Nokia, one year a rooster, the next…….

by News Editor on 30 Dec 2000 At 10.30pm this evening the popular Nokia slid into Constitution Dock.

Last Nokia, the Telstra Sydney to Hobart line honours winner in 1999, had smashed the previous record by 10 hours. Her approach to the berthing area was a triumph for modern yacht racing..

This year it limped up the Derwent to the finish line almost 24 hours slower than it had last year.

Bass Strait was not kind this year. In 1999 Nokia had surged across the Strait, with a 20-30 knot tail wind.

This year she was faced with short seas and a direct head-wind. The yacht suffered with constant slamming, which knocked out her Satellite tracking system and destroyed bunk fittings and damaged sails.

Skipper Stephan Myralf addressed the yellow jacketed crew, all Danish except for Australian crewman Darren Senogles. On the dock in a deck debriefing, Myralf told his crew that for them to have even finished this race was a victory of which they should be proud.

A subdued Myralf then told the media that it was a great disappointment to have done so well last year and not so well this year. However they had learnt valuable lessons which would make sure they were competitive for the 2001 Volvo Round the World Race and they were looking forward to next year.

A torn main sail and headsail were the only sails damaged.