This is the first time in a few years that racing is what yachties call “a traditional Sydney Hobart”. And by this they mean a harsh bash from the south with rough seas. “It was bad,” Beck admitted. “But that hasn`t stopped me from sailing — or running — now that I`m back on land,” he said with a smile. This after the 100-foot crossed the finish line at 4:11:44. The boat owned by Christian Beck is expected to be the favourite in the early stages of the race, which begins on Boxing Day, as it looks like the yacht is most likely to thrive in the expected southerly winds. “They seem to be fine, but if they don`t show up for work, I know they`re not happy with me,” he says with a smile. It will compete with two other Supermaxis, SHK Scallywag 100 and Black Jack, both dominated by the Australian crew but registered in foreign clubs. “There`s a small area, which I call the triangle of death, off the north coast of Tasmania, where I go very rarely,” Kellett said.
“We are the best light airboats. Christian`s is the heaviest boat. And Wittery`s boat is right in the middle of the two of us. So, yes. That`s where luck comes in. “It will be a question of where to put your foot on the accelerator. In the first part of the race and let it break, otherwise you will not accelerate enough and you will back up. “I wouldn`t do anything else. Nothing significant broke, the crew did everything right and we got here – in second place – and we will continue. This was provided by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia with 628 nautical miles for the top third of the fleet. With the cancellation of the 2020 race, skipper and owner Matt Allen aims to make Ichi Ban the first boat to win titles in 57 consecutive years. “The first step is to pass the PCR test. I think that`s going to be the most important,” Witt said today. In this year`s race, his boat, the former Perpetual LOYAL, which received line honours in 2016, is the heaviest of the three big boats – the others are Black Jack and SHK Scallywag 100.
However, so close to the start of Boxing Day at 1 p.m., Witt said he hopes his entire team will be cleared for the start of the race. Christian Beck`s opening line when LawConnect docked in Hobart after crossing the finish line of the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in second place this morning was: “I really don`t want to do this again day and night – ever!” So I think you have to stay in the race for the first 24 hours. This is probably the most important part. Then see what happens. The Comanches have also won line honours once under their former owners and, with Wild Oats XI, they have won 12 of the last 15 Line Honours titles, with Oats winning the trophy nine times. Beck admitted that “a good crew is very important. It is a big boat with excellent equipment and heavy loads. These boats are very high-tech,” he said of the 100-foot ballast with inclined keel ballast. “Christian`s boat should perform best in the first 24 hours of the race,” Bradford admitted. “Then it`s going to be about who can catch up the fastest.” It`s going to be a strong recovery and survival is important there and also reasonable speed,” Beck told AAP.
New sails and a larger bow, as well as a favorable forecast of strong southerly winds in the first 24 hours, bode well for Beck, but later transitions that should bring lighter breezes could help the other supermaxis. Upon arrival in Hobart, seafarers will not be able to leave their boat until a rapid antigen test has been carried out and the owner has declared that everyone on board has not tested negative. Kellett was 100% confident of receiving line prices this year. He believes that the three big boats are all different and for this reason will be adapted to different points of the race. Written by Di Pearson/RSHYR media Photograph by Copyright Salty Goofy 2021 Blackjack skipper Mark Bradford is the only one of the three 100ft skippers © to succeed in Sydney Hobart, but as a crew on Investec Loyal in 2011. “Then the big question is transition, because no one will really know how it`s going to end. The owner/skipper of the 100-foot LawConnect, one of the favourites for Line Honours and the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup, enjoys the prospect of a challenging and tumultuous hike south. The TP52 Ichi Ban boat will once again be a serious contender for the general classification after winning the trophy in 2017 and 2019.
“The crew`s work and everything has improved exponentially every day, so we`re good to go,” Witt told AAP. “One hundred percent confident, we could never say that at that time. I`ve never been able to talk about it: “Well, we`re going to be the winner in the box” and that`s a comment circulating in the team. Willow is co-owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, who sold Supermaxi Comanche after giving them two honor titles and a race record. A scary Plan B with the triangle of death is among the strategies LawConnect navigator Bradshaw Kellett is considering at this year`s Sydney Hobart. “The knowledge we have now, this new bowsprit that we tested, we have the new sails. This time, there were four employees on board. I wondered if they would still talk to him after learning the intricacies of ocean racing in such horrible conditions, broken toilets and everything else.
