Sailing dream comes Alive as only the third Tasmanian entry wins the Sydney to Hobart handicap

Tasmanian yacht Alive has become only the third local yacht to win the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on overall handicap and owner Phil Turner said it made his sailing dreams come true.

The crew of Tasmanian yacht Alive celebrate after being declared the handicap winner of the 2018 Sydney to Hobart. Picture: AAP/ROLEX/STUDIO BORLENGHI

TASMANIAN yacht Alive has become only the third local yacht to win the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on overall handicap and owner Phil Turner said it made his sailing dreams come true.

Alive joins Westward, which won the race in 1947 and 1948, and Screw Loose, which claimed it in 1979.

When Alive crossed the finish line at 2.40pm on Friday, as the fifth boat home after four supermaxis, it led on handicap with a swag of boats threatening to snatch away victory.

When officials handed over the coveted Tattersalls Cup to Turner and his crew at Kings Pier today, he could hardly believe his luck.

“It really is special,” Turner said. “Since I was very young I’ve admired this race, so to win it … I’m ecstatic.”

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COMMON SENSE HAS PREVAILED

Alive pictured on December 28. Picture: ROLEX/STUDIO BORLENGHI

Alive claimed the win by holding off its “stalker” for the 628 nautical mile race, a near identical 66-footer sailed by the all-female crew aboard Wild Oats X, which crossed the line 12 minutes later in sixth place for line honours.

Turner said the women gave them a hell of a contest, and attributes beating them home to a sail change at Tasman Island on Friday morning when the boats were literally side-by-side.

“We changed to a code zero [sail] and they tried to match us but they rushed it and had some problems just after that,” he said.

“So that was probably the best tactic move. It’s not necessarily women or men, it’s about racing a boat and we’re almost identical boats.

“I’m sure they had the same feelings as us, they probably wanted to win against us and we want to win against them.”

The Alive crew celebrates being the first Tasmanian yacht to arrive in Hobart in the 2018 Sydney to Hobart race. Picture: EDDIE SAFARIK

Wild Oats X, of NSW, was second on handicap and Victorian yacht Voodoo was third.

At the presentation of the Tattersalls Cup, Tasmanian premier Will Hodgman said: “It would be hard not to be a little biased on a day like today and say how bloody brilliant it is that a Tasmanian yacht has won the overall trophy.”

Of the 85 yachts that started the race on Boxing Day, a lunchtime today, 63 had finished and six retired, leaving 16 still racing.

Westward was the first Tasmanian handicap winner of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race and the only Tasmanian boat to win it twice. Picture: MERCURY HISTORICAL ARCHIVE