Scallywag leads the way
Hong Kong supermaxi SHK Scallywag 100 has led the Sydney to Hobart fleet into Bass Strait as a tight tussle for the line-honours advantage continues.
Just 13 nautical miles separated the leading yacht and nine-time line honours winner Wild Oats XI in fifth at 2.20pm (AEDT) yesterday.
Wild Oats XI, which was built in 2005 and recently underwent extensive repairs after suffering damage in a race last month, made further ground after lunch having been slowed by light winds overnight.
Comanche, in fourth, has taken a wider route as crews contend with easterly winds.
InfoTrack is hot on the heels of Scallywag and narrowly ahead of Black Jack in third, with positions changing regularly during early afternoon racing.
‘‘The last 10 to 12 hours have been pretty tough going for us and a few boats, including Wild Oats XI who got pretty badly parked,’’ Naval Group skipper Sean Langman said.
Northerly winds forecast for later yesterday afternoon are set to add another twist to the race’s 75th edition.
Tom Slingsby, the 2012 Olympic Laser gold medallist and senior member of InfoTrack’s 2016 line-honours winning crew when the boat was called Perpetual LOYAL, said the windier it got the better it looked for Comanche.
‘‘But if it stays pretty light from the northeast, Comanche will have a tough time with Scallywag and Black Jack,’’ Slingsby said.
‘‘Light VMG running is not its strong point for sure. ‘‘How much pressure they have for the next bit will determine who is going to win.
‘‘If it stays light, it seems like Scallywag and Black Jack are going to be pretty hard to beat.
‘‘And if the breeze comes in, I think Comanche is going to be hard to beat.’’
Two previous overall winners, Ichi Ban and Quest, were showing up well in the early stages of the battle for handicap honours.
New South Wales 72-footer URM is about four miles behind Wild Oats XI in sixth.
With 25 hours racing completed the fleet remained at 155, with no additions to the retirements of Hollywood Boulevard and Faster Forward on Thursday afternoon.