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Wild Oats closes on Hobart finish Wild Oats wins Sydney-Hobart race
(about 12 hours later)
Australia's Wild Oats was on course for a rare second successive victory in the Sydney-Hobart yacht race. Australia's Wild Oats claimed a rare second successive victory in the Sydney-Hobart yacht race on Thursday.
The 30-metre yacht has led for most of the race's 628 nautical miles and was expected to finish early on Friday. The 30-metre yacht, which led for most of the race's 628 nautical miles, is the first boat to win the race twice in a row for 42 years.
It held a lead of about 10 nautical miles over another Australian maxi, Skandia, and the 70-footer Ichi Ban. Wild Oats finished in a time of two days, eight hours, 50 minutes and 49 seconds, about 14 hours outside the race record it set last year.
Headwinds and rough seas have robbed Wild Oats of the chance to challenge its own race record of 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds. Ichi Ban is currently in second after overtaking 2003 winner Skandia.
Wild Oats was at least able to avoid the trouble which claimed nine boats on Wednesday from a starting fleet of 78. Conditions were much calmer during the second night at sea after the fleet was battered by headwinds of up to 30 knots and swells of about three metres late on Tuesday and early on Wednesday.
New Zealand maxi Maximus and Dutch entry ABN Amro had both briefly taken the lead before they were dismasted in rough seas. Wild Oats had managed to avoid the trouble which claimed nine boats on Wednesday from a starting fleet of 78, including New Zealand maxi Maximus and Dutch entry ABN Amro.
Skandia, the 2003 winner, was probably too far back to mount a serious challenge but was sailing well and was about 10 miles ahead of the smaller Ichi Ban despite losing its forward rudder. They had both briefly taken the lead before they were dismasted in rough seas.
Conditions were much calmer during the fleet's second night at sea, with winds expected to build to up to 20 knots later on Thursday.
The fleet was battered by headwinds of up to 30 knots and swells of about three metres late on Tuesday and early on Wednesday which forced nine yachts to retire.
The crew of Australian entry Koomooloo abandoned their 38-year-old timber yacht after it began sinking.The crew of Australian entry Koomooloo abandoned their 38-year-old timber yacht after it began sinking.
Eight crew members on board Maximus were injured and three were winched from its decks by helicopter after it was dismasted early on Wednesday. All crew were later reported safe.Eight crew members on board Maximus were injured and three were winched from its decks by helicopter after it was dismasted early on Wednesday. All crew were later reported safe.