Eighty eight yachts are due to start in this year's race on December 26, and once again the super-maxi Wild Oats XI is likely to take line honors.
Wild Oats is sure to have a rival in the public interest stakes. Celebrated teenage sailor Jessica Watson, in her pink Sydney 38 Ella Bache (Another Challenge) will surely be shadowed by the media aircraft.
Watson will skipper the youngest crew to ever compete in the Sydney Hobart. After conquering some of the most treacherous oceans to become the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world, she will skipper a crew of 10, all of whom will be 21 or younger - making them the youngest crew ever to compete in the famous race, with an average age of just 19. Among the young crew is Mike Perham from the UK, another solo circumnavigator.
"The most surprising thing about meeting Watson is her size. She is extremely petite; not much over 150cm tall (5 ft) and about 50 kilograms (110 lbs) dripping wet."
An eight minute radio interview with Jessica Watson was recently broadcast on the BBC Outlook program. Jessica's item starts at 18:10 in this audio link.
The "Team Another Challenge" Facebook page has latest updates.
Sources:
- Live 90 minute webcast of the Sydney Hobart race starts on December 25 in the USA (6 PM PST/9 PM EST)
- Sail-World Australia
- The Australian
- Official Race site with details about Watson's yacht
- Photo by Mark Evans, The Daily Telegraph
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