The 90 foot long maxi yacht "Nicorette" from owner Ludde Ingvall is preparing to be the first ship after 2000 to reach the destination in the Derwent River / Hobart.
Around 50 nautical miles from the "AAPT", sailing in second position, "Nicorette" rushes towards the finish of the 60th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race at a good 10 knots. At breakfast time (this evening after our time) the "Nicorette" is expected at the finish. As early as 2000, Ludde Ingvall, two-time Fastnet winner, was successful with the 90-foot ship in Hobart. Whether it will be enough for Ingvall to win according to the handicap calculation is still questionable. In fourth place is the 55-foot-long "Aera" of the Briton Jez Fanstone, who has justified hopes for the handicap ranking.
Meanwhile, after 2 days and 10 hours of the race, 54 of 116 yachts that had started have already retired. Among other things, the 98 foot long "Skandia" of skipper Grant Wharington lost its tilting keel 80 nautical miles off the coast yesterday and capsized immediately. The crew was able to escape to a life raft and is now safe. The "Skandia" itself is currently swimming upside down in the Tasman Sea. It is not yet possible to say whether the rig is still intact or has already been torn off by water movements. Also eliminated, the 98-foot-long "KonicMinolta", who had been in the lead to date.