Wild Oats XI

With early retirements in 2015 and 2016 (split main and hydraulic ram failure respectively), coupled with the next two years’ highly publicised endings – this year is a new chapter for Wild Oats XI. She is the reigning line honours champion after a thrilling race-long battle with Black Jack, Comanche and InfoTrack, which finished in that order. It occasioned Wild Oats XI’s record ninth line honours victory, an accomplishment destined to remain unbeaten.

Wild Oats XI pipped 100ft Black Jack (by 3mins 31secs - the closest finish in 15 years) in the 2017 Sydney Gold Coast race. In the interim, her keel and its mechanism were gone over and a new North 3Di RAW mainsail added. Black Jack returned the favour in the 2018 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast, taking line honours from WOXI, but the latter returned serve, taking line honours from Black Jack in the Brisbane to Keppel race. In 2014, she beat Comanche to obtain her record eighth Hobart line honours victory, outdoing Kurrewa IV/Morna’s record seven, held since 1960. Other highlights include triple victories of line/record/overall win in the 2005 and 2012 Rolex Sydney Hobarts. The 100 footer was radically modified in 2015 and has received updates since to remain ahead of the times. She will face the same super competition she did last year.

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