SAIL: Wild Oats XI makes it back-to-back line honours = 2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-28-2006
SAIL: Wild Oats XI makes it back-to-back line honours = 2

A jubilant Bob Oatley declared: "I feel like I'm a young man again".

Asked what advice he had sent his crew off with, he revealed: "I told them to play
it safe and let the boat do the rest and it did".

Questioned about the possibility of a hat-trick of line honours victories next year,
Oatley said: "We will discuss that early tomorrow morning".

"We are pleased to have this race behind us and it's great to be in one piece and the
crew to be in one piece."

The boat will head back to Sydney to contest the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race.

Crew members said there had been some anxious moments during the race and revealed
the boat had suffered a torn headsail.

They said they had proven a point by winning in tough conditions after the boat's durability
had been questioned last year.

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KEYWORD: SAIL SYDHOB N/L 2 HOBART

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