Defending champion Wild Oats XI trails in Sydney to Hobart race

Super maxis held three of the top five positions in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Thursday with defending champion Wild Oats XI trailing Perpetual Loyal by three nautical miles late on the first day.

Wild Oats XI, attempting to win the annual race for a record-equalling seventh time, was first out of Sydney Harbour ahead of Perpetual Loyal, both 100-foot yachts. But Perpetual Loyal overtook Wild Oats XI about six hours into the race.

Rounding out the top five, the top boats were followed by New Zealand yacht Giacomo, super maxi Ragamuffin 100 of Australia and the 80-foot Hong Kong boat and dark horse Beau Geste, owned and skippered by Hong Kong businessman Karl Kwok.

Perpetual Loyal had flown a protest flag shortly after the start, but later decided not to make it official. “We had a meeting and decided not to proceed with the protest,” said Perpetual Loyal skipper Anthony Bell. “At first we thought we had been fouled [by Wild Oats XI], but in a sense we had not.”

There were 94 starters this year’s race, including 22 from outside Australia. The overseas contingent included 12 boats from the Clipper Round the World race, which for the first time is including the Sydney to Hobart as the sixth race of its 16-race schedule.

There were two early withdrawals from the back of the fleet due to equipment failures.