• 27 Dec, 2010 05:08:00 PM

Gale force conditions take out five yachts within an hour

Gale force conditions are taking their toll on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet with five retirements in less than an hour this afternoon as the fleet battles 40 to 50 knot winds off the New South Wales south coast.

• 27 Dec, 2010 04:02:00 PM

Rolex Sydney Hobart Race Update 2 - 27 December 2010

• 27 Dec, 2010 03:35:00 PM

YuuZoo’s Rolex Sydney Hobart woes

After losing two men overboard within five hours of the Rolex Sydney Hobart start yesterday afternoon, YuuZoo skipper Ludde Ingvall didn’t think things could get much worse.

• 27 Dec, 2010 02:36:00 PM

Rolex Sydney Hobart Race Update 1 - 27 December 2010

• 27 Dec, 2010 01:40:00 PM

Battening Down

During this morning's radio sked with the race fleet, race official David Kellett onboard the radio relay vessel JBW read the full weather forecasts to the fleet, and advised of gale warnings for the waters off the NSW southeast coast where the frontrunners are now and the bulk of the fleet will reach throughout the afternoon.

• 27 Dec, 2010 12:31:00 PM

Wild Oats XI leads fleet into Bass Strait

Bob Oatley’s super maxi Wild Oats XI has led the 86-boat Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet into the notorious Bass Strait this morning, with Sean Langman’s Investec Loyal and Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing in hot pursuit.

• 27 Dec, 2010 07:02:00 AM

Only one retirement – but an eventful night at sea

Despite a night of 20 plus knot southerly winds, hail, thunderstorms and steep uncomfortable seas, the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet has remained intact with no further retirements since Jazz Player withdrew with a torn mainsail last night.

• 26 Dec, 2010 11:17:00 PM

A Blaze of Colour Against a Grey Sydney Sky

Race day for the 66th Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet dawned cloudy and rainy for the 87 competing yachts. The grey weather added a bit of gloom and foreboding to what may be in store for the crews racing to the finish line in Hobart, 628-miles away.

• 26 Dec, 2010 11:00:00 PM

Day 1 in photos

A collection of photos from 26 December 2010

• 26 Dec, 2010 09:29:00 PM

The Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet battles on, first retirement

As night fell Grant Wharington, the skipper of the Melbourne 98 footer Wild Thing reported that his supermaxi was beating into a 25 knot south-easterly breeze under a reefed mainsail and jib. He expects that during the night the wind will rotate to the south west.