On Boxing Day last year, two super maxi yachts worth millions of dollars each almost collided just outside Sydney Harbour. A time penalty of one hour was applied to Wild Oats XI, costing them a win in the Sydney to Hobart, and the race record.
Near miss: Comanche and Wild Oats XI come close to contact as they tack outside the Heads.Credit:AAP
Comanche, the yacht that Wild Oats XI came close to, won with a time of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.
"There's a split second in these things and when boats are moving at four or five metres a second, everything gets very close very quickly," Comanche skipper Jim Cooney said.
"It was just one of those things that happens in a small amount of time."
Advertisement
This year, Cooney said, all the boats would be more focused and aware. Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards is determined to show no bad blood. “Every year is a new race, a fresh start, a different start, different conditions … thats just the way it is. That is sport."
An exclusion zone is also in place on the harbour from 12pm to 2pm to stop collisions with spectator craft.
Paperwork first
Ironically for a man who has made his fortune developing software tools to make legal documents accessible, Christian Beck's InfoTrack was shunted from 4th to 24th place last year for failing to file a form telling officials it had finished the race.
“Im sick of people reminding me to fill out the bloody paperwork because everyone keeps texting me saying that," Beck said with a smile. "But this year, no one is going to the pub until that race declaration form is done.”
But Beck can at least be pleased that InfoTrack's preparation for this year's race has gone well.
A helping hand
Hong Kong entry Scallywag, owned by Aveo chairman Seng Huang Lee, tore two sails in the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, a warm-up event for the Hobart.
InfoTrack came through for its rival, lending two sails to Scallywag.
Beck said that he was not told about the decision until it had occurred.
"To be honest, I did not know it was happening. The guy that manages the boat just lent them to him without asking me," Beck said, joking that it would give his boat, which is not favoured by the weather forecast, something to beat.
Scallywag skipper David Witt will not make that easy though. Despite his challenging preparations, Witt said the crew were feeling upbeat and determined.
"That's one thing that Scallywags never have a problem with is crew morale. We sail around the world together, mate, so we live together, travel together. This is just a twilight race with a couple of pictures and sandwiches.
If Scallywag does not win, Witt said he would deal with his disappointment in the time-honoured fashion. "I will probably drown my sorrows as usual," he said.
Nick is a journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald.
Most Viewed in Sport
[contf] [contfnew] 
Australian Breaking News Headlines
[contfnewc] [contfnewc]
