| Rán takes charge of Rolex Sydney Hobart overall lead |
| By Di Pearson, Rolex
Sydney Hobart media team. |
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| Photos and edited
by Peter Andrews. |
| 18:00 AEDT December 20,
2009. |
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| The new British yacht Rán has taken the overall lead of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this afternoon. Niklas Zennström and his crew are making an early charge on Zennström’s hope to win the 628 nautical mile race on handicap, adding to his overall win of the Rolex Fastnet Race in August. |
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Niklas Zennström’s Rán at the heads after the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht Race 2009.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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The Judel / Vrolijk designed 72 footer launched only this year, has some of the world’s top sailors such as Steve Hayles, Adrian Stead and Richard Bouzaid aboard, helping to power the big grey yacht through a 20 knot southerly gusting to 25 at times on a bumpy sea.
Rán’s early overall lead is no surprise according to Limit’s principal helmsman, Ian ‘Barney’ Walker, who has stated a couple of times this week: "Rán is the boat to beat," and "the forecast will suit it. It’s great in moderate upwind conditions and will probably get away from the rest of us." |
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Niklas Zennström’s Rán during
the Rolex Trophy Ratings Series 2009.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Walker said the rest of the overall contenders would get their chance when the breeze lightens on Sunday or Monday. "Hopefully Rán won’t have taken too much out of us by then."
Limit, owned by Alan Brierty (CYCA), is another of the favourites to take out the Tattersall’s Cup, awarded to the overall winner, particularly after winning the Rolex Trophy Rating Series last week. |
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Alan Brierty's Limit, during
the Rolex Trophy Ratings Series 2009.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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| Matt Allen, the Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the race organiser, is currently second placed with his Jones 70, Ichi Ban, with Geoff Boettcher’s Secret Mens Business 3.5 hanging in the top three. |
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Matt Allen's Jones 70, Ichi Ban during the SOLAS
Big Boat Challenge 2009 on Sydney Harbour.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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| Mike Slade’s British 100 footer ICAP Leopard was setting the pace at the front of the fleet, leading Bob Oatley’s four-time successive line honours winner Wild Oats XI from New South Wales and skippered by Mark Richards. Neville Crichton’s New Zealand entry Alfa Romeo is also up there with ICAP Leopard and Wild Oats IX, after leading the fleet out of Sydney Harbour after the start. All three maxis are 100 feet long. |
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Mike Slade’s British 100 footer ICAP Leopard at
the heads after the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht
Race 2009.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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In other news, there has been a third retirement from the race. Roger Sayers’ Farr 37 Pippin retired off Botany Bay at 4.00pm, after his high pressure diesel pump jammed. "It can’t be fixed at sea," said the disappointed Queensland owner / skipper.
"It means we have no battery power, so can’t report in, so there is no point continuing on," stated Sayers who also said, "we all put in so much work and to be out of the race at this early stage is a bitter disappointment." |
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Roger Sayers’ Farr 37 Pippin retired off
Botany Bay when high pressure diesel pump jammed, seen
here with Andrew Wenham's Petersom 44 SES
Inch by Winch,
outside the heads after the start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart
Yacht Race 2009.
Photo © Peter Andrews, Outimage.
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Positions for each of the 98-strong fleet are now available via Yacht Tracker at http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/yacht_tracker.asp.
For further information about the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart, go to the official race website at: www.rolexsydneyhobart.com |
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| Outimage and Rolex © 2009 |
