It has been dubbed the Ferrari of sailing by its competitors and champion super maxi Wild Oats XI will have extra power when it chases a record eighth Sydney to Hobart line honours win.
Launched: Wild Oats XI at the Sydney to Hobart preview. Photo: Mick Tsikas
Skippered by Mark Richards, the sleek, 100-foot super maxi has dominated the famous Boxing Day race since first entering in 2005 and it unveiled a new sail during its first day of training on Sydney Harbour on Thursday.
Now entering its 10th year, Wild Oats is still capable of setting a record pace, said co-owner Sandy Oatley, but he concedes that the yacht and its crew are ultimately beholden to mother nature. "It can still go fast, but it all depends on the wind angle and the design of the boat. We're hoping the conditions suit us," Oatley said.
Wild Oats XI holds the fastest race time of 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds, set in 2012, and is the only yacht to secure the triple crown ��� line and handicap honours and a race record time ��� on two occasions. While the prospect of breaking their own record time is in the back of their minds, the foremost priority was securing the win, Oatley said.
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"It's a monumental year for us, so we're trying very hard and checking all the possibilities of things that can go wrong. The foremost in our minds is to beat everyone else and to get there safely."
Among the super maxi's fiercest competitors is the recently modified Ragamuffin 100, which will be sporting a new hull. Perpetual Loyal will also return in 2014, eager to proved its reputation as the fastest racing super maxi in the world.
Also looming as a threat is American entrepeneur Jim Clark's Comanche, which will make its debut on Boxing Day amid feverish hype about its cutting-edge technology. "There's going to be a lot of stiff competition this year, but competition is good for us," Oatley said.
Other than a new sail, Wild Oats XI will head into the Sydney to Hobart with no major modifications. "We're always doing minor modifications," Oatley said. "Just fine-tuning, checking and cross-checking."