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SYDNEY - The Sydney to Hobart fleet is set to face its most challenging and heaviest conditions on the first day of the race, following the latest forecast issued this morning.
While the winds predicted were not as strong as some mooted in earlier forecasts, the fancied big boats and the rest of the 78-strong fleet will still face testing conditions on Boxing Day.
Bureau of Meteorology representative Barry Hanstrum today advised competitors to expect a three to four metre swell and south-westerly winds of 15 to 25 knots in the first few hours after the race starts on Sydney Harbour at 1pm local time on Boxing Day.
"There will be a three to four metre swell coming up the coast, a 15-25 knot south-westerly wind and a one to two metre northerly current, so that combination will still make for pretty testing sailing conditions on the first day," Hanstrum said.
"Beyond that, the next real point of interest in the race is a change from westerly winds through Bass Strait late on Wednesday around to southerly winds early Thursday am, so there is a wind shift from west to south overnight, Wednesday night into Thursday.
"If that goes according to plan, then the leading yachts would be sailing up the Derwent with a southerly wind behind them sometime late on Thursday."
Experienced skipper Sean Langman, who will compete on the 1932 nine-metre Maluka, warned there could be breakages among the big boats on the opening day if they pushed too hard to establish an advantage over each other.
Ichi Ban skipper Matt Allen revealed he had filed a protest against his boat's revised rating.
Fellow 70-footer ABN Amro was believed to be considering a similar form of action.
- AAP
