sardinia, where during the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup she was dismasted. If all goes to plan, skipper Mark Richards believes Oatley’s pride and joy will be back on the water by late November, in time for the Rolex Trophy lead-up series. "The new rig is well underway and we are full steam ahead," said Richards today.

Only one other boat has achieved the line honours treble in the race’s 63 year history. Claude Plowman’s Morna consecutively beat the rest of the fleet across the finish line off Hobart’s historic Battery Point in the 1946, 1947 and 1948 Sydney Hobarts.

At 80 years of age, Victoria’s sea faring senior Lou Abrahams is aiming to set a new benchmark for the most Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races undertaken by an individual. Last year he equalled the record of 44 and while he hinted at retirement at the time, the lure of one more bash south has proved too strong for Abrahams who has already submitted an application for entry for his Sydney 38 called Challenge.

At 85, John Walker ( Impeccable) is fighting fit and ready to attempt his 24th Rolex Sydney Hobart and to rewrite the history books by becoming the oldest skipper to race to Hobart.

International entries were strong last year and this year’s line up so far point towards another impressive contingent of overseas yachts.

So far the CYCA has received nominations for the New Zealand 30m maxi Maximus (Bill Buckley), one of the high profile casualties last year when the boat’s radical wing mast crashed to the deck in the early hours of the first morning at sea.

An application for Mike Slade’s brand new UK based 30m maxi Leopard has also been lodged. Slade is hoping to prevent Wild Oats XI’s hat trick and realise the second of two ambitions for his latest Leopard. Having won line honours in the Rolex Fastnet Race, which he easily achieved in the heavy weather race in August this year, he hopes to repeat his success with line honours in the 628 nautical mile race across the Tasman Sea to Hobart.

Two more UK yachts have been nominated and for the first time ever, a Mexican boat has applied to enter. Cruising to Sydney from Acapulco Yacht Club to compete, Marcos Rodriguez’s Beneteau 40.7 Lataia is certain to spice up the expected fleet of 80 yachts.

The fleet for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart will be announced at the organising club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, on the morning of Tuesday 13 November.

Entries so far...

AFR	8338	NSW	Farr 40
Andrew	10000	NSW	Jutson 79
Aurora	4057	NSW	Farr 40 - One Off
Balance	7771	NSW	Sydney 47CR
Berrimilla	371	NSW	Brolga 33
Challenge	SM2	VIC	Sydney 38
Dehler	633	QLD	Dehler 39
First	4384	SA	Adams 12
Huckleberry	RF116	WA	Sparkmen & Stephens 34
Hugo	GBR3055	UK	Volvo 60
Iataia	MEX 407	Mexico	Beneteau 40.7
Ichi	AUS 03	NSW	Jones 70
Krakatoa	55555	NSW	Pogo 40
Leopard	GBR1R	UK	Maxi 30m
Limit	43218	WA	Corby 49
Maximus	NZL99999	NZ	Maxi 30m
Noonmark	GBR5698R	UK	Swan 56
One	N9	NSW	Northshore 37
Palandri	GB347	WA	Beneteau 34.7
Sailors	7878	NSW	Lyons 54
Shogun	G 421	VIC	Rogers 46
Splash	6838	NSW	Farr 40 Mod
Yendys	1836	NSW	Reichel Pugh 55