Spies in line for handicap win

Peter Campbell reports from the Rolex Sydney-Hobart race

81 year old John Walker’s shot at winning Overall Handicap in the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race with his yacht Impeccable has stalled in the closing stages of the race.

Walker, the oldest skipper in the race and contesting his 20th Sydney Hobart - all on board Impeccable - was this morning struggling to make up the time required to usurp provisional honours from First National Real Estate.

Impeccable has to cross the finish line by 14.50 (local time) to beat First National, which arrived at 05.32 (local time) this morning setting the boat up for a provisional race win. Currently their ETA is 15.30.

Michael Spies, co-skipper of First National Real Estate and competing in his 27th Hobart Race, this morning felt he had enough of a buffer to hold out Impeccable. Using cricketing parlance, he said the pressure was on Impeccable to make up the runs on every ball in the final overs for a win.

At this stage, Spies is also looking at collecting the other major handicap trophy in the IRC division.

In the past 10 hours 24 boats have crossed the Hobart line, with 15 yachts still racing.

Pulling up the rear, but making good progress at 7-8 knots were the NSW entries Katinka and Berrimilla, which were east of Eddystone Point in Tasmania’s north-east and due tomorrow afternoon.