Grant Wharington reached for his mobile at 11.30am on Tuesday 26 May and beat the rush. Within minutes of the 81st Rolex Sydney Hobart entry window opening, his maxi Wild Thing 100 had secured a berth. By day’s end, 24 yachts were locked in for Boxing Day’s 628-nautical-mile dash to Hobart, among them two pink-hulled boats nursing particular grudges against the race.
Wild Thing 100 retired last December in the early hours of the 27th when a runner block failed and the reef lock lashing gave way. Wharington, a Gold Coast skipper with 32 Sydney Hobart starts to his name, couldn’t safely repair the damage in the rough offshore swell. That retirement stung more than most because it was the first time since converting the 100-footer from 80 feet in 2023 that they’d raced with a mast properly suited to the hull. Theo Somssich, the boat captain, grabbed his chance this year and clicked submit just 15 seconds ahead of Mark Richards’ Palm Beach XI.
“We got in first. It’s incredible. It’s the first time in 33 races that I’ve ever been early,” Wharington said from the Gold Coast, still amused at his accidental punctuality.
Sharon Ferris-Choat’s Vixen Racing, the Verdier 40 representing Bay of Islands Yacht Club out of New Zealand, also carries unfinished business. Last year’s crew was doing so well until night two, when a massive wave injured a crew member’s ribs and forced a retirement. “We can’t wait to be on the start line on Boxing Day,” Ferris-Choat said over the phone from Opua. “It’s unfinished business.”
For Wharington, the bigger challenge now is crossing the finish line. The mast gets modifications on the Gold Coast, and the team will address displacement issues that plagued upwind performance in stronger conditions. His sights are set on matching the yacht’s third place Overall from 2024, and there’s another draw: “There is nothing like Hobart,” he said, referring to the world-class celebrations waiting at the finish.
Ferris-Choat, a two-time Olympian with several world sailing speed records to her name, has plans beyond just finishing. She hinted at potentially taking an all-women crew to Hobart, dependent on sponsorship. For now, she’s juggling a solo Trans-Tasman Challenge on 30 May before refocusing on fully crewed racing. After months of prepping the yacht alone, she’s hungry to have her crew back.
