Nicorette rounds Tasman Island - ETA 5.38am

• NEWS
• 29 Dec, 2004 01:32:00 AM

Nicorette rounds Tasman Island - ETA 5.38am

Nicorette, the leading boat in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, rounded Tasman Island at 1.38am this morning for the final 40 nautical miles across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River to claim Line Honours in this 60th anniversary race.

Nicorette, the leading boat in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, rounded Tasman Island at 1.38am this morning for the final 40 nautical miles across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River to claim Line Honours in this 60th anniversary race.

He gave Race Control at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania an ETA of 5.38am, estimating he will cross the finish line in four hours time. 

As Nicorette rounded Tasman Island she was making 9.4 knots and should increase her boatspeed as she reaches across Storm Bay and then runs up the Derwent.

Skipper Ludde Ingvall has sailed conservatively down the galeswept East Coast of Tasmania, including going inside Maria Island, and will continue to do so until the 90-footer crosses the finish line off Hobart's Castray Esplanade.

Nicorette has a lead of more than 50 miles from  Sean Langman's AAPT,  the second boat in the fleet, now reduced to 62 boats. In third place, a further 12 miles astern, is George Snow's Brindabella.   

The British yacht Aera, skippered by Jez Fanstone, is in fourth place and currently heading the IRC handicap standings for Overall Winner.