Wild Oats sown in storm havoc
Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards has pledged to win back the boat’s line honours crown in next year’s Sydney to Hobart yacht race after a combination of mistakes and bad weather forced the favourite to quit.
A shattered Wild Oats XI crew were welcomed back by family and friends at Sydney’s Woolwich Dock yesterday after the supermaxi’s mainsail was shredded in the fierce southerly buster which hit the fleet off the New South Wales coast.
Richards, who skippered the boat to an unprecedented eighth line honours title last year, was philosophical about having to pull out for the first time in its 10-year history.
“We had a failure and that’s the way it is. Get on with life and start planning for next year,” he said.
Richards said the retirement was caused by errors and the conditions, not the yacht’s radical modifications.
The defending line honours champion underwent an extreme overhaul midway through the year in a bid to keep pace with the newer American supermaxi and overnight race leader Comanche.
However, the $2 million plus makeover wasn’t enough for Wild Oats to claim a ninth title in 11 years.
The southerly buster, which contained winds of up to 40 knots, proved a severe test for the 108-strong fleet.
Richards said the “really dark rain squall” made conditions extremely difficult and it wasn’t until they had negotiated the worst of the conditions that they realised the damage.
“We had to really have a good look at the sail and it was just shredded. So everyone just knew straight away that was it, game over,” he said.
The crew had barely docked for 10 minutes before co-owner Sandy Oatley pledged that his 100-footer would attempt to reclaim her line honours crown next year.
“You’ve got to take the good with the bad. We’ve had the bad and we’ll come back for the good next year,” he said.
Fortunately, weather conditions turned yesterday for the battered fleet after a brutal storm on the race’s opening night.
As yachts crossed Bass Strait, they were met with lighter 15 to 20 knot winds and waves of up to two metres.
The easing conditions came too late for the 23 yachts forced to retire from the race.
The list of casualties has continued to grow after the fleet copped a battering when it crossed paths with wild weather late on Boxing Day.
Retirees included Perpetual Loyal, who suffered a broken rudder, Dare Devil and Brindabella.
Kiwi sailing great Brad Butterworth, on board Rambler, was in contention to win the Sydney to Hobart overnight. Find out how he is faring on nzherald.co.nz