Those wanting to spice up their festive season by competing in Australia’s best known offshore yacht race have less than one week to submit an application for entry.

So far a fleet of 66 has been nominated for the 63rd Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race including four 30 metre maxis vying for line honours, plenty of race regulars such as Impeccable and Polaris of Belmont, and a handful of first timers ready to try their luck and skill against Mother Nature.

International entries have already exceeded last year’s total with eight overseas yachts so far representing the UK, USA, New Zealand and Mexico.

This week the first Mexican boat ever to contest the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Iataia (pronounced ya-tie-ya), docked at the CYCA following a six month cruise from Acapulco to Sydney via Tahiti, Tonga, Fiji and New Caledonia. The three delivery crew, including skipper Marc Rosenfeld, will now begin preparing the boat for its first Bass Strait assault and the remaining members of the all-Mexican crew will fly in closer to the race start on Boxing Day, 26 December 2007.

Every Australian state is represented on the application for entry list with the number of West Australian entries noticeably up on last year.

Applications for entry close at 5pm this Friday, 2 November 2007.

The final fleet for this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart will be announced at the organising club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, on the morning of Tuesday 13 November 2007. – Lisa Ratcliff 

Click here for a list of yachts applied to enter 

Click here to download the notice of race and entry form

Official website www.rolexsydneyhobart.com