Rogue yacht ‘wins’

Press, 30 December 1978, Page 6

Rogue yacht ‘wins’

NZPA Hobart | The $275,000 aluminium sloop Siska has finished her dash from Sydney to Hobart well ahead of the Sydney-Hobart yacht race fleet. In brilliant sunshine and surrounded by a flotilla of dozens of spectator craft Siska finished at 6.06 p.m. in a time of about three davs, 6hr Imin. Siska. owned and sailed by the West Australian millionaire. Roily Tasker, was excluded from the Sydney-Hobart race because she did not have the necessary international off-shore racing certificate. Tasker started smin before the rest of the Hobart fleet on Boxing Dav and with his sparkling time has gained a measure of personal satisfaction. At the last report the official race leaders. Apollo and Helsal. were off Tasmania's east coast and not expected to finish until this morning.

ti The unpredictable nature < .'the Tasman Sea last night fri » trated yachtsmen and threw th ■ race wide open. Near mill-pond conditions vir tually becalmed ihe leadin vachts as they made their wax ; down the east coast of Tasmania j Worst hit when the light north easterly breezes dropped as low as three knots were the two big gest yachts in the race. Ana ’ conda II and Helsal Both Ana ' conda and Helsal struggled tc cover only 24 miles in nine hour* ’ as (hex wallowed off the coast oi Tasmania. Bui the 20m yellow hulled Apollo, with Jack Rooklyn a the helm, revelled in the condit . tions, travelling 45 miles in the same period to recapture the lead. Late vesterdav Apollo was jusl south of Schouten Island i” southern Tasmania and held r 41-mile lead over Helsal tTonx Fisher).