Wild Oats reaps reward again

AUSTRALIAN supermaxi Wild Oats won the 62nd Sydney to Hobart yacht race yesterday, becoming the first yacht in 42 years to notch up back-to-back victories in the bluewater classic.

The 30 metre (100-foot) maxi crossed the finish line at 9:52 pm local time in a time of two days, eight hours, 52 minutes and 33 seconds — far short of the record of one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds it set last year.

Wild Oats is only the sixth yacht to score back-to-back victories in the Sydney to Hobart since it was launched in 1945, and the first boat to do so since Astor achieved the feat in 1963 and 1964.