Fitness Fit Sting's rudder damaged by whale

• NEWS
• 28 Dec, 2002 05:20:00 PM

Fitness Fit Sting's rudder damaged by whale

Fitness Fit Sting has had her rudder badly damaged in a collision with a whale.

The Farr 50 Fitness First Sting,  skippered by Sydney yachtsman Terry Mullens, has had her rudder badly damaged after a collision with a whale in Bass Strait today.

Yesterday,  the boat which, as Yendys, was overall winner of this race in 1999,  hit a sunfish basking on the surface.

Skipper Mullens said by satellite phone a short time ago that the crew had the emergancy steering on deck in case the rudder falls off.

"We are running under spinnaker, hitting 18.4 knots in the 25 knot nor'easter,"  Mullens said.

"We are racing alongside Ragamuffin,  so close that we have been able to give them some milk for their afternoon tea," he quipped.

The two rivals Farr 50s were abeam  of Eddystone Point at 2pm today,  about 176 nautical miles from the finish of the 630 nautical mile race.