Rush of entries for 2006 Rolex Sydney Hobart

• NEWS
• 24 Oct, 2006 08:02:00 PM

Rush of entries for 2006 Rolex Sydney Hobart

The New Zealand maxi and Mike Sanderson’s Volvo 70 ABN AMRO One are both currently contesting the Rolex Middle Sea Race and both are booked on a ship to Sydney at the conclusion of this event in Malta.

With only a week and a half to go until applications for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart close, skippers are scrambling to submit their paperwork for the Boxing Day blue water classic.

As of today, 44 yachts have applied to enter and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia sailing manager Justine Kirkjian is expecting at least another 30 before the 3 November close of applications.

The latest high profile application rumoured to be on its way to the organising Club is for Charles St Clair Brown and Bill Buckley’s 30m maxi Thuraya Maximus.

The New Zealand maxi and Mike Sanderson’s Volvo 70 ABN AMRO One are both currently contesting the Rolex Middle Sea Race and both are booked on a ship to Sydney at the conclusion of this event in Malta.

If they make the start line, it will be an impressive display of sailing might on Sydney Harbour with Thuraya Maximus one of three maximum sized 30 metres maxis and ABN Amro One one of two Volvo 70s, the first time this class of boat will race south to Hobart.

Entries over the past week include the classic two-time winner of the Tattersall’s Cup for top handicap honours, Simon Kurts’ S&S 47 Love and War, and another veteran campaigner, Graeme Ainley and John Williams’ Bacardi from Victoria which will sail south with John’s three sons amongst the crew.

Graeme Wood has entered his new Nelson/Marek-designed Transpac 52 called Wot Yot, one of two the CEO of Wotif.com plans to nominate. He has put together an outstanding line up including ex-Quest Overall winning crew members Michael Green, David Ellis (who will reach the 25 race milestone this year) and Jack Goluzd. In total, the crew has amassed an amazing 163 Hobarts.

Graeme’s second entry will be for his Sydney 47 Wot’s Next? which collected the Premier Cruising Division trophy at this year’s Hamilton Island Race Week. Using Wot’s Next, Wood will launch an exciting youth programme which is soon to be announced.

Another dual entrant is Sean Langman who has nominated the 1932 built gaff rigged Maluka and his modified Open 66 Xena with which he’s finished bridesmaid twice on line honours.

“Xena is up for sale so a new owner could take her south…or the same Tasmanian crew who chartered her last year may do the same,” said Langman.

Today applications for entry were received from Queensland skipper Bill Wild, who has nominated his Welbourn 42 Wedgetail, which finished 6th overall and second in division in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart, Syd Fischer’s champion Farr 50 Ragamuffin and Ray Roberts’ DK46 Quantum Racing.

Roberts and his top crew are chomping at the bit for another crack at the big one having won everything they’ve contested this year including Skandia Geelong Week, the Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race and Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island race weeks.

Entries are expected from two more 30 metre maxis, Grant Wharington’s Skandia and Bob Oatley’s line honours defender and race record holder Wild Oats XI, as well as Helsal IV, Chris Bull’s UK cruiser/racer Jazz and Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki, amongst others.

An interesting tussle is looming between the two conventional keeled Reichel/Pugh stablemates Loki, and the newest boat in the fleet, Yendys. Loki’s performance peaked recently, finishing second in the IRC Big Boat Division at Hamilton Island, and having Etchells world champion Cameron Miles steering for the Rolex Sydney Hobart isn’t going to hurt Ainsworth’s chances of another top result.

While Geoff Ross has also assembled a classy crew to campaign Yendys south, the boat won’t be launched in Sydney until the end of November leaving Ross and his crew little time to prepare for the 628 nautical mile race starting at 1.00pm on 26 December 2006. - Lisa Ratcliff

List of applications for entry available from  http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yachts.asp?key=526

NOR available from http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/editorial.asp?key=1711