Yachting: Sydney-Hobart fleet strongest in decades, says Crichton

Alfa Romeo’s Neville Crichton says there are at least five boats that can win this year’s Sydney to Hobart race. Photo / Supplied

SYDNEY - Hugely successful New Zealand sailor Neville Crichton rates the fleet for this year's Sydney to Hobart as the strongest he has ever been part of in any event over several decades of top class competition.

Crichton's prolific maxi Alfa Romeo is one of several outstanding big boats in a 100-strong fleet set to sail south on Boxing Day.

His boat, which has already accrued an astonishing 143 line honours victories since its launch in 2005, is one of several maxis tipped to threaten Wild Oats XI in her bid for a record fifth straight line honours win.

Cagey Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards is already on record as saying Wild Oats XI will face its greatest Sydney to Hobart challenge ever and yesterday rated his boat just a 30 per cent chance of finishing first across the line.

Crichton has contested virtually all of the major offshore races, but had no hesitation in nominating this year's Sydney to Hobart fleet as the deepest collection of quality boats assembled for any event he had ever contested.

"Anywhere we've sailed in the world, absolutely," he said today.

"Normally there's one or two boats can win the race, this regatta, there's probably five boats that can win."

His sentiments were echoed by Hugh Agnew, the navigator of another fancied maxi ICAP Leopard, a two-time line honours winner of the famous Fastnet race.

"In forty years of sailing I've never seen a line-up like we're going to see on the start line here," Agnew said.

Both ICAP Leopard and Alfa Romeo have finished second across the line behind Wild Oats XI during that boat's four-year domination of the race.

Crichton labelled as "a hell of a gamble" the punt Etihad Stadium Supermaxi skipper Grant Wharington was taking on rushing over from Europe a replacement mast for the one broken last week.

Wharington is buying Crichton's own backup mast, but is facing a battle against time to transport the vital piece of equipment from the south of France and get it installed and ready for action by December 26.

Asked what chance Wharington's boat was of starting the race, a candid Crichton said "probably one in a thousand".

"I think it's a hell of a gamble, logistically to get the rig out of Europe and to get it into the boat in 10 days.

"I'd rather it be him than me. I wish him all the luck, but I think he needs more than luck in that short a time.

"I know what he (Wharington) is like, he's a fighter, he won't stay dead until he goes down and gets buried."

Crichton acknowledged he was taking a risk by not having his own backup mast.

Asked about his sporting gesture in allowing Wharington to use his spare mast, Crichton joked: "I haven't told you what he's paying".

Alfa Romeo and Wild Oats XI will race against each other for the only time before the Sydney to Hobart when they each line up in today's annual SOLAS Big Boat Challenge.

Both Richards and Crichton stressed whichever boat in the fleet of 19 got the jump at the start would be hard to beat.

- AAP