Wild Oats XI’s Sydney to Hobart preparations thrown into chaos after cancellation of Big Boat Challenge
Wild Oats XI’s preparations for the 75th Sydney to Hobart yacht race have been thrown into chaos.
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RECORD-breaking supermaxi Wild Oats XI’s preparations for the 75th Sydney to Hobart yacht race have been thrown into chaos with the cancellation of the Big Boat Challenge.
The sprint around Sydney Harbour was to be the Sydney-Hobart dominator’s first race back from a major repair, after wrecking its rigging, deck and mast damage competing in the Cabbage Tree island race four weeks ago.
However, thick smoke from the NSW bushfires has settled over Sydney and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia canned the race because of safety concerns.
“We are very disappointed to abandon the 2019 Grinders Coffee SOLAS Big Boat Challenge but for the safety of spectators, public and competitors, we made the call,” said CYCA Commodore Paul Billingham.
“The safety of all competitors, in addition to those working on the harbour, is extremely important to us and our number one priority.
“The best available information is that nothing about the conditions will change in the short term so delaying the start wasn’t an option.”
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The Wild Oats team had replacement parts either made or bought in various parts of the world and shipped to Sydney, where they were installed at the supermaxi’s home base at Woolwich.
“It’s been a phenomenal effort by the team over the past three weeks, after the catastrophic failure… it’s been a huge job,” Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards said.
“We learned the limit in the Cabbage Tree race, to see how far we can go.
“We looked at all the data and there is nothing out of the ordinary. We are always going to push it hard.
“There’s absolutely no reason for that rig to have broken, but it did.
“It’s is an equipment sport, so you don’t know but we will push it as hard as we can.”
The 75th Sydney-Hobart starts on Boxing Day.
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