Maritimo skipper Michael Spies reveals ‘brutal fate’ ahead of 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
The skipper of a Gold Coast contender in the famed Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has revealed a “harsh and brutal” outcome.
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A SHATTERED skipper of a Gold Coast contender in the famed Sydney Hobart Yacht Race says being blocked at the 11th hour is “harsh and brutal”.
Maritimo 11 skipper Michael Spies and his crew have revealed they can no longer take part after being rejected by the race committee and also on appeal to an international jury.
Spies and the crew encountered a disastrous 18-hour storm on the way to the race’s start line last Friday.
Their Maritimo 11 TP52, was damaged by fierce 40-knot winds and three-metre waves, before eventually making it shore at Coffs Harbour. But the damage meant they had to resort to a back-up boat, which Maritimo raced in it last year.
Aspiring Olympian and sailor Addison Newlan, 14, had helped crew on the way down and said the storm gave her “guts a good shakedown”.
The domestic Sydney Hobard Yacht Race committee rejected the back up entry - a Maritimo 11 Schumacher 54. An appeal to the international jury was also knocked back.
The crew had spent a frantic 48 hours preparing the second vessel at The Boat Works at Hope Island in the hopes they would still have a shot at the race.
A tired Spies said on Wednesday the decision was “unfortunate”: “The international jury gave us more than a fair hearing and unfortunately we have been prohibited from competing in this year’s Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
“The crew are resilient, we win together and lose together. This would have been my 45th Sydney to Hobart and to have that extracted from me is harsh and brutal.”
He added they were now facing a race against the clock to get to the start of an alternative race in Portsea, Victoria.
The Maritimo 11 team aims to race the 860-nautical mile Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster, starting on December 27.
“I had to be picked up off the ropes and the crew said let’s go do this instead.”
Mr Spies said the silver lining was that “it was fantastic to be welcomed into a race at such late notice”.
“It’s the 50th anniversary of the Melbourne to Hobart and it’s something I’ve never done before so I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
Yacht club boss opens up Maritimo drama
December 20: THE Gold Coast will be well represented in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race as the Maritimo entry battles to be allowed to take part.
At deadline, the fate of Maritimo’s entry into the famed race hung in the balance after the crew encountered a horrific storm on Friday before making it to the start line.
Their entry, the Maritimo 11 TP52, was badly damaged during an 18-hour onslaught of three metre waves and 40 knot winds near Coffs Harbour.
On a “technicality” a backup boat was shunned by the Sydney to Hobart domestic committee.
On Tuesday Maritimo took their appeal to an international jury to decide whether it would race.
Southport Yacht Club general manager Brett James said despite the dramas facing Maritimo, four entries from the club would be making a splash at the race.
“Each year we are the only club on the Gold Coast that bats well above our average,” Mr James said.
“All of the skippers spend a lot of money getting to this race and it takes an extraordinary amount of time and effort. It’s a huge feat and we are proud of them.
“Obviously it is key that these crews remain safe in any race event.”
Mr James said 14-year-old aspiring Olympic sailor and Southport Yacht Club member Addison Newlan – who was on board Maritimo 11 during the storm – was “extremely tired”.
“Obviously she’s just a true professional – not just in sailing but as a person,” he said.
“But despite hearing she was extremely tired after making it back to dry land, I know she is in good spirits. We are so proud of her.”
Four boats from Southport Yacht Club will take part in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race:
YEAH BABY: Skipper Andy Lamont will race with twin brothers Louis and Mark Ryckmans, who last raced the former Yeah Baby in the 2019 Sydney to Hobart.
Their best result in the race was 27th in 2017.
They placed second overall in the 2018 Ponant Sydney Noumea Yacht Race.
SILVER FERN: Skipper David Hows completed two Sydney to Hobarts with his former yacht Ocean Gem before buying Silver Fern, a 30 tonne steel yacht.
The yacht spent eleven years circumnavigating the globe from 2005-2016, docking in more than 70 countries.
ESPIRIT: Ex-army colonel and skipper Rod West may be taking Espirit to the Sydney to Hobart for the first time, but he’s no rookie when it comes to the iconic ocean race.
His previous entry, Another Painkiller – a Benteau First 44.7 – placed 87th in the 2019 event and 60th in 2017.
SHE: Despite receiving a few modifications in her time, skipper Philip Bell’s She has raced in almost 20 Sydney to Hobarts in different divisions. In 2016, She placed 10th overall.
‘Guts shakedown’: Yacht’s 18-hour storm disaster jeopardises race
December 20: THE Gold Coast Sydney to Hobart team have survived a wild 18-hour storm and huge swells en route to the start – and now face another battle to take part in the famed yacht race.
The confident team crewing Maritimo 11, including a 14-year-old aspiring Olympic sailor, left the Gold Coast on Friday for Sydney and barely made it halfway before encountering a perfect storm off Coffs Harbour.
At 9pm the crew was hit by the wild weather, including 40-knot winds and three-metre waves.
The ferocious storm lasted a gruelling 18 hours before the exhausted crew made it to dry land on the badly damaged 15-metre yacht.
The crew, who spent hundreds of hours preparing and training, were told by race officials they might not be able to compete on a technicality – despite having a backup boat ready to go.
At Coffs Harbour Marina, the yacht was thoroughly inspected for damage - when the floorboards were removed, cracking was evident in front of the mast.
The crew returned to the Gold Coast and immediately began to rig and prepare last year’s entry, a Schumacher 54, also called Maritimo 11. Skipper Michael Spies helmed it to 11th place overall in 2021.
That former yacht was initially entered in this year’s race but withdrawn before entering the now damaged Maritmo 11 TP52.
“As the race drew closer, it was strongly recommended by the race committee it would be better if Maritimo withdraw its original entry and discussion took place as to what would happen in the highly unlikely situation should there be issues with the new boat,” Mr Spies said.
“We complied with the recommendation in good faith, safe in the knowledge if there was an issue, it would be resolved on merit.”
The team has since put their case to Rolex Sydney Hobart Race director Lee Goddard.
Mr Spies flew to Sydney on the first flight on Sunday at 6am to state their case to Mr Goddard.
On Monday the case was reviewed by the Rolex Sydney Hobart committee, which included an America’s Cup representative.
The matter will be heard on Tuesday.
Addison Newlan, 14, thanked the crew for the opportunity to deliver the boat to Sydney and said she had an “amazing time and learnt heaps”.
“My guts got a good shake down when the storm hit but what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” she said.
It was a gloomy end to a sunny start for the crew, farewelled on Friday at Southport Yacht Club by friends, family and colleagues plus Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate, Maritimo founder Bill Barry-Cotter and managing director Tom Barry-Cotter.
In an eerie premonition Mr Spies said on the day: “Never take on nature, because nature and weather will always beat you”.
He was referring to 1998’s Sydney Hobart Yacht Race storm which sunk five boats and took the lives of six competitors.
At deadline, the case to enter the previous year’s boat was declined and kicked up to an international maritime jury. The matter will be heard on Tuesday.
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Originally published as Maritimo skipper Michael Spies reveals ‘brutal fate’ ahead of 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
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