wildthing 100 racing yacht

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

Wild Thing 100

Wild Thing 100 will be the newest 100 ft maxi to be launched when it makes its debut in this year’s race.  Owner Grant Wharrington has extended Stefan Racing, a Botin 80, which he sailed to fourth over the line in 2021 and 6th last year.  Under the extension, the yacht has been rebranded as Wild Thing 100.  Wharrington took Line Honours in 2003 with his previous Wild Thing, but the following year, whilst leading the fleet to Hobart, she lost her canting keel and capsized in Bass Strait. 

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• Line Honours

Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

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Close finish for wild thing 100 & moneypenny in rolex sydney hobart race.

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1900hrs

Image Credit: CYCA/Salty Dingo

They said it couldn’t be done and that just drove Grant Wharington to prove the doubters wrong when he built the new 100 foot Wild Thing 100 in five months and made both the start and finish lines of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Wharington and crew, including son, Oli, on his third Sydney Hobart and 21-year-old daughter Georgia, doing her first, were as thrilled as everyone else when he moored at the King Street Pier late today after crossing the finish line at 06:09:06pm.

Wild Thing 100 finished just short of an hour behind Sean Langman’s Moneypenny which had been in a battle royale with URM Group and Alive for the overall win. The pair were fifth and sixth boats to finish the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race.

Wharington said, “We wouldn’t have gone to the start line if we thought we would not have made the finish line. That would be foolhardy.”

Wharington could not heap enough praise on his build team of Theo and Paddy and his main build team of Theo (Somssich) and Paddy (Lambourne). “They worked hard to get the boat done, even working on Christmas Day. I couldn’t have done it without them.

“We have fantastic people who are dedicated. This morning I saw a few friends had retired; Witty with Scallywag, Spiesy on Maritimo, so I was grateful we finished. Grateful.

“We knew we couldn’t win, but we are here with our heads held high. We are still starting at the bottom and I know we will get better from here.”

Wharington said having his kids involved in the race “has given me a new enthusiasm for the sport. I like designing and building, so to do this also with the new boat also gave me enthusiasm.”

Earlier, Sean Langman’s chances of winning the race evaporated when he decided to take a ‘short cut’, the most direct route to the finish. Moneypenny, a Reichel/Pugh 69, is currently placed third overall, a great result, but not what Langman was looking for.

The next boats due to finish are David Gotze’s No Limit and the first of the TP52s, Sebastien Bohm’s Smuggler, the Max Klink skippered Caro and Sam Haynes’ 2022 winner, Celestial. The four boats are not due till tomorrow from 9.30am.

In other news, more retirements today. Bacardi, Allegresse and Cyan Moon. Bacardi, which contested its 30th Sydney Hobart, the most by any boat, suffered damage, the New Zealand crew of two-handed entry Allegresse pulled out with fatigue, while Cyan Moon had rig damage.

The Line Honours podium n the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is now complete, with the RP72 URM Group becoming the third boat in this year’s fleet to cross the finish line this afternoon. URM Group finished the 628 nautical mile race organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) in a time of 2 days 02 hours 07 minutes 19 seconds.

Owned by Anthony Johnston, URM Group’s third place behind line honours winner LawConnect and second placed Andoo Comanche signed off a brilliant race by the team. URM Group spent much of the race in a tight tussle with two other mini maxis, Philip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas) and Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny (NSW). However, today URM Group managed to jump away and beat them both to the finish line ending its campaign with a superb sail up the Derwent River into Hobart.

Click here for the full story and images on the official race website

A longer news story will be upload onto the News section of the RSHYR website later today. 

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Boxing Day miracle as Wild Thing set for Sydney-Hobart

Sydney to Hobart veteran Carl Crafoord has hailed Wild Thing 100's journey from the workshop to the start line as a "miracle" and insists she can challenge her rival supermaxis for line honours in the venerable yacht race.

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Property developer Grant Wharington, one of sailing's liveliest characters, spent six months this year extending his 2022 Sydney to Hobart entrant, Botin 80 Stefan Racing, into a fully fledged 100-footer.

