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The pandemic has had a strong influence on all the regular sailing competitions this year. The effects touched even Australia – a country that managed to avoid mass infection. It’s enough to look at the list of participants of the annual race Sydney-Hobart.

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Before the start of the regatta a little over five months and usually by this time is 60-70 applications filed, confirming the intention of the teams go through this difficult 628-mile route. But this week the list of all 43 applications. There is no doubt that their number will grow the closer the launch date, but the trend is clear.

The most obvious losses (at least at the moment) sustained division of the 100-foot superyacht, the first match which I watched with interest many of the media in the last ten years. What cannot be indifferent to Rolex as the main sponsor, and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, as the organizer.

Comanche was sold and left the waters of Australia and unlikely to return. InfoTrack (previously Loyal, formerly Speedboat) conserved in Brisbane and the owner was reported to have lost interest in racing. So immediately two of the “big five” can be deleted from the equation.

For the other three, the Scallywag (formerly Ragamuffin 100) is now in Asia, is a yacht intends to participate in the race, but the team has yet to submit documents. Black Jack (previously known as Europa and Alfa Romeo) returns from Europe. The most famous of these giants – Wild Oats XI is still in hibernation in the hangar in Sydney, no rigging, no keel and are packaged in plastic (see photo).

There is little doubt that WOXI “Wake up” to get into the race Sydney-Hobart, but usually by this time the yacht was already heading North to participate in the regatta on Hamilton island. This time it will be replaced by a younger sister – 66-foot Wild Oats X. the Family of Otley, which owns both superyacht, also owns the resort on this island.

What is the reason? Blame coronavirus, though indirectly. At a time when many Australian companies had to lay off most of his workforce, millionaires, “playing the” race for 100-foot boats at a tropical resort – not very good PR image.

Materials sailinganarchy.com

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