New Zealand super-maxi Alfa Romeo led the fleet out of harbour at the start of the 65th annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race yesterday ahead of defending champion Wild Oats XI.
Skipper Neville Crichton made the most of early spinnaker problems on board the Australian super-maxi to take Alfa Romeo to the head of the 100-yacht fleet as it began the 628-nautical mile race.
It was the first time in five years that Wild Oats, which is aiming for a record fifth straight line honours win, failed to lead the pack out of Sydney Harbour.
"It's going to be a tricky race, nowhere near as windy as what everyone thought, which is going to be a good thing for the fleet I think," Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards said prior to the start.
Heavier British sloop ICAP Leopard was a close third through Sydney Heads and into the open ocean, with southerly headwinds forecast for the first leg of the race likely to favour its progress.
The wind is expected to swing around to the east today before tomorrow shifting west and intensifying to possible gale force into Tuesday.
Strong northerlies predicted last week were no longer expected to materialise, scuttling hopes that Wild Oats's 2005 race record of one day and 18 hours would fall.
Giant Australian maxi Etihad Stadium was forced to bow out less than an hour into the race due to rigging problems with its new mast, which skipper Grant Wharington had raced against time to fit before the start.
"Obviously (I'm) just disappointed to miss out on the last one or two per cent that meant the difference between being able to compete and not," a downcast Wharington said.
Smaller Tasmanian yacht She's The Culprit also retired early after sustaining damage at the first rounding mark, while overall 2008 winner Quest did a penalty rotation after hitting Lion New Zealand at the same spot.
The fleet, apart from competing for line honours, is also vying for handicap honours, with Australia's Loki tipped as favourite.
The first boat across the line is rarely the overall winner, and for the vast majority of the fleet, the race proper is for handicap position based on the boat's dimensions.
Six sailors perished in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart, when a powerful storm sank five yachts and forced 66 of the 115-strong fleet to retire.