Sydney-to-Hobart yachts face rough weather

Dec 26, 2011, 6:36 GMT

Sydney - Serial winner Wild Oats XI led 88 boats out of Sydney Harbour and down Australia's east coast Monday at the start of this year's Sydney-to-Hobart yacht race.

Wild Oats last year reached the Tasmanian state capital more than three hours ahead of the rest of the field, becoming the line honours winner in one of the world's toughest tests of seamanship for the fifth time.

Seasickness would be the bane of the more than 1,000 sailors in the 66th running of the race with storms predicted and choppy seas providing a wild ride along the 628-nautical-mile (1,160-kilometre) course.

Because of adverse winds, even the big boats were expected to come home at least 12 hours outside the race record held by Wild Oats of one day, 18 hours and 40 minutes.

Wild Oats, a 30-metre supermaxi with a 44-metre mast, was likely to make it up the Derwent River and into Hobart at least twice as quickly as some of the other entrants.

Maluka, one of the smallest craft, is under 10 metres and might take more than five days for the journey.

The people's favourite this year was Jessica Watson, the youngest skipper in the race. Watson, 18, is also the youngest person to have sailed single-handedly around the world and heads a crew of 10 fellow youngsters.

'The one thing we're looking at being quite excited about is that the forecast is very similar to conditions we had in our practice run to Hobart and back a few weeks back,' Watson said.

She does not fancy her chances against more experienced competitors.

'Sailing around the world is slow and steady and sticking it out hanging out by myself for 210 days,' she said. 'It's a new kind of sailing. Sailing fast is new to me.'

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