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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2003 - Rolex Sydney Hobart Fleet Let Loose Under Spinnaker

Sydney/ Hobart, AUS

On the stroke of 1300 today the 56-boat Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet started the 628-mile classic offshore race to the island state of Tasmania. A medium South Easterly breeze saw most of the fleet sail down Sydney Harbour under spinnaker. More than 3000 spectator boats lined either side of the course and the slightly overcast day did not stop more than 200,000 spectators from lining the shores of Sydney harbour to witness the fleet's departure.

Photo © Andrea Francolini

The start gun was fired by 84-year old Gordon Elliot, a veteran of the first Sydney to Hobart Yacht race sailed 59 years ago in 1945. Even before the smoke had cleared the two 98-foot long Maxi line honours contenders, Stewart Thwaites' Zana (NZL) and Grant Wharrington's Skandia (AUS), made their intentions clear by starting a trans-Tasman match race that is likely to last all the way to the finish.

The Melbourne-based Skandia came hunting for the Kiwi boat seconds before the start gun deafened the competitors lining up for the off, Wharrington accelerating earlier for the line and sailing out in front from a leeward position shortly after the gun fired. The pair remained locked together with jib-top rigs most of the way down the harbour before Wharrington's pale blue boat started to put some distance on his rival as the pair hardened up onto the wind and started offshore. Conditions to be experienced by the fleet over the coming days should suit both boats at different times and as a result the lead on the water is likely to change frequently.

The weather forecast for the next 36 hours is calling for winds of 15-20 knots from the South East, something that will mean close-hauled sailing for the entire fleet. The wind is forecast to be stronger offshore but there is over a knot of fair current running south along the New South Wales Coast. The race will prove to be a strong tactical event, navigators will be trying to balance the risk of sailing further offshore to find stronger winds against using a shorter distance down the rhumb line towards the Bass Straits, Tasmania and the finish line in Hobart.

Initially the two fastest boats on the water opted to get offshore quickly looking for those forecast stronger winds. But with eyes only for each other, the big picture being to be first home, the dash for the coastal option and a claim on overall handicap honours was left to five boats all between 48 and 52 foot long. Pre-race favourites Yendys, neck and neck with Ichi Ban exploited the shore option short tacking close along the world famous New South Wales beaches as they headed South, actually leading on the water for a period three hours after the start.

As the bulk of the fleet will approach the bottom of Australia two days from now, a ridge of high pressure will pass over the course meaning that winds will drop away and remain variable for some time before the new Westerly wind fills in further South. Boats that find themselves to the West will pick up the new breeze earlier and benefit from fresher downwind sailing conditions all the way to the finish from then on.

The current race record has been held since 1999 by the Volvo 60 Nokia. The first boat in the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart needs to cross the finish line in Hobart before 0848 local time on Sunday 28th December to beat the record. The conditions being experienced and the current forecast would indicate that Nokia's record may well be safe for a further 12 months.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart uses a tracking system to monitor the entire fleet, whose individual positions are collected and updated every 10 minutes and then graphically presented on the official website:
http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yacht_tracker.asp?key=522