Rolex Sydney Hobart - Keels of unobtainium and sails of silver

6:32 PM Tue 24 Nov 2009 GMT
The Sydney to Hobart blue water classic is about a lot more than just the 629 nautical mile race from Sydney to Hobart, Australia, that starts at 1300 on December 26th each year.

No yachting event start in the world attracts such huge media coverage - except, of course, the America's Cup and that happens too infrequently.

In this, the event's 64th year, the mainstream media is going particularly 'crazy', with seven super maxis of 30 metres (98-100 feet) in length entered and we will not be suprised to discover there are keels made of unobtainium and sails made of silver.

Wild Oats XI at Iron Pot - Crosbie Lorimer

Certainly the battle at the front of the fleet will be more fascinating than ever and Sail-World.com will cover it in detail.

However, the Hobart is not one race, but many, as the 1973 built Love and War proved in 2006 when she won for the third time. The winner is based on IRC handicap, not on expenditure and that excitement is usually mid-fleet.

The race is about sailors, skippers, boats fast and slow, large and small ... it's about ego's, rivalry, ambition, mateship and personal challenges.

For many owners, skippers and sailors the race does not start in December; it starts in the Customs House Hotel, Constitution Dock in Hobart Tasmania the year before or at Geelong Week, or at Hamilton Island Race Week.

The preparation time, energy and money involved is enormous.

Sail-World.com via its global news network will bring you the colour, excitement, the detail and the drama of the 2009 race.

If you don't want to know anything about this event, its very easy, a single click on the hyperlink at the top of this newsletter and you won't.

Otherwise put on your sea-boots, wet weather jacket and clip on for another great race.

by Rob Kothe & the Sail-World Team

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