Sydney to Hobart yacht race: Protest launched against Wild Oats XI
The dramatic development comes after line honours runner up Black Jack had earlier issued a complaint.
The Sydney to Hobart yacht race committee has lodged a protest against Wild Oats XI, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia says.
Skippered by Mark “Ricko’’ Richards, Wild Oats XI crossed Hobart’s Castray Esplanade finish line first at 8.07am on Friday.
Rivals Black Jack and Comanche came in just behind.
The race committee received a report from the owner of Black Jack, which crossed in second place, advising that Wild Oats XI’s AIS had not transmitted throughout the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. On investigation and based on its own evidence, the Race Committee considered there may have been a breach of S 1.11.4 in respect of Special Regulation 4.09 (a).
CYCA commodore Paul Billingham explained: “The Race Committee is independent of the organising authority of the race to assure objectivity is maintained and seen to be maintained in circumstances such as this.”
Earlier, Wild Oats navigator Juan Vila told The Daily Telegraph that he had turned the Automatic Identification System (AIS) on and believed the system had been on for the entire race, which could point to a malfunction.
But Black Jack skipper Peter Harburg said it had left Black Jack at a disadvantage.
“The rules say it has got to be on all the time, so we didn’t know where they were and they knew where we were all the time, and that has disadvantaged us,” said Harburg.
Richards has dismissed the charge, saying the system was not mandatory and the supermaxis were in sight of each other for much of the race. “It’s a storm in a teacup,” Richards said.
Harburg was quoted as saying he did not intend to lodge a formal protest but said he believed the race committee should look into it..
Boats have up to six hours after finishing to lodge an official protest. Wild Oats XI was first past the post last year but was stripped of line honours after a rule breach at the race’s start, with a subsequent time penalty handing victory to Comanche.
‘Redemption, folks’
Richards had exlaimed “Redemption,” after narrowly triumphing over rivals Black Jack and Comanche in one of the tightest contests in Sydney to Hobart yacht race history.
Richards guided Wild Oats XI across Hobart’s Castray Esplanade finish line at 8.07am, after snatching a lead from then-nearest rival Comanche just before dawn, describing the nail-biting contest as the “most spectacular” in the event’s 74 year history.
Moments after arriving at Constitution Dock line honours skipper Mark Richards has downed a "shoey." Earlier today @WildOatsXI won the 74th @rshyr yacht race, claiming line honours for the ninth time. #RolexSydneyHobart #7News pic.twitter.com/736WDyrBp3
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) December 27, 2018
It was the sweetest of a long line of victories for the veteran Richards and his team, who infamously crossed the line first last year only to cede to Comanche after a protest for a rule breach was upheld and penalised.
“It’s a day of redemption for us, that’s for sure, after last year’s result, which was just so disappointing,” Richards said after raucous celebrations and a traditional dip in the Derwent courtesy of his elated crewmates.
“Today, whether people like it or not, was Wild Oat’s 10th time over that line first, regardless of whatever anyone says. We are just so happy with the result.
“It was an amazing, amazing contest all the way to the end. I take my hat off to all four of the maxi boats. All teams did an awesome job. We all came into the Derwent together, so what more can you ask for?”
Richards declared his Oatley-owned 14 year old vessel to be an “Australian icon” on a par with Phar Lap.
All four 100 ft supermaxis finished within 43 minutes of each other, while Black Jack dramatically chasing down Comanche in the Derwent to take 2nd place by just 63 seconds.
Wild Oats XI stole past Comanche, owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, near Tasman Island, in pre-dawn darkness at 4am, just 45 nm to the finish line, setting up the desperate final scramble for line honours.
Thrilling finale for supermaxis
Defending line honours champion Comanche and Black Jack are neck and neck just a few nautical miles behind.
Eight-time winner Wild Oats XI overtook Comanche before sunrise this morning and was the first to round Tasman Island. At 5.50am Wild Oats XI had a two nautical mile lead over Black Jack, followed closely by Comanche and Infotrack.
This is close! https://t.co/Syb6Cs8GiX
— Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (@CYCAustralia) December 27, 2018
Less than seven nautical miles separate the pack of four yachts, setting the scene for the tightest of finishes in the River Derwent where conditions could play a big part in deciding the winner.
Light wind is tipped to favour the smaller Black Jack.
Wild Oats XI is scheduled to cross the finish line at 7.42am. Wild Oats XI was first past the post last year but lost line honours to Comanche after incurring a time penalty for failing to keep clear while tacking earlier in the race.
Not long to go now! @WildOatsXI on track to arrive at Constitution Dock 7.30AM! @sunriseon7 pic.twitter.com/FTkNB9ItQo
— Jessica Ridley (@jessicaridleytv) December 27, 2018
Dire straits take race to the wire
After 24 hours of champagne sailing that had the four leading supermaxis well ahead of Sydney-Hobart record pace when they reached Bass Strait, the fickleness of ocean racing hit home yesterday.
From midday, the supermaxis’ speed dropped from about 15 knots to less than five knots as they ran into patches of very light wind to the east of Flinders Island.
Comanche, Wild Oats XI, Black Jack and InfoTrack are now not expected to reach Hobart before around 7.30am this morning and it could be one of the closest line honours battles for many years.
What a finish in the #RolexSydneyHobart!
— Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (@CYCAustralia) December 27, 2018
Updates, rolling coverage, tracker, stream at https://t.co/Xl0znNwUjy https://t.co/FYfY50QyjX
Wild Oats XI was a nose in front as the yachts entered Storm Bay, and Hobart residents could be treated to the sight of four supermaxis sailing side by side up the Derwent River to the finish off Battery Point near the city centre.
It could be the closest finish since 1982 when Bob Bell’s Condor of Bermuda beat poker machine king Jack Rooklyn’s Apollo by seven seconds.
The following year, American Marvin Green’s maxi Nirvana was disqualified for failing to give Bell’s new maxi, Condor, enough shore room as they engaged in a tacking duel up the river.
RACE TRACKER: Follow the yachts to Hobart
Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards said he was not surprised by the closeness of the supermaxis as they had been working on their weaknesses all year.
“This is the closest race ever,” Richards said by satellite phone.
“I think it will go all the way down to the finish line. I am thinking it will be sort of six or seven in the morning when we finish but it all depends on the breeze.
“If it weakens again, the finish could be a lot later.”
Richards said his exhausted crew had done a remarkable job since the race started. “We have had every sail up about 10 times,” he said. “The guys have done an awesome job.”
Tom Addis, Black Jack's navigator, said the closeness of the four yachts was startling.
“It is not usual to have quite different yachts in the same patch of water,” Addis said. “These boats are very different with different strengths and weaknesses but there is a good chance we will all be going up the Derwent together.”
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia commodore Paul Billingham last night would not pick a likely line honours winner but said he suspected that if the light winds forecast for today did eventuate, then the Queensland supermaxi Black Jack could pull off a surprise win.
“I am actually more interested in the handicap result because I sail a 40-foot boat myself,” Billingham said. “We have seen the TP52s dominate handicap results in recent years and it would be good if Matt Allen could score a double in Ichi Ban but I think it might be a year for the 40 footers.
“Bruce Taylor’s Caprice 40 Chutzpah is looking good and it would be a big boost for next year’s 75th anniversary race.
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