Since the early 1990s, as bit of fun, the Eden community has awarded a small trophy to the first yacht to retire from the Sydney to Hobart.
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It is awarded to the boat whose crew crew is first to set foot upon the shores of Eden after retiring from the great race.
This year the honour went to Wots Next skippered by Charlie Cupit.
Cupit said they had been going really well and meeting expectations, until fate intervened.
“We were all set for a good night’s racing across the Strait when we came off the back of a wave and felt the steering go tight.
“Immediately we realised there was a bearing malfunction with the rudder and after fiddling about for 15 to 20 minutes we had a discussion among the crew.
“As skipper I decided that it was better to go 40 miles into the wind back to Eden than to risk 350 miles down wind without a properly functioning rudder.
“With 12 people on board it was a no brainer.”
There had been a lot of preparation for getting Wots Next ready over the previous six months, so to retire early was very disappointing for everyone concerned.
However, the skipper and crew all stated that the welcome they received at the wharf with familiar and friendly faces helped diminish that disappointment.
Commodore of Twofold Bay Yacht Club Rod Van Berkel presented the trophy.
The banter was good-natured and Cupit quipped he would rather not have the trophy, but it did ease the pain.
