Yachting: Hobart reluctant detour

By JULIE ASH

SYDNEY - The Hobart pitstop in the third leg of the round-the-world race is a major talking point among the fleet just two days out from the Boxing Day start.

For the first time in the race's history, the fleet will sail in the annual 630-nautical mile race from Sydney to Hobart en route to Auckland.

The race will be suspended for 3 1/2 hours while the fleet stops off at Hobart before continuing its 2050-nautical mile run to Auckland.

The round-the-world fleet will start ahead of the Sydney to Hobart competitors and is not allowed to make any repairs in Hobart.

Amer Sports One skipper Grant Dalton said everyone had an opinion on the Hobart stop.

"I think the politically correct opinion you'll get from everyone is that the stop is okay. But any good honest Kiwi will tell you that they want to go straight home.

"I am a good honest Kiwi and I'd rather go straight home. But I don't have a major problem with going to Hobart."

Having competed in the Sydney to Hobart race at least six times, Dalton said after seeing the long-range weather forecast that he was expecting a quick run to Hobart.

"The weather doesn't look too bad. But it is never easy.

"Normally you get to stop for a scallop pie at the end of it but we won't get to do that this time."

Tyco skipper Kevin Shoebridge has also competed in the blue-water classic several times.

"Personally I'd rather go straight to Auckland," said Shoebridge.

The crews of Tyco, News Corp, illbruck and Assa Abloy competed in the Sydney to Hobart last year on older generation boats.

"The fleet was actually very split by the time we got to Hobart, due to the nature of the race, lots of wind and damage," said Shoebridge.

"Half the time I have done the Sydney to Hobart we have ended up drifting up the river into Hobart. So I hope that won't be the case this time."

Tyco had to retire from the second leg with a broken rudder. Their Sydney-built replacement is fitted.

Shoebridge said he was not concerned about the remainder of the Sydney to Hobart fleet.

"I think we are all concerned with the eight boats on the table at the moment and haven't given much thought about the maxis.

"It is a big leg for us, especially after the disappointment of the last leg - so we need to have a blinder basically."

The all-female crew on Amer Sport Too, last overall, have been heavily criticised for their performances so far in the race, but skipper Lisa McDonald said they were raring to go.

"It will be interesting for us, it's completely different from anything we have raced in before, in that it is a relatively short sprint.

"We've had two pretty tough legs but we were pretty close to other boats and we have found that we have certain points of sail and certain conditions we are competitive in."