Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing won line honours in the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart when the yacht was a 98 footer, but the following year, leading the fleet to Hobart, she lost her canting keel, capsized and the crew abandoned ship. Wild Thing was rebuilt and went on to take line honours in the 2005 Sydney Gold Coast, Sydney Mooloolaba and Sydney Mackay races. In the 2008 Rolex Sydney Hobart, the super maxi finished second to Wild Oats XI.

Last year, Wharington made modifications to Wild Thing, which included extending her to 100ft and making improvements to her original hull shape. Earlier this year, Wharington secured a line honours win in the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race which she followed up by taking line honours in the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race in July