The Reichel-Pugh 63 Loki, owned by veteran Aussie sailor Stephen Ainsworth, has won the historic Tattersail’s Cup after posting the best corrected-time finish in the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Although Ainsworth’s record includes record-breaking wins in the Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race and the 2010 Flinders Islet Race, this is his first Sydney Hobart win in over a dozen tries. Loki’s elapsed time for the 64th running of the 628-mile ocean classic was 2 days, 14 hours and 20 minutes.
“It’s a fantastic feeling,” said Ainsworth. “Having done 14 races I know how hard it is to win. So many things have to go right for you…the wind gods were with us this year!”
Michael Hiatt’s Farr 55, Living Doll, and Syd Fischer’s TP52, Ragamuffin, took second and third place on corrected time.
Only a few hours before Loki’s finish, the 100-foot maxi Investec Loyal, which included American navigator Stan Honey in its crew, bested five-time line-honors winner Wild Oats XI by just over 3 minutes, making it the first boat out of the 88-boat fleet to arrive in Hobart.
Aussie teen circumnavigator Jessica Watson, with a crew of “juniors” all under 21, not only finished the race aboard the Sydney 38 Ella Bache, but took second out of eight boats in the Sydney 38 one design class.
“It was awesome, really awesome,” Watson said. “It was close, the whole way with the Sydney 38s. That made for a really exciting sail.”
For more on the race, click here. http://rolexsydneyhobart.com
Photo courtesy of Rolex/Daniel Forster
