Rodd at his best in Hobart Cup

MICHAEL Rodd had to settle for a minor placing at his first ride in the Hobart Cup last year, but he put that experience to good use yesterday with a perfect ride on Sydney stayer Bid Spotter to win the $300,000 race at Tattersall's Park.

Alfa walks the walk, but it's Slade who talks the talk

AMID the revelry of the leading crews there is one man who rises above the Customs House rum banter with a gold medal standard of bonhomie and quick quip.

Worthington's dog of a day

TO PROPERLY understand this, the Quote of the Year, you need to get the context. See, last week in the NBL, Melbourne had just beaten Adelaide 81-70 to snap a three-game losing streak. Immediately after full-time, Fox Sports' Andrew Gaze grabs man of the match, Mark Worthington, Melbourne's veteran journeyman, for an interview. Gaze is fresh, polished and exuberant after calling such a great match. Worthington is exhausted, but thrilled with such a good win. Gaze: "Mark, it seems like you really started to control the game tonight ... really created some opportunities." Worthington: "The sun shines on a dog's arse once a year, Drewy ... and I was just lucky a couple of them dropped."

Late-season black type lures interstate trainers to Adelaide

THE lure of a late-season juvenile black-type race in Adelaide tomorrow has proven irresistible for a number of the country's leading stables with interstate-based trainers Lee Freedman, Peter Moody, Mark Kavanagh and Jason Coyle all represented in the $100,000 listed Dequetteville Stakes.

Victory For The Ages Has Steel Riding Quest Of A Wave

QUEST skipper Bob Steel has put his boat's Sydney to Hobart handicap triumph down to his crew's blend of youthful grunt and experience and, which helped overcome the potentially damaging loss of one of the spinnaker sails.

Getaway Sees Tony Sail Into Race Record

Tony Cable A veteran sailor takes to the seas for his 45th Sydney to Hobart.

New Frequency Brings Greater Peace Of Mind

AS THE crew of Copernicus prepare for the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, they have welcomed their new 406 MHz emergency radio beacon.

Vapour Trail Aiming To Fly In Race To Hobart

AFTER tasting victory in his debut Melbourne to Hobart race six years ago, Shane La Peyre will take on the challenge again this year, along with his wife, Maryvonne, on board their boat Vapour Trail.

Konica Shows Its Mettle Infinal Sydney-hobart Warm-up

THE preliminaries are out of the way and preparations now swing into top gear for boats and crews entered in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Sydney To Hobart Storm Worse Than Forecast, Says Skipper's Barrister

Nearly seven years after his yacht, the Winston Churchill, sank in tremendous seas during the Sydney to Hobart race, Richard Winning is facing a legal challenge - what duty of care, if any, do skippers owe their crew?

Seasick In Bed But Hobart's The Goal

FIERCE weather streaking through Bass Strait left The Herald's Sydney to Hobart sailor, Brett Austine, laid up in bed with severe seasickness for the second day running yesterday.

Hunter Competitors In Sydney To Hobart

Sydney to Hobart races in brackets AURORA Length: 12.3m. Make: Farr 40. Hunter crew members: Skipper/owner Jim Holley (15), navigator Mary Holley (6) Jan Howard (12). This Lake Macquarie yacht achieved her best results in the two heavy-weather races of 1998 and 1999, where she finished second and third respectively in her division. The boat has lots of crew experience, including the husband-and-wife team of Jim and Mary Holley and crew member Jan Howard, who has 12 Hobarts under her belt.

Skipper, 73, Primed For Hobart Debut

Age is no barrier when it comes to racing yachts for the 73-year-old owner-skipper of Sydney-Hobart hopeful Zaraffa, Skip Sheldon. Sheldon has been sailing since he was eight and is not planning on giving it up in the near future.

Memo Hobart: Lock Up Your Schoolteachers Because Zaraffa's Coming To Town

Age is no barrier when it comes to racing yachts for 73-year-old Skip Sheldon, owner and skipper of Sydney-Hobart race hopeful Zaraffa.

Club Shunts Sydney To Hobart Race Boss

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia stood aside Mr Phil Thompson, the race director of the Sydney to Hobart race, yesterday following harsh criticism by the State Coroner, Mr John Abernethy, of his role in the 1998 race in which six sailors died. On Tuesday Mr Abernethy said that at the height o

Turning Back To Help Stricken Yacht Not An Option: Navigator

The navigator on board the Margaret Rintoul II agreed with a decision not to turn back and help the dismasted yacht Sword of Orion during the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race, the Coroner's Court heard yesterday. Mr Colin Betts, a veteran of 34 Hobart races, said the weather at the time was the worst