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7:04 PM Sat 27 Dec 2008 GMT
Race favourite Crotty Legal and Dental is set to smash the Clive Peeters' Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race record as it leads the 32 strong fleet down the East Coast.
The 45-footer was fast approaching Eddystone Point at an average of 11 knots at about 9pm last night after making a stellar spinnaker powered start at 2pm yesterday.
Race organisers predict Garry Smith and Jeff White's yacht will reach speeds up to 18 knots as it powers into top gear under spinnaker down the coast in the most ideal conditions for the yacht race.
`Crotty Legal and Dental has covered more than 77 knots in the first 7 hours and is in impressive form,' race director Peter Geeves said.
`When it rounds that northern corner it will power up and sprint down the coast from there.
`The race record is definitely in jeopardy and I predict that it will be in the Derwent approaching the finishing line well within 30 hours from the start.'
The race record for the 280 nautical mile race stands at 42 hours and was set by Jeff Cordell's Mumm 36 Host Plus Executive in the inaugural race last year.
Sports-boat Tas Marine Construction skippered by Rob Gourlay is in hot pursuit in second place, assisted by north-west winds in excess of 20 knots.
The Thompson 920, which has clocked down-wind boat speeds in excess of 22 knots in past race conditions, cannot be ruled out from line honours contention just yet.
`It's a very exciting boat and is absolutely capable of taking out the victory,' Geeves said.
The fleet's two Sydney 38s were strong off the pin-end favoured start line, with Creese Property skippered by David Creese in third place and Roy and Dianne Barkas' Asylum not far behind in fourth.
Dianne, the only female skipper in the fleet, had hoped to equal or better last year's third place.
Redback was fifth, just ahead of sailing stalwart Nick Edmunds' Haphazard, which was leading Launceston's charge at the line honours Sphinx Trophy.
Geeves said the sailors would be having the ride of their lives in the ideal conditions.
`These conditions are just perfect, the decks and the sailors would barely be wet, the yachts would be powering along and they would know the race record is well in sight,' he said.
`It's a very exciting race and the finish is going to be extraordinary.'
by Danielle McKay
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