ÜNight falls on the Bass Strait, which separates mainland South Australia from the island of Tasmania. For more and more skippers of the Sydney-Hobart-Regatta this is at least one night too much: After a rock-hard cross along the east coast of the fifth continent with gusts of more than 40 knots of wind (a good 8 Beaufort) and three meters of waves, half the crew is seasick and exhausted or the boat can no longer withstand the conditions of the 76th traditional regatta. When the second day of the race drew to a close, only 54 of the 88 ships that started in Sydney on Sunday afternoon were still in the race.
Different laws apply to the top of the field. Highly paid professionals from Australia, America or New Zealand are at the oars and winches here. In this Corona year, they drive the only three super taxis, but as if they came from another planet. They race over the waves at 15 knots. Your biggest challenge is to tame the boats so that nothing breaks.
The Scallywag team found out how miserable that feels on Sunday shortly after the start. Until then, she was considered a favorite. With on-board resources, the sailors managed to repair their racing yacht. And apparently so well that it has so far not only withstood the storm: it was in third place during the night. Almost 30 nautical miles (55.6 kilometers) separate you from the leading Law Connect, 20 nautical miles from the second-placed Black Jack.
That night, however, the yachts off Tasmania will storm into a high pressure area, which should bring light winds while the waves are still standing. The teams will then hardly come to rest with constant sails changing and the search for the right course. The Derwent River, the elongated fjord to the finish line in the port of Hobart, with its usual lulls can still cause surprises in the end.
Only one person has managed to break into the phalanx of the great: the Stefan Racing, the pink 80-foot racing yacht decorated with rainbows and hearts, is currently in fourth place, less than 30 nautical miles behind the giants. It is run by racing veteran Grant Wharington. “Wharo” already has 27 Sydney-Hobart races under its belt – very different from its young team members. His son Oli will contest his first Sydney-Hobart this year at the age of 25, just like the sons of the other co-owners, Jarrod Sallis, who is also 25, and Zac Heyes, just 18.
“It was a bit uncomfortable last night,” says Wharington, also with the veteran’s callousness. “But we haven’t seen too many dramas.” Then he adds, looking at miserable seasickness: “Some of the boys weren’t doing too well. You are a little battered. But they do it properly. They take over the kitchen and help out a bit below deck. ”Anyone who knows the Australian sailors can read his words and suspects how emaciated“ the boys ”might be after a 24-hour storm with total darkness.
Especially since there is also nothing to cook: Energy bars and drinks are the only things that sailors consume under this exertion. Everyone loses around five kilograms on the 628 nautical miles (1063 kilometers) to Hobart. Eating, drinking and partying will only take place in Hobart harbor, where the pubs won’t close until Sunday. The teams of the three Maxis and the Stefan Sailing should reach the quay wall at the earliest on Tuesday morning German time.
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