Hobart’s hope puts up a fight

TASMANIAN yacht Oskana is racing in the top 10 of its division of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race with its crew looking for a lift over the next 24 hours to boost its chances of claiming some silverware.

Oskana is one of two Hobart yachts in this year’s race, with the other, Magic Miles, also making a move on handicap on day two.

Oskana was holding its position at around 23rd overall in the fleet and targeting rivals Patrice (NSW), Derucci (China), Highfield Caringbah (NSW), Triton (NSW) and Concubine (SA), all sailing within 5nm.

On handicap, Oskana was 24th overall and 10th in IRC division 0.

Skipper Michael Pritchard bought Oskana earlier this year and spent the past six months training with his crew to get to know their Cookson 50-designed yacht.

“We’re pretty excited as a team,” Pritchard said before the start. “We’re a local team that has been training hard and getting to grips with the boat and what it does and doesn’t do.

“Most of us haven’t sailed this type of boat before.”

Oskana has a perfect pedigree.

It won the Sydney-Hobart on overall handicap in 2013 for Sydney plastic surgeon Darryl Hodgkinson when it was called Victoire.

“Light weather won’t suit us,” Pritchard said.

“We need a bit of breeze so we can peg back the TP52s, but if it’s light we’ll struggle.”

Magic Miles, skippered by Qantas pilot Mike Crew, moved as high as eighth overall in the PHS handicap division and sixth in PHS division 2 as it crossed Bass Strait.

Overall, PHS was being fought between NSW yacht Freyja, and 101st and last yacht in the race, and 1975 line honours winner and race record breaker Kialoa III, and former Hobart yacht She’s the Culprit.

Oskana is due to finish today and Magic Miles tomorrow.