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Wild Oats nets Sydney-Hobart lead Trio injured as Maximus dismasted
(about 13 hours later)
Defending champion Wild Oats took an early lead on the opening day of the annual Sydney-Hobart yacht race. Three injured sailors were airlifted by helicopter from the maxi yacht Maximus after it was dismasted in heavy seas during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
The record-breaking Australian maxi led the 78-strong fleet south down the east coast after starting in Sydney harbour. The crew members had chest, pelvic and back injuries and are being taken to hospital in Canberra.
It held a three-mile lead six hours into the race with Skandia and Maximus leading the chasing pack. ABN Amro was also dismasted and retired from the race.
Forecasts of rough weather mean Wild Oats is unlikely to beat last year's record time of one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds. Early on the second day of the blue water classic, defending champion Wild Oats XI was leading by about four nautical miles from Skandia.
That time, more than an hour faster than the previous best, made Wild Oats the first yacht since Rani in the first race in 1945 to earn the triple honours of race record, line honours and handicap honours. In 1998, six sailors died and seven boats were sunk or abandoned when a severe storm hit the race.
This year's race started in moderate winds of 10 to 15 knots but the fleet was expected to sail into southwesterly headwinds of up to 20 knots and swells of up to four metres. Organisers were not expecting severe weather this time but strong winds decreased early on Wednesday, easing conditions for the 75 yachts still in the race.
However a repeat of the horrendous weather which led to six sailors being drowned in 1998 is not expected to materialise. ABN Amro skipper Mike Sanderson said his crew was "bitterly disappointed" to be returning to Sydney instead of racing on to Hobart.
The leaders could arrive at Hobart's Constitution Dock early on Wednesday morning local time although smaller boats can take up to a week to finish the race. "We had a great first night on the water and we had managed to keep right up there," he said.
But he added that "the most important thing is that all the crew are safe and we have had no injuries".
Last year, Wild Oats XI became the first boat in the race's history to complete the triple of line and handicap honours and a race record.
It wiped more than an hour off the previous time to win the 628-nautical mile (723 mile; 1,163km) race last year in one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds.