It was just previous year when the Australians had their first taste of watching Wild Oats XI, Perpetual Loyal and American yacht Comanche go tête-à-tête in the SOLAS Big Challenge. The 22nd edition tomorrow will be as suspenseful when George David’s much boasted Rambler from USA takes on her bigger Aussie adversaries for the very first time.
Commencing on the Sydney Harbor, Australia, at 12.30 pm, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s yearly stoush is a test of crew work, stamina as well as a psychological game before the main event, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, in which all players are enrolled. There was also a guest team from PlainSailing.com – a Yacht Rental in Greece company.
George David’s yacht is 88 feet of carbon, boasting a canting keel and would be the most boosted yacht to be on the beginning line for her very first Aussie race tomorrow. And she is really fast. Her speed was evident during the practice run off yesterday.
Rambler’s CV includes wins in Les Voiles de St-Barths, line honors in RORC Caribbean 600 as well as line honors in Fort Lauderdale to Key West event. She was 2nd on line to line honors victor, Comanche, in the Transatlantic Race 2015 as well as in the Rolex Fastnet Race 2015, ended 2nd online once again, 4 minutes behind Comanche.
The crew of Rambler is really made of superstars, led by household name, Brad Butterworth of Whitbread and Admiral’s Cup and America’s Cup fame. Appealing and aboard to Aussie audiences are Will McCarthy and Andrew Cape along with a host of other top players.