Victoire Declared Handicap Winner of Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

HOBART, Australia (LOG NEWS SERVICE) — Victoire was declared the handicap winner of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart yacht race early Dec. 30, 2013 1 1/2 days after Wild Oats XI took line honors in the annual bluewater classic.

Victoire, a Cookson 50 owned by Sydney plastic surgeon Darryl Hokdgkinson and formerly known as Jazz, was ninth across the line early Sunday morning December 29, 2013. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia declared it the handicap winner when main challenger, Wild Rose, ran out of time at 7 a.m. on December 30, 2013.

Defending champion Wild Oats, owned by billionaire wine mogul Bob Oatley, who is head of the Australian syndicate challenging for the next America’s Cup, took line honors for a record-equaling seventh time when the boat finished the 628-nautical-mile race in two days, 6 hours, 7 minutes.

Wild Oats set the race record last year when it finished in one day, 18 hours, but light winds this year left that mark well out of reach.

The back of the race fleet — mostly smaller yachts — was hit by southwesterly gale-force winds in Bass Strait overnight on December 28, 2013 with one yacht, Wedgetail, dismasted.

Race officials said two yachts lost their rudders in the storm — Luna Sea and the leading British Clipper 70 yacht, Henri Lloyd.

In 1998.a storm hit the fleet early in the race, killing six sailors and sinking five yachts.

Comments

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *