6:08 AM Mon 21 Dec 2009 GMT
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'Etihad Stadium Mast'
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The Etihad Stadium Supermaxi crew and Project Start Line team are remaining positive, but are painfully aware that today, more than ever, time is becoming the real enemy in the race to be on Sydney Harbour in 5 days time for the start of 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart.
Delays on the Qantas flight leaving Singapore carrying the replacement mast has cost Project Start line around 35 man hours (7 hour delay x 5 workers).
It was originally due to touch down at 2pm, but that has been bumped out to around 9pm tonight, meaning it won't arrive by truck to Sydney City Marine until after 10pm at the earliest.
Wharington however, remains positive, and with his phone ringing non-stop (and yes, the Mission Impossible ring tone has been heard!), he is juggling an ever changing timeline and multitude of resources - and still managing to keep a smile on his face and enjoy a laugh with the crew.
'It is what it is (the delay of the flight) - it certainly does make things even tighter in terms of being able to achieve our goals, but we will just keep plugging away at it, and we are continuing to do absolutely everything we can to be in the fleet and turning right at the heads on Boxing Day' he said.
'We will be following a very strict and technical process to put the two pieces of the carbon fibre mast together - led by a professional project team from Southern Spars.'
'The Southern Spars team were engaged because the replacement mast is one that was originally built by them - so they want to see it installed and standing to their standards, specifications and satisfaction' Grant said.
If there is a positive to be extracted from today's turn of events, it is that the truck and its precious cargo won't need to negotiate through any heavy Sydney traffic - at the time of night it will be in transit, the travelling time on the road should be significantly reduced.
In the meantime, the mast team are clocking up some sleep this afternoon in readiness for a very busy 72 hours ahead of them.
by Etihad Stadium Supermaxi Events
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