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'Wild Oats XI' increases lead over fleet

In this photo released by Rolex, City Index Leopard races down the east coast during the Sydney to Hobart yacht race off Merimbula, Australia, yesterday. PHOTO: AP

Sydney yacht Wild Oats XI increased its lead over the fleet yesterday, edging toward a third straight win in the Sydney to Hobart race.

Just over 28 hours into the race, Wild Oats, skippered by Mark Richards, was 219 nautical miles (405km) from the finish line at Constitution Dock in Hobart, covering about two-thirds of the race distance.

Computer forecasts indicated the super maxi would finish the race shortly after midday today (1am GMT).

British yacht City Index Leopard was in second place, 19 nautical miles behind, followed by 2003 line honors winner Skandia. Race projections showed Leopard finishing about three hours behind Wild Oats.

Ichi Ban was in fourth and US yacht Rosebud, owned and skippered by Roger Sturgeon, in fifth.

Three boats in the original 82-yacht fleet have retired, the most recent New South Wales entry Pretty Fly II.

One of the yacht's crew members, Derek Brown, suffered a broken nose and cheekbone yesterday when he was hit in the face by a spinnaker pole.
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