Newly christened Wild Thing, the boat is eight feet longer at the stern and 12 feet longer at the bow, sporting new sails to match her heftier size and a fresh pink and black paint job on her hull.

Wharington's upgrade mission meant Wild Thing missed racing against rival supermaxis Andoo Comanche, LawConnect and SHK Scallywag in the pre-Sydney to Hobart events.

The 628-nautical mile journey to Hobart's Constitution Dock that begins on Boxing Day will mark her first competitive hit-out.

But Wild Thing's crew did have the chance to test her sails and get a feel for the new boat when they sailed her down to Sydney from Brisbane just over a week ago.

"We could just tell it's a huge improvement in the speed but also getting the bow up," Crafoord, sailing his 37th Sydney to Hobart race, told AAP.

"We had some heavy air downwind and the boat was great."

Until she made it to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Sydney's Darling Point, where most of the fleet is docked, there was serious doubt Wild Thing would be ready to race on Tuesday.

Crafoord, who has been sailing with Wharington for 30 years, hailed his long-time mate's dedication to the project.

"Everyone is a doubter, but Grant wasn't," he said.

"Grant is a visionary, he's put this thing together. No one believed he could do it.

"You've got to give all the credit to Grant and his team because they've done it all and it's ready, which is absolutely a miracle."

The mad dash to the start line has been enough to impress Wild Thing's rivals.

LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter has known of Wharington's get-it-done attitude since the pair met in 2005 in Spain.

"I met him when he was busy doing hands-on work," Mutter told AAP.

"He had five rented chainsaws and he was altering lead bolts with them.

"As each one broke, he picked up the next one. He gets stuff done. I'm a big fan."

Wild Thing looms as an entirely unknown quantity for the other three supermaxis, of which Andoo Comanche and LawConnect appear the best bets for line honours.

But Crafoord is adamant that despite her haphazard lead-in, Wild Thing is not there to make up the numbers.

"The boat's actually in very good shape," he said.

"Is it finished? Probably no. Is it a construction site below? Yes.

"But the boat will be able to sail and there's a lot more sailing to do.

"We've got some very skilled people on board who can sail the boat very well.

"If we can get some good breeze, with the breeze behind the beam, we'll be in very good shape."

Australian Associated Press

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AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESS

Boxing Day miracle as Wild Thing set for Sydney-Hobart

Sydney to Hobart veteran Carl Crafoord has hailed Wild Thing 100’s journey from the workshop to the start line as a “miracle” and insists she can challenge her rival supermaxis for line honours in the venerable yacht race.

Property developer Grant Wharington, one of sailing’s liveliest characters, spent six months this year extending his 2022 Sydney to Hobart entrant, Botin 80 Stefan Racing, into a fully fledged 100-footer.

Newly christened Wild Thing, the boat is eight feet longer at the stern and 12 feet longer at the bow, sporting new sails to match her heftier size and a fresh pink and black paint job on her hull.

Wharington’s upgrade mission meant Wild Thing missed racing against rival supermaxis Andoo Comanche, LawConnect and SHK Scallywag in the pre-Sydney to Hobart events.

The 628-nautical mile journey to Hobart’s Constitution Dock that begins on Boxing Day will mark her first competitive hit-out.

But Wild Thing’s crew did have the chance to test her sails and get a feel for the new boat when they sailed her down to Sydney from Brisbane just over a week ago.

“We could just tell it’s a huge improvement in the speed but also getting the bow up,” Crafoord, sailing his 37th Sydney to Hobart race, told AAP.

“We had some heavy air downwind and the boat was great.”

Until she made it to the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Sydney’s Darling Point, where most of the fleet is docked, there was serious doubt Wild Thing would be ready to race on Tuesday.

Crafoord, who has been sailing with Wharington for 30 years, hailed his long-time mate’s dedication to the project.

“Everyone is a doubter, but Grant wasn’t,” he said.

“Grant is a visionary, he’s put this thing together. No one believed he could do it.

“You’ve got to give all the credit to Grant and his team because they’ve done it all and it’s ready, which is absolutely a miracle.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (@officialrolexsydneyhobart)

The mad dash to the start line has been enough to impress Wild Thing’s rivals.

LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter has known of Wharington’s get-it-done attitude since the pair met in 2005 in Spain.

“I met him when he was busy doing hands-on work,” Mutter told AAP.

“He had five rented chainsaws and he was altering lead bolts with them.

“As each one broke, he picked up the next one. He gets stuff done. I’m a big fan.”

Wild Thing looms as an entirely unknown quantity for the other three supermaxis, of which Andoo Comanche and LawConnect appear the best bets for line honours.

But Crafoord is adamant that despite her haphazard lead-in, Wild Thing is not there to make up the numbers.

“The boat’s actually in very good shape,” he said. 

“Is it finished? Probably no. Is it a construction site below? Yes. 

“But the boat will be able to sail and there’s a lot more sailing to do.

“We’ve got some very skilled people on board who can sail the boat very well. 

“If we can get some good breeze, with the breeze behind the beam, we’ll be in very good shape.”

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Wild Thing saga gets nasty as owner pays out on “Wharo” in court

Daily Telegraph. By Brenden Hills:

IT WAS the high-profile sailing partnership that promised a return to the glory days of its maiden win in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

But the team behind the drama-plagued 100-footer Wild Thing has imploded in a mire of bankruptcy, financial disputes and accusations of incompetence that famously saw the vessel disqualified just three hours before the start of the 2012 race.

The boat’s skipper Grant Wharington has been bankrupted following a disastrous property project in Victoria and has fallen out royally with the boat’s alleged owner David Price over finances and the failures of Wild Thing .

Mr Wharington’s affairs are now being scrutinised by bankruptcy trustee Pitcher Partners and Mr Price ­appeared as a witness at his bankruptcy examination in the Federal Court of Australia on Wednesday.

Under questioning by ­lawyer Innis Cull, Mr Price blamed Mr Wharington for the team being disqualified from the 2012 race, which he believes Wild Thing would have won.

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How a bitter feud sank the Sydney to Hobart race yacht Wild Thing

IT WAS the high-profile sailing partnership that promised a return to the glory days of its maiden win in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. But the team behind the drama-plagued Wild Thing has imploded.

Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.

IT WAS the high-profile sailing partnership that promised a return to the glory days of its maiden win in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race.

But the team behind the drama-plagued 100-footer Wild Thing has imploded in a mire of bankruptcy, financial disputes and accusations of incompetence that famously saw the vessel disqualified just three hours before the start of the 2012 race.

The boat’s skipper Grant Wharington has been bankrupted following a disastrous property project in Victoria and has fallen out royally with the boat’s alleged owner David Price over finances and the failures of Wild Thing.

Mr Wharington’s affairs are now being scrutinised by bankruptcy trustee Pitcher Partners and Mr Price ­appeared as a witness at his bankruptcy examination in the Federal Court of Australia on Wednesday.

GRANT WHARINGTON SHATTERED AFTER WILD THING RULED OUT OF RACE

WILD THING CREW GUTTED AFTER SYDNEY TO HOBART RACE DISQUALIFICATION

SYDNEY TO HOBART DEBUTANT GIVEN WILD RIDE ABOARD WILD THING

Under questioning by ­lawyer Innis Cull, Mr Price blamed Mr Wharington for the team being disqualified from the 2012 race, which he believes Wild Thing would have won.

Officials ruled team Wild Thing had not properly submitted their paperwork, but Mr Price told the court Mr Wharington included false ­information on documents about modifications he had made to the boat, leading to them being disqualified.

“We were disqualified ­because he was inept in building and helping to build the boat,” Mr Price said.

“His representations were incorrect, he lied on documents and … the racing commissioner … forbid us from ­entering, causing great distress to everybody involved.”

Mr Wharington had lengthened the boat to 100ft and Mr Price told the court: “We were led to believe by him that he was capable of doing the works. It wasn’t until the boat was in pieces that we found out he wasn’t.”

The boat is in dock with keel issues — a delay likely to be extended due to a lack of paperwork when he bought the boat from Wharington Properties for a “distressed price”, Mr Price said in court.

Wild Thing took line honours in the 2003 Sydney to Hobart under the name Skandia but has been plagued by disaster since.

