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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2003

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  • Overall winner: First National Real Estate, Michael Spies/Peter Johnston. NSW
  • Line honors: Skandia, Grant Wharington, Victoria — 2:15:14:06

The Victorian super maxi Skandia won the 2003 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race line honors when it crossed the finish line in Tasmania's Derwent River at 4.14am, December 29, Australian eastern daylight saving time. Zana crossed the finish line 14 minutes later to finish in second position.

Grundig AAPT came in third.

The 40.7 footer First National Real Estate won the overall handicap race.

Fifty-six starters


Fifty-six yachts of various sizes (out of 57 officially entered in the blue-water classic) were on the starting line at Sydney Harbour for the 59th Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The 2003 sea classic started at 1pm, Boxing Day, December 26, Australian eastern daylight saving time.

Missing the start was the 49-foot Strewth whose starter motor had blown up three hours earlier.

The two biggest yachts in the year's race competing for line honors were the Australian super maxi Skandia and her New Zealand rival Zana, both 98-footers.
  • Skandia, sail number M10, owned and skippered by Grant Wharington of the Mornington Yacht Club, Victoria, was one of two 98-footers in the year's Sydney to Hobart sea classic. Carbon fibre from bow to stern and feauring a canting keel, it was launched in October, winning all four races in the JP Morgan regatta and all eight in the Rolex Trophy, major lead-up evens to the Sydney to Hobart.

    Zana, sail number NZL10001, owned and skippered by Stewart Thwaites of the Royal Port Nicholson Yacht Club, New Zealand, was launched earlier in the year and competing for the first time in the Sydney to Hobart. Untested in a long ocean race, it sailed more than 1000 nautical miles to come to Australia for the Boxing Day start of the Sydney to Hobart. Zana was named after Thwaites's 13-year-old daughter.


    The early leaders


    Leading out of the heads and into open ocean shortly after the start was the super maxi Skandia, closely followed by Zana, with the 80-footer Nicorette third.

    But by the time the big boats reached the Illawarra Coast off the city of Wollongong, Zana was ahead by several boat lengths. While the duel between the big boats was expected to continue all the way to Hobart, a new leader had overtaken the super maxis before 6.30pm. This was the 52-footer Ichi Ban. But its lead was short-lived.

    By early morning, December 27, Grundig AAPT, skippered by Sean Langman and with minimum crew, had forged ahead, followed by the big boats Skandia and Zana.
    • Grundig AAPT, sail number A99, is a 66-foot open type yacht owned and skippered by Sean Langman of the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, New South Wales. It is a fast downwind yacht and carries a pared-down crew of eight, which is half the usual complement. In 2002, it finished second to the 90-footer Alfa Romeo.

    By mid-morning, Skandia had regained the lead, and was holding it by noontime, again closely followed by Zana, with Grundig AAPT relegated to third.

    Two yachts retired


    Nicorette, one of the contenders for line honors in the year's Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race retired shortly after midnight on December 28 and was heading to Eden in southern New South Wales following the discovery of cracks in support structures for the keel and damage to the hull.

    Nicorette was line honors winner in the Sydney to Hobart in 2000.

    Another retirement from the race was the New South Wales yacht Dodo, with mainsail damage.

    Skandia wins line honors


    At 3am, December 29, Skandia was some 10 nautical miles to the finish line with Zana close on its heels.

    Skandia crossed the finish line at 4.14am with a time of two days, 15 hours, 14 minutes and six seconds. Zana finished second and Grundig AAPT third.

    The smallest boat in the race was the Victorian 31-footer Toecutter.

    Entries for the year's race included those from the UK, the US and Sweden, in addition to the Australian and New Zealand yachts.

    Next page:2004 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race


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