8:41 PM Wed 30 Dec 2009 GMT
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'Zephyr'
Brian Clayton Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.
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From ten o'clock last night to two o'clock this morning there was little more than a zephyr of wind on the River Derwent - and that ended chances of the 33-footer from Balmain, named Zephyr Hamilton Elevators, becoming Overall winner of the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Zephyr, a Farr 1020 owned by James Connell and Alex Brandon, had to cross the finish line on the Derwent at Hobart by 1.31am to win the coveted Tattersalls Trophy for first place on IRC handicap in the 628 nautical mile race.
As the sea-breeze faded, so did the hopes of her becoming the smallest boat since 1981 to win the ocean classic. She crossed the finish line off Castray Esplanade at 4.35am and rapidly descended the IRC standings from provisional first to seventh overall. With only five yachts still to finish, she is likely to stay in that position overall and third in Division 4 - at least until late this morning.
That's when the International Jury will hand down its decision on a protest against the now provisional first placed yacht, Andrew Saies' brand new Beneteau First 40, Two Blue, lodged by the Tasmanian yacht She's the Culprit was forced to retire from the race with damage from a collision with another yacht, claimed to be Two Blue, on Sydney Harbour soon after the start.
Currently, True Blue is provisional Overall winner from her sistership, Wicked, skippered by Mike Welsh from Victoria's Sandringham Yacht Club and Next, the Sydney 38 Next, skippered by Ian Mason from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.
The skipper of Zephyr has also indicated he will lodge protests against three yachts, although these have yet to be named.
If Two True is penalised or disqualified from the race, then each yacht below her on the provisional standings will move up one place, with Wicked becoming the winner.
The International Jury is scheduled to meet at 10am to begin its deliberations that will decide the name of the 65th yacht to be engraved on the Tattersalls Trophy.
by Peter Campbell
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