What a day for Bill and the boys from Wot's Next

• NEWS
• 30 Dec, 2006 02:51:00 PM

What a day for Bill and the boys from Wot's Next

“We listened in during the rescue of the Koomooloo crew and we were ready to help out if required. The experience was invaluable for our boys on board."

Graeme Wood’s Wot’s Next, skippered by Bill Sykes, arrived in Hobart this morning thrilled with their race time and with half a boat load full of young novices on board with their first of many Rolex Sydney Hobarts now under the belt.

Wot’s Next reported a safe ride down to Hobart experiencing no difficulties or rough conditions, thanks to their decision to hug the coast for the first twenty four hours.

“We can say it was a safe ride but the entire time we were holding on and dodging bullets. We did have to keep alert the entire trip,” Sykes said this morning.
 
“We had good speeds, every now and then we would head out to look for a few bumps and grinds, which is what offshore racing is often about.

“I wasn’t completely sure about how the boys would fare but they really came together as a team and worked in with the older crew, learning more and more each day. They are a great bunch of kids and I am really proud of the whole crew.”

However, Sykes emphasised the trip was very focused on safety.

“The boys went through their drills time and time again before we departed and during the trip to Hobart,” he said.

“We listened in during the rescue of the Koomooloo crew and we were ready to help out if required. The experience was invaluable for our boys on board.

“The crew of Adventure should be commended and we were all extremely sad for the loss of Koomooloo but glad everyone was safe at the end of the day.”

On deck this morning was the race’s youngest competitor, Will Ryan, who turned 18 just three days before the race start, looking tired and hungry but stoked to have completed his first Rolex Sydney Hobart.

His Mum and Dad were on the docks to greet their son along with friends and families of the other six crew aged under 20 years.

In charge of the boys and amongst the after guard was school teacher Bill Sykes who just completed his 19th Rolex Sydney Hobart, Bill Riley who completed his 25th and Graham White who contested his 29th.

Wot’s Next was launched in November 2005 and was used this year to carry the part youth crew selected from the CYCA’s Youth Sailing Academy to Hobart and in return those selected will participate in a mentoring programme with the students from Blacktown Tutorial Centre early in 2007.

Wot’s Next, finished 26th across the line with an elapsed time of 3:18:36:02 to finish provisionally 35th on IRC handicap.  Graeme Wood’s second yacht, the Nelson/Marek 52 Wot Yot, with Graeme aboard, is provisionally 10th overall.