This year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race will be sailed at a cracking pace but a record time is anything but a given for Wild Oats XI, according to weather forecasters.
The official long-range weather forecast has delivered mixed news for the leading maxis including Wild Oats XI, which is chasing a fourth straight line honours win.
The fleet is expected to get a sleigh ride down the New South Wales coast on the back of 20 to 25 knot northerly winds on Friday and Saturday.
But it's a forecast westerly change in Bass Strait on Sunday that is likely to determine whether Wild Oats XI's 2005 record time of 1day 18hr 40min 10sec can be lowered.
