Australia’s most successful supermaxi ocean racing yacht, Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI, entered the first stage of a new challenge today when she was shipped out to America’s west coast. The sleek, silver-hulled yacht is bound for Los Angeles to compete in the longest of the world’s classic offshore races, the 2,225 nautical mile Transpac race from there to Hawaii. Wild Oats XI will arrive in Los Angeles in a few weeks with a reputation that is likely to see her installed as favourite for line honours in the race that finishes in Honolulu. The “big boat” division in which she will compete starts on July 18. The 30-metre long supermaxi is the most successful yacht in the 70-year history…

  It will be wheels, not water, from Sydney to Hobart for the nucleus of the crew of Rolex Sydney Hobart race record Holder, Wild Oats XI, starting in Sydney this weekend. This time, instead of it being a record breaking run over 628 nautical miles for Bob Oatley’s supermaxi, the team will be covering a gruelling 2167 kilometres by bicycle from Sydney to Hobart. It’s a trip that will take 15 days to complete – more than 13 days longer than Wild Oats XI’s record time for the Sydney Hobart race. It’s all in the name of charity. The Wild Oats XI sailors will be among more than 100 cyclists taking part in the Variety Cycle, a Variety Club…