Wild Oats XI sails into Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race history books

12:29 AM Sun 28 Dec 2008 GMT

'Wild Oats X1, on board' Andrea Francolini &copy

Wild Oats XI has lived up to its pre-race expectations and at 0934, 14 secs AEST this morning sailed into the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race history books. Her elapsed time was 1 day 20 hours 34 minutes and 14 seconds.

In 15 knots of north nor'east breeze and with a sizeable spectator fleet escort, the mighty Sydney-based 30m maxi owned by Bob Oatley and skippered by Mark Richards achieved something no other boat has in the race's 64 year history - four consecutive line honours wins in the 628 nautical mile ocean classic.

Wild Oats XI overcame a number of setbacks including a torn spinnaker soon after the 1pm start on Sydney Harbour on Friday, a too-close encounter with a shark last night that could have caused serious damage to their rudders and yesterday's valiant fight back by Skandia to lead the high tech Wild Oats XI for most of the day.

The record for the most line honours wins in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is held by Morna/Kurrewa IV, the same boat which sailed to seven line honours victories under two different owners and two different names, the last time in 1960 as Kurrewa IV.

Last year Wild Oats XI equalled Morna's record three-in-a-row, set in the 1940s, and this year she has taken her own slice of history with her fourth back to back win.

Wild Oats XI is also the current record holder with a time of 1 day 18 hours 40 minutes 10 seconds set in 2005 when she took her first line honours win having only been on the water a matter of weeks.

Wild Oats XI's finish times

2005 (record) - 1:18:40:10
2006 - 2:08:52:33
2007 - 1:21:24:32
2008 - 1:20:34:14

There have been no further retirements with 96 still racing south and Skandia the next due to finish, at 10:34 AEST.