Three Volvo Ocean 60s expected

• NEWS
• 10 Oct, 2003 01:18:00 PM

Three Volvo Ocean 60s expected

Two former D'juice Dragon Volvo 60s, along with at least one other VO 60s, will contest the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2003.

At least three Volvo Ocean 60s, possibly four, will contest this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has received applications for entry from the two former D’juice Dragons VO 60s built for the 2001-2002 Volvo Ocean Race, now called Andrew Short Marine and Seriously Ten.

A third V0 60 entry is expected from Magnavox 2UE, the former EF Language, winner of the 1997-1998 race around the world.

Another VO 60 now owned by Kookaburra Challenge may also compete in the 627 nautical mile blue water classic starting on 26 December.

These tough ocean racing 64-footers built to the Whitbread/Volvo Race rules have been regular participants in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race since 1999,  when Nokia set the race record of 1 day 19 hours 48 minutes 2 seconds.

The 2001 Sydney Hobart was also a tough section of the Sydney to Auckland leg of the Volvo Ocean Race, with eight VO 60s competing and Assa Abloy taking line honours in the Hobart Race.  The fleet sailed on to New Zealand after a three hour ‘pit stop’ in Hobart,

Sydney yachtsman Andrew Short earlier this year bought both D’juice Dragons, designed by New Zealander Laurie Davidson and built by Cooksons in Auckland,  keeping the race boat himself and re-naming it Andrew Short Marine.

He has now sold the second one to a syndicate of three CYCA members who, with sponsorship from the Ten Network television group, have called the boat Seriously Ten.

The syndicate comprises John Woodruff, owner of the offshore racer, The Dreamtime,  plus Eric Robinson and Shaun James who have regularly sailed on The Dreamtime.

Seriously Ten and her crew will sail their qualifying race for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in the 408 nautical mile CanTeen Gosford to Lord Howe Island Race,  a Category 1 event that starts on Saturday fortnight,  25 October.

She will join two other older Volvo 60s, Magnavox 2UE, owned by Peter Sorensen,  Stan Zemanek, Julie Hodder and Mark Gray from Middle Harbour Yacht Club, and race record-holder Merit, now owned by David Gotze from Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, in the Lord Howe Island Race.

The limited fleet of 25 boats for the 30th annual race across the Tasman Sea from Gosford to world heritage listed Lord Howe Island includes at least seven yachts already nominated or expected to enter the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.