The 30.48m maxi sailing yacht Wild Oats XI carved her name in yachting history as she crossed the finish line of the 2013 Rolex Sydney/Hobart Race taking first place for the seventh time.
The win equals the record set by Morna in the 1950s and solidifies Wild Oats XI's reputation as one of the most successful racing yachts of all time.
A night of accomplished sailing saw the her team turn a 12 nautical mile deficit to the newer, more powerful Perpetual Loyal into a 42 nautical mile lead at the finish. 'What an amazing boat she is,' said her jubilant skipper Mark Richards. 'Here she is almost a decade old, and taking her seventh Hobart win – this is a truly special yacht and she means the world to all of us.'
Wild Oats XI was built by Australia's McConaghy Boats to a design by Reichel Pugh with a carbon/Nomex composite hull and a beam of only 5.1 metres. Launched in December 2005, she went on to win the Sydney/Hobart race that same month.