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Everest of yachting lures international sailors

Everest of yachting lures international sailors
Pinta-M, owned by Aste Blei, from the Netherlands. One of the first entrants for 2008 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

Everest of yachting lures international sailors

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race’s reputation as one of the toughest ocean races in the world continues to lure sailors from all parts of the globe

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race’s reputation as one of the toughest ocean races in the world continues to lure sailors from all parts of the globe.

In an extraordinary show of confidence given the current financial climate, more than 100 sailors have travelled from all over the world – New Caledonia, America, Europe, Russia, Switzerland - to crew the 11 international entrants in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart and to join the many Australian crews as overseas imports.

“The Rolex Sydney Hobart is the premier event on the global racing circuit,” says Ian Darby, skipper of Scottish entrant Jus Do It 3.

“For us it’s been a lifetime ambition. We’ve been planning for it for the best part of ten years.

“We’ve done quite a few of the other big races but for me this has always been the premier event.  It’s like ticking the box.  It’s got to be done once in your life and now’s the time for us.”

Jean-Luc Esplaas, skipper of New Caledonian Archambault 40 41 SUD, was last here in 1998. 

“It was a very hard race. Very hard and beautiful at the same time. We look forward to another hard time. It is for this we come to this race – a hard time.”

“For us it is a great challenge to come to Australia,” says Dmitri Moshkov, one of the five Russians who has managed to get a berth on the Sydney 38 Getaway Sailing 2 after the Russian maxi Trading Network Alye Parusa had to withdraw with keel problems. 

“It is a very good expression that the Rolex Sydney Hobart is the Everest of sailing.  Ten years ago I spent a lot of time in the Himalayas, so for me it’s a new challenge, new disciplines.”

It seems even the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day has its own daunting reputation.  Ian Darby says he’s heard stories about the hundreds of spectator boats that cram the harbour and follow the boats out to sea.

"I expect chaos.  Our main objective is to make sure we don’t damage the vessel between the start line and the first mark.  Make sure we don’t run into anybody and vice-versa.”

The skippers of the visiting yachts have found that getting a boat up to scratch for a Rolex Sydney Hobart is a mountain to climb in its own right.

“Pinta-M was already set up for the Rolex Fastnet and we thought we were quite done – but it’s not exactly the same,” says Dutch skipper Atse Blei. 

“There are more preparations over here.  The safety checks are a lot harder to manage.  It’s much more professional here,” says Ian Darby.  “Compared with say the Rolex Antigua regatta, the preparations for this race are far more searching, far more disciplined.

“It’s much more professional than what we’re used to in club racing in the UK.  It’s much more amateur-based at home. People enjoy themselves and try their best but it’s much more professional here.”

For now, just three days out from the start, the mad scramble to get the boats ready is winding down and the guys are looking forward to having a break on Christmas day – though if you come from the other side of the world it’s a bit hard to take a Sydney Christmas day seriously.

“We flew in two days ago from five degree temperatures in Holland,” says Atse Blei. 

“We’re getting sunburned and I look like a lobster.  It doesn’t feel like Christmas to me at all.”

The Russians say they’re just going to trail along behind their new-found Aussie mates and see what a local Christmas is like – though there will be one genuine Russian tradition. 

“Vodka? Of course!  We have to be Russians!” laughs Dmitri Moshkov.

Darby says he has a cast of thousands of family members and supporters flying out to watch him start the race.  No doubt they’ll be super impressed by his crutches and massively bandaged right foot. 

“I was lifting a sail off a stoned wall and a big rock fell on my foot breaking two toes which is just what I wanted before the Sydney Hobart race, but hopefully with enough sedatives I’ll be alright.”

By Caroline Ball & Jim Gale/Rolex Sydney Hobart media team