The Bluewater Classic is Wild Oats' for historic 3rd time !

Wild Oats XI became only the second boat in history of the 63-year event to claim a hat-trick of wins after the majestic NSW maxi complete the 628 nautical mile race at 10:24am on 28th Dec in an unofficial time One day, 21 hours and 24 minutes.



Skipper Mark Richards has labelled his boat's third-straight Sydney to Hobart lines honours victory as 'very special'.

The time was almost 3 hours outside Wild Oats' own 2005 race record of 1:18:40:10, but some 12 hours quicker than last year's passage.

The win secured Wild Oats a place in the rich history of the event alongside the 65-foot cutter Morna, which achieved a hat-trick in 1946-48.

British maxi City Index Leopard finished second, just 27 minutes 23 seconds behind Wild Oats after remaining within 20 nautical miles of the leader for virtually the entire race.

It was a significant achievement for owner Bob Oatley and skipper Richards, considering their rushed preparation.

The victory came 4 months after the team suffered a demoralising blow, when the boat lost its mast while competing in the Maxi Yacht Cup in Italy.

A new mast was fitted earlier this month and Wild Oats quickly resumed its winning ways, taking out the Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour.

Asked if this year's win was bigger than the previous two, Richards said: "Any win is a great win, but this is very special and I'm happy to be here in one piece.



"It is an amazing feeling and a historic result it's sensational, we'll see if we'll have another go at it in the next year."

A big round of applause for Wild Oats XI...

'Bluewater Classic' : The Sydney - Hobart Yacht Race

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (sometimes referred to as the 'Bluewater Classic' in the Australian media) is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km). The race is run in co-operation with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.



The race was initially planned to be a cruise by Peter Luke and some friends who had formed a club for those who enjoyed cruising as opposed to racing, however when a visiting British Royal Navy Officer, Captain John Illingworth, suggested it be made a race, the legendary event was born. The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race has grown over the decades, since the inaugural race in 1945, to become one of the pre-eminent offshore yacht races in the world and it now attracts maxi yachts from North America and Europe. The 2004 race marked the 60th running of the event. The current race record was set in 2005 by Wild Oats XI, which crossed the line in a time of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds. The longest surviving skipper from the inaugural race, Peter Luke, who contributed to the formation of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and the establishment of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, passed away on 23 September 2007 aged 92, the last of the original sailors who pioneered this magnificent event. His yacht, Wayfarer, still holds the record for the slowest elapsed time.



The 2007 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, sponsored by Rolex, will be the 63rd annual running of the "blue water classic" Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

The Wild Oats XI is a two-time title defender and is pipped at winning it for the 3rd time in a row, which would be the first in the history of this 63 year-old race. Consequently, it is the leader in both the Line Honours and Handicap categories.