| HOBART, AUSTRALIA 06:30 AM LOCAL TIME-(28-12-2003) Michael Spies, skipper of the Beneteau 40 First National Real Estate has consolidated his handicap lead overnight in the IMS and IRC handicap divisions of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
The fleet has been so tightly packed, and the competition so intense, that throughout the first day of the race the handicap positions were in constant turmoil.
However, with the boats heading into strong south westerly winds and churning seas in Bass Strait, Spies, who co-skippered Nokia on her record breaking dash in 1999, has held onto the coveted IMS lead throughout the night.
At 0600 hours today, First National Real Estate headed IMS overall positions from Yendys, Geoff Ross’ in-form Judel Vrolijk 52 which dominated the division in the recent Rolex Trophy Series off Sydney.
In third place is the classic timber cruising yacht from Melbourne, Tilting at Windmills. The John Dory 42 has just recently returned from a circumnavigation of New Zealand’s South Island, but her owner, Thorry Gunnersen loves mixing racing with cruising and is a regular competitor in long offshore races out of Melbourne.
He came second on handicap in his division of the stormy 1998 Sydney Hobart and the heavier Tilting at Windmills is well suited to the uncomfortable seas and strong southerlies and westerlies of this year’s race.
Tilting at Windmills is also placed well in the IRC division, lying in fourth place on corrected time.
The beautiful American 65 foot racer/cruiser Zaraffa is in second place behind First National Real Estate, while in third place is the IMX40, Sydney plastic surgeon Howard De Torres’ Nips N Tux.
In the PHS division the Volvo 60, Seriously TEN, leads South Australia’s Pale Ale Rager, while the Frers 40 Wahoo from Sydney lies in third position.
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