Sydney to Hobart 2019: Like rugby on water says Scallywag’s David Witt
Ego is one of the worst things on a Sydney to Hobart yacht according to David Witt and it’s why he has formed a very different type of crew to his rivals for the Boxing Day race.
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It’s been described as crazy, the wettest challenge in sport - and the most uncomfortable - but skipper David Witt reckons ocean racing is just “rugby on water”.
It involves teamwork, tactics, brute force, clever hands and moments of courage and creativity.
It also involves risk management, good timing and a camaraderie between sailors that can make-or-break a crew.
It’s why more than half his crew on the supermaxi Scallywag hail from the code, including Witt himself.
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“From the 19, we have 12 or even more from rugby and with rugby connections,” said Witt, the playing captain and coach of his predominantly Australian crew on the Hong Kong based supermaxi which is one of five 100-footers doing the race this year.
“I’ve got my own scrum on the foredeck, that’s what you need, guys happy to put their heads down and bum up and get a job done.
A former Southern Districts and Parramatta player, Witt also coached Wests in Brisbane.
He met up with some of his current crew mates including Chris Wild, Scott Salter and Nick Meyer coaching on the Central Coast and introduced them to the pleasure and pain of a sport which has Scallywag as one of the top four favourites for line honours in the 75th Sydney to Hobart.
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“Some ocean sailors aren’t half as good as they think they are and they have egos,’’ he said.
“The ethos in rugby is you play for the team, you don’t play for themselves.
“You never give up.
“It’s important on a boat to have guys like that. Guys who will take one for the team when it’s needed.”
Witt has competed in 23 Sydney to Hobarts but Seng Huang Lee’s line honours contender has yet to win the Sydney to Hobart after last year forced onto the sidelined with a broken bow sprit just hours after the race start.
“Hopefully we have had our bad luck. I’d rather be lucky than smart in sailing,’’ he said.
The race starts at 1pm on Boxing Day and will be contested by a fleet in excess of 150 yachts including defending champion Wild Oats X1.
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