Maxing out race power
AS LDV Comanche and Wild Oats XI raced up the Derwent River last night chasing a Sydney to Hobart race record, the 2018 race is shaping up as the has epicentre for supermaxis.
Up to six of the fastest and most radical 100-footers are set to compete in the next 628nautical mile classic.
Australian skipper David Witt has confirmed he is plotting a return with Hong Kong yacht Scallywag. Comanche owner and skipper Jim Cooney, who last night was chasing Wild Oats home to Hobart, revealed from sea that he will definitely be on the start line next year.
Wild Oats XI last night staged a brilliant comeback to be neck and neck with Comanche in the final hours of the race, despite blowing up a spinnaker in strong running conditions off Tasmania’s east coast.
Crew on the eight-time line-honours winner, skippered by Mark Richards, reported at 5pm they had finally narrowed the gap on Comanche. Both yachts were on record pace. Comanche had held the race lead for more than 24 hours.
Along with Comanche, Wild Oats and the other two main 2017 rivals – Black Jack and InfoTrack – will also be back for a return bout next year.
The sixth possibility is Ludde Ingvall’s CQS, which raced last year.
Scallywag skipper Witt said he and his crew would definitely start in 2018. Should they all show, it will be one of the biggest gatherings of supermaxis and record-breakers in the world for a major long ocean race.
Comanche holds the TransPac and world 24-hour speed records and CQS the trans-Atlantic record.
“Oh, yes, absolutely we’ll be back,’’ Cooney said.
“I just love it.’’ Cooney bought the boat from Netscape founder Jim Clark so he could sail with his daughter Julia and son James.
“I like to do things as a family,’’ Cooney said.
The 2019 race will mark the 75th anniversary of the event with overall fleet numbers tipped to swell. A recordequalling 27 international yachts started this year’s event.
It is expected this number will also rise in the next two years with growing interest from Asia and continued interest from the UK and Europe.