64th Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Defender	Wild Oats XI Wild Oats XI Wild Oats XI is a maxi yacht, most famous for being a multiple line honors winner of the 'blue water classic' Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. She is owned by Robert Oatley, and skippered by New South Welsh yachtsman, Mark Richards....
Number of Yachts	100
Coordinates	33°51.35′S 151°12.40′E- 42°52.7′S 147°19.58′E
Winner	Wild Oats XI
Official Website	http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/default.asp

The 2008 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, sponsored by Rolex

Rolex

Rolex SA is a Swiss watchmaking manufacturer of high-quality, luxury wristwatches. Rolex watches are popularly regarded as status symbols and BusinessWeek magazine ranks Rolex No.71 on its 2007 annual list of the 100 most valuable global brands...

, was the 64th annual running of the "blue water classic" Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart. The race distance is approximately...

.

As in past editions of the race, it was hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, established in 1944 is known as one of Australia's premier yacht clubs, and is acknowledged as one of the leaders in ocean racing in the country...

 based in Sydney

Sydney

Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

. As with previous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races, the 2008 edition began on Sydney Harbour, at Noon

Noon

Noon is usually defined as 12 o'clock in the daytime. The word noon is also used informally to mean midday regarding the location of the sun not the middle of a persons day. Although this is a time around the middle of the day when people in many countries take a lunch break...

 on Boxing Day

Boxing Day

Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...

 (December 26, 2008), before heading south for 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) through the Tasman Sea

Tasman Sea

The Tasman Sea is the large body of water between Australia and New Zealand, approximately across. It extends 2,800 km from north to south. It is a south-western segment of the South Pacific Ocean. The sea was named after the Dutch explorer Abel Janszoon Tasman, the first recorded European...

, past Bass Strait

Bass Strait

Bass Strait is a sea strait separating Tasmania from the south of the Australian mainland, specifically the state of Victoria.-Extent:The International Hydrographic Organization defines the limits of the Bass Strait as follows:...

, into Storm Bay

Storm Bay

Storm Bay is a large bay in the south-east of Tasmania, Australia. It is the entrance to the Derwent River estuary and the port of Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania.It is bordered by Bruny Island to the west and the Tasman Peninsula to the east....

 and up the Derwent River

Derwent River (Tasmania)

The Derwent is a river in Tasmania, Australia. It was named after the River Derwent, Cumbria by British Commodore John Hayes who explored it in 1793. The name is Brythonic Celtic for "valley thick with oaks"....

, to cross the finish line in Hobart

Hobart

Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...

, Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

.

The 2008 fleet comprised 100 starters. In 2007, Wild Oats XI equalled Morna/Kurrewa IV's record of three consecutive line honours victories, which Morna achieved in 1946, 1947 and 1948, and is attempting to break the record in its own right in 2008.

2008 Fleet

100 yachts registered to begin the 2008 Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. They are:

Yacht	Nation	Owner	Skipper	Launch Year

Line Honours Results (Top 10)

Position	Race Number	Sail Number	Yacht	State/Country	Yacht Type	LOA (Metres)	Skipper	Elapsed Time d:hh:mm:ss
1	X1	10001	Wild Oats XI	NSW	RP100	30.00	Mark Richards	1:20:34:14
2	10	M10	Skandia	VIC	IRC Maxi 98	30.00	Grant Wharington	1:21:41:17
3	03	AUS 03	Ichi Ban	NSW	Jones 70	21.50	Matt Allen	1:22:28:10
4	100	USA50062	ASM Shockwave 5	NSW	Reichel Pugh 80	24.40	Andrew Short	1:22:57:30
5	05	AUS 98888	Limit	WA	Reichel Pugh 62	19.50	Alan Brierty	1:23:05:58
6	66	52566	Black Jack	QLD	Reichel Pugh 66	20.12	Mark Bradford	1:23:19:31
7	60	AUS60000	Loki	NSW	Reichel Pugh 63	19.20	Stephen Ainsworth	1:23:29:50
8	36	1836	Yendys	NSW	Reichel Pugh 55	16.80	Geoff Ross	2:00:57:05
9		52002	Quest	NSW	TP 52	15.84	Bob Steel	2:01:00:37
10	102	6952	Wot Now	NSW	JV52	15.85	Graeme Wood	2:01:10:26

Handicap Results (Top 10)

Position	Sail Number	Yacht	State/Country	Yacht Type	LOA (Metres)	Skipper	Corrected Time d:hh:mm:ss
1	52002	Quest	NSW	TP 52	15.84	Bob Steel	2:17:43:22
2	SM 5200	Cougar II	VIC	TP 52	15.85	Alan Whiteley	2:18:11:05
3	6952	Wot Now	NSW	JV52	15.85	Graeme Wood	2:18:46:41
4	AUS 70	Ragamuffin	NSW	TP 52	15.85	Syd Fischer	2:18:54:01
5	1836	Yendys	NSW	Reichel Pugh 55	16.80	Geoff Ross	2:19:30:14
6	8899	Quantum Racing	NSW	Cookson 50	15.20	Ray Roberts	2:20:26:14
7	AUS 98888	Limit	WA	Reichel Pugh 62	19.50	Alan Brierty	2:22:24:49
8	AUS60000	Loki	NSW	Reichel Pugh 63	19.20	Stephen Ainsworth	2:22:51:57
9	YC3300	Secret Mens Business 3	SA	Reichel Pugh 51	14.53	Geoff Boettcher	2:23:40:18
10	USA50062	ASM Shockwave 5	NSW	Reichel Pugh 80	24.40	Andrew Short	3:00:27:24

See also

• Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
  Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
  The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, Australia on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart. The race distance is approximately...