Yachting: Rough riders ready to race

By JULIE ASH

Auckland's Dean Salthouse isn't expecting any favours from the Tasman Sea in this year's Sydney to Hobart race which starts on Boxing Day.

Having competed in the race twice before, Salthouse, a tactician on the Swedish yacht Nicorette, knows he is in for a rough ride.

"There are big swells and certainly big waves," he said.

"There is always a bit of apprehension, but I think you take a risk every time you go out to sea."

Nicorette, an 80ft maxi, is one of 75 yachts competing in the 57th Sydney to Hobart.

Nicorette won line honours in last year's event, finishing in two days, 14 hours, two minutes and nine seconds - the second-fastest time yet.

"We have done a lot of training. But the biggest thing is not to break something. Just one little breakage can cost you," said the 33-year-old, who was part of the Young America team in the last America's Cup regatta.

Nicorette, skippered by Ludde Ingvall, has seven New Zealanders on board.

Gavin Brady, James Baxter, Rodney Keenan and Connan Hunt all graduated from the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron youth development programme in 1991 and Ben Costello graduated in 1998.

The other New Zealander on board is Kip Stanley-Harris.

After the death of six sailors in the 1998 race, safety has been boosted for the event.

Thirty per cent of the crew now have to complete an Australian Yachting Federation safety-at-sea practical exercise and every yacht has to have had ocean-racing experience.

For the first time the fleet in the Volvo round-the-world race will take part in the 630 nautical-mile Sydney to Hobart as part of the 2050 nautical-mile leg three to Auckland.

The world fleet will start off its own line, 200m in front of the rest of the other yachts.

Event spokesman Peter Campbell said the race favourites were Nicorette and Australia Skandia, formerly known as Wild Thing.

With a third and a second over the line in her last two Hobart Races, Australia Skandia is edging towards a win.

Following her arrival back from the America's Cup jubilee regatta and European maxi circuit, Australian Skandia has been fitted with a new keel for the race.

The three New Zealand boats entered are Mertsi Louise, Paea II and Starlight Express.

For the past 14 years, Mertsi Louise has cruised the world, sailing as far north as Alaska and as far south as Antarctica.

Owner Berridge Spencer and his sister Mertsi, the boat's namesake, decided that entering their 72-footer in its first Sydney to Hobart would be an exciting thing to do together.

Paea II is the first New Zealand Defence Force entry in the Sydney to Hobart's 57-year history. The 10-year-old boat has picked up divisional wins in the Ponsonby Cruising Club and the Gulf Harbour Yacht Club's winter series.

They will be out to beat the Australia Defence Force's Lady Penrhyn.

Starlight Express, a former Sydney yacht, is one of the best-known veteran racing yachts in New Zealand.

It has competed in many Sydney-Hobart races and has sailed at the Kenwood Cup and the Hamilton Island race week.

Recently acquired by Stewart Thwaites, Starlight Express' New Zealand-based crew includes Dale Barcham and nephew Chris, Peter Sutton and son Ross, and Colin Parkin and son Jason.

The first Sydney to Hobart race was in 1945 and featured just nine yachts. The winner, Rani, was skippered by a British naval officer, John Illingworth.

It was Illingworth who convinced a group of friends to turn a Christmas cruise into a race.

Rani took six days, 14 hours and 22 minutes to reach the Hobart Royal Yacht Club.

The leading boats in this year's event are expected to take between two to three days.

Over the past 55 years the Sydney to Hobart has grown from a club race between a group of friends to one of the world's great ocean races.

It has featured some of the world's best yachts and sailors, and has seen plenty of controversy, triumph and tragedy.

"It is tough, probably the toughest race you could do apart from the round-the-world race," Salthouse said.

"But I'm looking forward to it."