Wild Oats faces protest as finish in sight

The Sydney to Hobart race committee has launched a protest against Wild Oats XI,
which could see the four-time champion stripped of a near-certain line honours
victory.
Race Committee chairman Tim Cox said Wild Oats, as well as English yacht RAN, had
failed to have an operational HF radio as they passed Green Cape on Monday - a
compulsory reporting stage at the entrance to Bass Strait.
"The race committee met (Sunday) morning and considered the position of those two
yachts and we believed that we needed to lodge a protest on those boats with the
international jury for not complying with the sailing instruction 44.1(A)," Cox told
reporters in Hobart on Tuesday.
"Both yachts reported their position throughout and since passing the cape by
telephone ... which does meet the requirement of 44.1."
He said an international jury would decide the fate of both yachts on Wednesday
afternoon.
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Garry Linacre said Wild Oats would be
named a provisional line honours winner if, as expected, she arrived in Hobart late
on Tuesday night.
He said sanctions ranged from minor time penalties to disqualification.



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