Sydney-Hobart Race 2012

The Chevalier Taglang blog features an interesting analysis of the design of the four-time Sydney-Hobart line honours winner, the Riechel-Pugh design Wild Oats XI (and also corrected time winner in 2012). Their drawings show the differences from her original configuration, and include a comparison with Rambler 100. The changes to Wild Oats XI since her loss to the Greg Elliott maxi Investec Loyal in 2011 must have had some effect, as she  seemed to have the measure of Investec this year, in her new guise as Ragamuffin Loyal. See
http://chevaliertaglang.blogspot.co.nz/2012/12/rolex-sydney-hobart-yacht-race-2012.html

Results seem to be hard to find on the official website, but the two New Zealand boats did not achieve the placings that had been hoped - Boating NZ reports that Ray Haslar is lamenting an apparent lack of pace on his 12m Riechel-Pugh design Rikki, which finished in a provisional 48th on corrected time (IRC) out of a fleet of 71, and ninth in the 13-boat Division 2. Some modifications to the boat are planned to improve her competitiveness, but it is not yet clear what those will be. Gary Lewis' Cookson 50 Akatea was provisionally 38th overall on corrected time, and eighth in Division 1.  

Rikki at the start of the Sydney-Hobart race (Daniel Forster photo)