It capsized in 2004, lost a mast in 2009, collided with a media boat in 2010 and was forced to retire in 2011.

Mr Wharington was bankrupted in May 2011 after he was sued by Vero Insurance for more than $260,000.

The amount related to money Vero paid out to homeowners who bought properties, with significant defects, in one of Mr Wharington's developments at Paterson Lakes in Victoria.

The examination heard disputed claims about the value and ownership of Wild Thing, which is at risk of falling into the trustee’s hands.

Mr Price’s company, BC-39, allegedly bought the boat from Wharington Properties for about $40,000, despite estimates valuing it at more than $1 million, the court heard.

But shipping records showed it was still listed as being owned by the company.

The allegations were not put to Mr Wharington in court and he did not answer calls yesterday.

Mr Price’s accusations were not put to Mr Wharington in evidence. Repeated calls to Mr Wharington yesterday were not answered.

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Sydney To Hobart Yacht race 2023: Rebuilt Wild Thing Out To Make Waves, Entries, Distance, History

In preparation for the 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, a sailing mad scientist has bizarrely enlarged the 'Botox boat' in an effort to shock and amaze competitors in the prestigious ocean classic.

With the intention of playing a leading role in this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the 'Botox boat' has undergone more cosmetic procedures than an aging Hollywood icon.

Grant Wharington, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" in the sport of sailing, is the mastermind behind the makeover of a boat that was originally 80 feet long into a supermaxi that is 100 feet long, with the goal of winning the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 2023.

Wharington has also renamed the old Stefan Racing yacht boat, which will now be used for the Race South Wild Thing 100. Although she is still being prepared for the race in a boat shed in Queensland, she will be ready in plenty of time to be on the starting line of this year's race on Boxing Day.

In addition to having been cut into four pieces, fattened up in the middle, and extended in the rear, Wild Thing will be rebuilt as a supermaxi and will have a new livery for the race that has a stunning black and pink color paint job. The boat will be 20 feet longer than it was before it was cut up and rebuilt.

It will compete against the metamorphosis of the livid pink and rainbowed 80-footer Stefan Racing, which finished sixth over the line in the race the previous year, into a supermaxi with the ability to not only earn line honors but perhaps the prized overall win. Stefan Racing finished sixth over the line in the race the previous year.

Wharington, who has previously expanded other yachts, remarked, "We cut her in half and put four meters in the middle and two meters at the back and it looks like it was almost meant to be."

Wild Thing 100's significant weight reduction in comparison to super maxi opponents Andoo Comanche, Scallywag, and LawConnect should put her in the lead in the 628-nautical-mile race to Tasmania later this year.

Originally from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Wharington is now located on the Gold Coast. "We are hedging our bets to see how it works out," he added.

Late on Friday, registration for the 2023 race closed, and a fleet of 100+ yachts is expected to line up at the start.

Eleven boats are from outside the country, and some are sailed by just two people.

Former winner Black Jack from Queensland, who is currently racing in another country, and triple winner Wild Oats from New South Wales will not be competing.

With Wharington running in his 30th race to Hobart and also being a former winner with his old yacht Skandia winning back in 2013, the reinvented Wild Thing 100 will provide plenty of spice to the contest for line honors.

In 1945, nine yachts sailed from Sydney to Hobart, and the 34-footer Rani won line and overall honors.

In 2023, the fleet will consist of various boats that have previously won the line or the handicap race, including John 'Herman' Winning's 100-footer Andoo Comanche, which finished with the quickest time to Hobart the previous year.

Love and War, winner of numerous races overall in the past, as well as Celestial, winner of the race a year ago, will both compete.

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Wild Thing 100

Let's talk team wild thing with lisa seiffert  before the 2023 sydney hobart race..

Grant Wharrington's Wild Thing 100's not-so-secret weapon is growing from an 80 footer to a 100 footer over the past 12 months. Their biggest battle was to make it to the start line given the timeline, so they have in some ways already won their race to the race. Lisa is doing her second Sydney Hobart after battling cancer and is proof that racing with your family is one of the best things about the Hobart Race.

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Only 99 days to go until 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

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