Supermaxi yacht Wild Oats XI competes in the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race in Sydney Harbour Sunday. (Reuters) SYDNEY: Australian maxi Wild Thing hit a spectator boat in the opening dash of Sunday's Sydney to Hobart ocean race in a dramatic start to what is tipped to be the toughest contest in years. Storms, powerful winds and huge seas have been forecast for the ride down Australia's southeast coast, with two southerly fronts to buffet the 87-strong fleet, dashing hopes of a new race record. Wild Thing burst into contention early, determined to set the pace after mast problems forced it to retire last year just moments after the starting cannon was fired, which was preceded by a devastating capsize in 2004. It seemed for a moment as though history might repeat Sunday when the 30-metre maxi clipped a spectator boat six minutes into the race. Fortunately the damage appeared to be limited and race organisers said skipper Grant Wharington – 2003 line honors winner – was “back hunting the lead.” Four-time line honors winner Wild Oats XI led the pack out of Sydney Harbour in just under 14 minutes and set a cracking pace down the coast, closely followed by super-maxi Investec Loyal and Wild Thing. Wild Oats, the current record holder, is widely tipped to be first over the finish line late Tuesday, while Britain's Ran, owned by Skype founder Niklas Zennstrom, is favoured as overall winner of the coveted handicap honours. But the changeable conditions mean the race is essentially anyone's, with the first southerly bluster to hit the fleet late Sunday followed by a second, stronger front at dawn, bringing robust headwinds and steep, choppy seas. “The fleet can expect 20-30 knots,” forecaster Michael Logan said of the evening wind change. “Monday, winds will surge up the New South Wales coast and by 5:00 P.M. there will be a strong southerly for up to 12 hours,” he added. Gales of up to 40 knots have been tipped for the notorious Bass Strait, where yachts will battles waves of up to five meters. The conditions are not expected to be anything like the deadly 1998 edition in which five yachts sunk and six people died, but race veteran Richard Grimes said it would be a challenging contest. “It will be more of a wind game plan, especially early on. The trick is to not screw up on the first night, or you're gone,” said Grimes, navigator of Australia's Terra Firma. “The third part of the race is the approach and timing to the Tasmanian coast. If you can get all those things right, then you're in with a chance.” The field, which includes 30 first-time starters and entries from the United States, Britain, Russia, Italy and France, is expected to battle it out at the finish, with winds set to drop off Tuesday and the ocean to calm. – Agence France
