Rolex Sydney Hobart -Skandia continues to surprise

2:39 AM Sat 27 Dec 2008 GMT

Grant Wharington's 30 metre Skandia might have been the 2003 Rolex Sydney to Hobart winner, but in recent years she has been the bridesmaid every time she has raced against Bob Oatley's Wild Oats XI, who taken line honours in the last three Sydney to Hobart races.

In the lead up to 64th Hobart race, Wharington ceded the line honours berth to the Mark Richards helmed Wild Oats XI, saying the Skandia focus is firmly on the handicap racing.

There were a few late comments about a secret weapon from the Skandia camp, but to be honest little attention was paid to that. Sporting Bet odds reflected the belief that Oats XI was a shoe-in with odds of $1.20 to $7.50

Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said while a few punters had taken the chance on a couple of longshots it looked like only bad luck could stop the gun maxi in the field.

'We've had a few punters back Skandia at $7.50, Ichi Ban at $21.00 and Loki at $41.00 but the race to Hobart is looking like a formality,' said Sullivan. 'You'd think only bad luck could stop Wild Oats X1 from creating a little more history.'

From the seamark yesterday after Skandia rounded 70 seconds behind Wild Oats XI, it was expected to see the gap widen, but instead Skandia was obviously faster, she was headed right down the rhumbline and she sailed through the Oats XI.

With Skandia now around seven miles ahead of her nemesis in the southern reaches of Bass Strait, commentators are wondering what is happening.

This morning Skandia's navigator Graeme Taylor says they have had a very long and tiring night, but they are delighted with where they are this morning. He says that they made some very good calls on the wind shifts during the night, and they have also picked the best possible passage through the East Coast current major eddy off Eden, they reported up to four and a half knots of positive current and that is certainly a great elevator ride.

Significantly, The Skandia camp are theorising that the changes made to Wild Oats XI this year, with a lighter bulb and water ballast may not be working. With the wind direction they are getting Skandia is able to sail closer in and on a better heading.

The other possibility is that Skandia might have gambled on a light forecast and reduced sail numbers and hence weight to improve her light down wind performance. If this is the case then as wind angles change she will suffer.

Time will tell

Rob Kothe reports from Hobart - Click play button twice to listen

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