Yachting: Round-the-world racers set to spar

By SUZANNE McFADDEN

Lachlan Murdoch, prince of the Murdoch empire, will sail in the Sydney-Hobart race on board round-the-world yacht News Corp, but will abandon ship before it races home to Auckland.

The young Australian business whiz will jump off the yacht in Tasmania hours before the boat joins three other Volvo 60s in a dress rehearsal run to New Zealand.

News Corp, the round-the-world race campaign run by Kiwi Ross Field, is backed by the media empire of the same name, created by Lachlan's father, Rupert.

The junior Murdoch is no slouch on a sloop and has sailed in past Sydney-Hobarts.

Skipper of News Corp, Jez Fanstone, said Murdoch would do his fair share of work on board.

"He's a good all-round sailor who's grown up on the water. He seems to be a top bloke and he'll be good to have on board," he said.

But even with the boss on board, New Zealanders will dominate the boat, making up half of the 12-man crew.

Five old-generation round-the-world boats will leave Sydney on Boxing Day among the 82-boat fleet, and four of the 60-footers will carry on to Auckland, simulating the same leg in next year's Volvo Ocean Race.

The other three are Bermuda boat Tyco, skippered by Kiwi Kevin Shoebridge, Swedish entry Assa Abloy and Germans Illbruck-Pinta.

Both News Corp and Pinta arrived in Sydney this week after sailing from Auckland.

Although both boats left on the same day and arrived at about the same time, neither will confirm they sailed across the Tasman together.

Organisers will use the race as a practise run as well, and will track the mini fleet from a helicopter whenever they are near land.

"It's going to be invaluable to all of us doing it," Fanstone said. "Everyone is willing to learn from each other and maybe give a little away.

"For us, the whole trip since leaving Auckland is so important. It's not only about sailing and racing against the other guys.

"It's practice for stuff like packing the boat and getting used to living down below decks where the air gets pretty fetid."

The fifth Volvo 60 in the fleet is Nokia, which smashed the Sydney-Hobart record last year in perfect conditions.

Fanstone says it is too soon to talk about records, but the weather forecast does not look helpful - a lot of upwind sailing in breezes up to 25 knots.

Last night, the New South Wales Bureau of Meteorology was predicting there could be galeforce winds from day two of the race, which would hamper any record attempt.

There are also the big boats to contend with - maxis like race favourite Shockwave, owned by Australian-based Kiwi businessman Neville Crichton and sailed by Team NZ crew. Three other maxis - Swedish boat Nicorette, the recently modified Wild Thing and 1997 line honours winner Brindabella - are seen as Shockwave's main challengers.

Once the Volvo 60s reach Hobart, they will restart their own private battle three hours after the last boat gets in.

Said Fanstone: "But if we finish at night, we'll wait a while, and it will be pistols at dawn."