Wild Oats XI leads Sydney to Hobart

Wild Oats XI was Tuesday leading the prestigious Sydney to Hobart bluewater yacht race after rough southerly winds hit the fleet overnight, forcing the retirement of one boat. The supermaxi has a 10 nautical mile advantage over fellow 100-footer Investec Loyal in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's annual 628 nautical mile dash from Sydney to the capital of the island state of Tasmania. "We are through the worst of it," Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards said, as the boat sailed in a 15 knot southerly early Tuesday. Weather forecasters had expected strong winds and high seas overnight as a result of a storm system to the south and the impact of tropical cyclones to the north and the top 15 yachts reported winds of up to 30 knots late Monday. But the conditions for the race, which in 1998 claimed the lives of six sailors when catastrophic weather hit and sank five yachts, claimed only one retirement overnight. Celestial, a Rogers IRC 46, retired before midnight Monday after breaking the gooseneck which connects the mainsail boom to the mast. All on board were well and the boat was returning to port. That leaves 87 boats in the race which sees the yachts head south down the Australian coast, cross the Bass Strait between the mainland and Tasmania and then sail up the Derwent River to Hobart's Constitution Dock. Wild Oats XI, hunting its sixth line honours in the race, will face stiff competition from Investec Loyal as well as supermaxi Wild Thing and 98-footer Lahana which were both within 19 nautical miles of Investec Loyal on Tuesday. "We expect the 20 knot southerly to continue -- we'll be in Bass Strait this morning," Anthony Bell said from Investec Loyal. "We expect the race to get very tactical down the Tasman coast; which will make the race interesting." Navigator on the Lahana, Carl Crafoord, said his boat had a good night despite the conditions. "It was very lumpy last night though," Crafoord said. Onboard Loki, which was eighth across the line in 2010, Michael Bellingham said the boat had been slowed down after it hit something underwater. "Boat and crew all good; we hit a sunfish or large object about two hours ago and went from top speed down to three knots," he said Monday. "We had to drop the kite and go head to wind to clear and ensure no damage. It was very big and made a loud bang when we hit." Wild Oats XI holds the record for line honours in the race, set in 2005, of one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds.