N.Z. maxi-yacht may set record in ocean classic

Press, 29 December 1980, Page 3

N.Z. maxi-yacht may set record in ocean classic

NZPA . " Sydney The ocean racers New Zealand and Helsal II were fighting for line honours in the closing stages of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race last night. When crews reported yesterday evening Helsal II had closed on New Zealand to be only 5.16 miles behind the 21 "metre Round the! World entrant. - • ! Neiv Zealand, superblyskippered by Peter Blake, had onlv 96.6 miles to go at 7 p.m. (N.Z. time) last evening. Earlier yesterday it looked as if New Zealand could set a new race record. “But ft'ith the weakening south-easterly winds dropping from 20 to;

15 knots off the east coast of Tasmania around Hoban; it will be a close-run thing. ; The race record was set inj 1977 -when Kialoa covered! the 630 mi'es in tft’o days,' 14 hours, 36 minutes, and 56: seconds.. Race officials said last night New Zealand could! cross the finish line in Ho-; ibart early this morning. To: (beat Kialoa’s record. New; Zealand must reach Hobart; by 2.30 this morning. ‘ In third place last evening; was the huge 25.3 metre j ketch, Anaconda ’I, skip-! pered by Joska Arabic, and! lying 16-02 miles behind Hel- j sal 11, skippered by Dr Tony! Fisher. Leaders maintained a;

■cracking pace throughout. :ithe dav, covering more than! ISO miles in the eight hours! i between radio reports. ■ 1 These three led the fleet,' ,! reduced by five withdrawals/ (with the next yacht, the West Australian Evehn, nearly 46 miles further ! behind. Lighter breezes have compressed the fleet and drastically changed the handicap i positions. New Zealand ‘ dropping from its earlier I second over all to twenty i fourth. - ■ v • ; However. ’ race officials i said the • true handicap positions would only be known 'once the yachts sighted land; (and could give tlieir true! ipositions, as many of the;

t< smaller boats’were apparent-, illy out in their, reported posi-, i’tions. " . .1 New Zealand had swept to; |the lead overnight, relishing; ’.the strongly north-easterly; ! which blew' up as they! ' crossed - Bass Strait where; ! winds gusted up to 40 knots, i At 5 pjn. on Saturday the' . 20 metre sloop Helsal 11 led: . New Zealand .by nearly; , seven miles -with a further ;16 to .Anaconda. But the .stronger winds ,saM’ New , Zealand Sft’eep past ,to build 1 up its lead while Anaconda'; . also closed the gap. | At 9 a.m. yesterdav. New ‘ Zealand, which had been averaging 10.65 Imots des- . pite encountering Bft sft'ells, iwas just north of St Helens .on the north-east coast, of ■'Tasmania..’ .