Geoff Huegill, seen here with Wild Oats XI navigator Adrienne Cahalan back in 2010, is tackling the Sydney to Hobart again this year. Picture: Brett Costello Source: The Daily Telegraph
A PAIR of octogenarians in the form of a sailing legend and a wooden boat will headline this year's 68th Sydney to Hobart with a fleet of 80 yachts today confirmed for the Boxing Day race.
Sean Langman's Maluka will be the oldest yacht in the fleet, setting south this year at age 80 with veteran skipper and America's Cup campaigner Syd Fisher the oldest sailor at 85.
Former Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill, former line honours winners Wild Oats and Ragamuffin Loyal and the first ever crew from Lithuania will also be among the headline acts in the famous Australian classic.
The annual race south starts in just 29 days, with the fleet to be headed by defending champion Ragamuffin Loyal, being skippered for the first time by Fisher, and five-time line honours winner Wild Oats.
Aboard Ragamuffin Loyal, which will be raising money for the Loyal Foundation, will be Huegill, who first raced south back in 2010.
"Sailing is a bug and it has bitten me," Huegill said.
While Huegill will line-up in only his second race south, Fisher will be starting his 44th trek to Hobart after leasing the 100-footer off last year's winner skipper Anthony Bell for the 68th edition of the race.
But Tony Cable can outstrip this with the Sydney sailor lining up in a record 47th Sydney to Hobart aboard Duende.
The race starts on Sydney Harbour at 1pm on December 26 with the line honours winner expected to make it to the finish line on the Derwent River around two days later.
The battle for the overall honorus - one of the most prestigious trophies in world ocean racing - is expected to be a cracker this year, with nine former winners in the fleet, including Bob Steel and his team on Quest.
Steel is a two-time overall winner after victories in 2002 and 2008.
"I like to say the Sydney to Hobart is like a beautiful women ... she keeps luring me back," said Steel, who is making a comeback after staying onshore last year.
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