Entries flow in for 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

• NEWS
• 17 Oct, 2005 09:47:00 AM

Entries flow in for 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has already received Applications to Enter the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race from boats representing Britain, Sweden and New Zealand and from all States of the Commonwealth

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia has already received Applications to Enter the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race from boats representing Britain, Sweden and New Zealand and from all States of the Commonwealth

With three working weeks to the deadline for Applications to Enter, the Sailing Office has logged in 26 nominations and is expecting a late rush before the deadline of 1700 hours on Friday, 4 November.

Sailing manager Justine Kirkjian is confident that a fleet of up to 80 boats will line up for the start of the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart on Boxing Day, 26 December.

“The early response from owners is most encouraging, but we would appreciate more applications this week to facilitate the processing of necessary documentation and acceptance of their boats, “ she said today.

Applications to Enter the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race must be accompanied by required technical data covering stability and construction and crew experience.   Once accepted to compete in the 628 nautical mile ocean race, boats will have until 1700 hours on 2 December to be officially entered, with further technical data and certificates required by that date.

Heading the Applications to Enter so far received by the CYCA is Alfa Romeo, Neville Crichton’s 30-metre super maxi which made its racing debut at Hamilton Island in August. 

The big boat is currently in New Zealand, from where the CYCA has received two other early nominations for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, Nevenka, a Townson 36 which is three years older than its 23-year-old skipper Phil Chisholm, and the well-performed Viva, a Beneteau 47.7 skippered by Peter Raudkivi.

Tasmania now has two entries with the Adams 13 Jailhouse Grill (ex Sailmaker) owned by Jason Van Zetton and Mark Koppelmann, from the Tamar Yacht Club in Launceston,  being nominated to join Farr South,  a Farr 37 owned by Ian Hall, a member of Port Esperence Sailing Club at Dover, said to be the southernmost yacht club in Australia.

Another early nomination is that of the little Berrimilla, with owner Alex Whitworth emailing his Application to Enter from at sea during his intrepid voyage to bring the Brolga 33 back to Australia after earlier this year sailing her halfway round the world to compete in this year’s Fastnet Race in England.

The Royal Ocean Racing Club has recognised Berrimilla, her owner and crew by presenting them with its annual Seamanship Award.  Berrimilla, which has competed in every Rolex Sydney Hobart Race since the 50th in 1994, is due back in Sydney in December to race to Hobart again.

The first British nomination for this year’s race is Hugo Boss, an Open 60 to be skippered by Alex Thompson, a major new talent in international yachting. At 25, he became the youngest skipper even to win an around the world race, the 1998-99 Clipper Race, and in 2003 he set a new 24 hour world speed sailing record for solo monohulls, covering 468 nautical miles at an average boat speed of 19.5 knots.

Australian round the world yachtsman Nick Maloney and a talented crew of Fastnet, Volvo Challenge and Vendee Globe sailors will join Alex for the Rolex Sydney Hobart aboard Hugo Boss.

A Swedish crew headed by the experienced Peter Westerlund has chartered a Sydney 38, Savcor, following a campaign in the Rolex Fastnet Race.

Other early Applications to Enter the 2005 Rolex Sydney Hobart include Sweetheart from Queensland, Balance from Western Australia, Renegade from South Australia, Chutzpah, Flirt and Shogun from Victoria, and well known Sydney-based ocean racers AFR Midnight Rambler, Ichi Ban, Merlin, Prime Time, Wild Rose and Yendys.