Rolex Sydney-Hobart

December 28, 2011

Palo Alto's Stan Honey, navigator aboard the Elliot 100 maxi Investec Loyal may have to raise his rates, as he and the crew won line honors in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race. The race to the finish against favorite Wild Oats XI was about as close as it gets with only a little more than than minutes separating them. IL came in at 19:14 (local time) on December 28, two days, six hours, 14 minutes and 18 seconds after starting. There was a little issue of a protest filed by the Race Committee for outside assistance while the tactition was being interviewed by a TV crew. The tactician of Investec Loyal supposedly asked the crew of the ABC TV helicopter to tell them what sail Wild Oats XI was using. The protest has already been dismissed by the International Jury, and Investec Loyal declared the line honors winner.

For ABC TV's report on the "outside assist" of Investec Loyal see:
www.abc.net.au/news/2011-12-28/close-sydney-hobart-finish/3750226

For all of us non-maxi owners, the overall handicapperd leader at this point, and still racing, is the Beneteau First 45 Victoire owned by Darryl Hodgkinson. Maybe a Cal 40 would do well in the race with the right crew?

Two American boats in the race (and still racing) are Jeffrey Taylor's Nemesis, a C&C 41, which has been cruising in the South Pacific, and Rives Potts's Carina, an aluminum McCurdy/Rhodes 48 from NYYC. See www.rolexsydneyhobart.com.