Oxley’s InfoTrack all set for Sydney to Hobart assault

A day of recovery from Christmas festivities for some. A day of bargain hunting for others. And the biggest day of the year for Wollongong’s Ty Oxley. 

The experienced sailor has spent the past 12 months preparing for this day as he embarks on yet another Sydney to Hobart tilt on board supermaxi InfoTrack. 

More specifically, he has been preparing for 1pm, the moment the starter’s cannon is fired and the race to Sydney Heads begins. 

With five supermaxis and a total of 85 competing boats all jostling for position, while also trying to negotiate a Sydney Harbour filled with spectator boats, Oxley is anticipating a tense opening to the annual classic. 

“The startline is pretty intense,” Oxley said. “There are a lot of boats and this year will be even more intense with five 100 footers in the field. It’s a small startline and you’ve got the spectator fleet to look out for, we’ll just try to get out of the Heads as clean as possible. The goal is to be first out of the Heads. 

“It’s a big morale boost to get off the line clean and get out of the Heads first. We’ve done a lot of pre-start training in the harbour, getting our timing down pat, hopefully we’ll do it on the day.”

Oxley’s boat is well-placed to contest for line honours, with 2017 winners Comanche and perennial contenders Wild Oats XI among InfoTrack’s biggest rivals. 

The meteorologists are forecasting fairly calm weather, with northeasterly winds greeting the crews as they sail down Australia’s east coast before a southerly change sweeps through.

That, Oxley predicts, will make for a strategic race, with the use of sails and route selection likely to play a role in determining the winner. 

“Based on the weather models, it will be a tactical race. A southerly is likely to come through, but it depends on the strength and timing of when it comes. Hopefully it’s a fairly weak one. 

“Being a more tactical race, as long as we get into position at the right time, we’ll have a shot, but it could be anyone’s race.”

Such a tactical race will likely make for a sleepless Wednesday night. It’s a sacrifice, however, that Oxley is happy to make to ensure they arrive at Constitution Dock ahead of their rivals. 

“Sleep levels vary from year to year, some races you don’t get much sleep at all. This race being tactical, with regular sail changes, we might not get much sleep. But sleep’s not a thing you’re looking forward to in this race, that’s for sure.”

For the first time ever, viewers will be able to follow a Sydney to Hobart boat the entire 630 nautical miles from start to finish, with InfoTrack’s journey to be live streamed on 7plus.

A driving force behind the initiative, Oxley is looking forward to taking viewers along for the Sydney to Hobart journey and helping them experience the drama that is sure to eventuate throughout the race. 

“This year we’ll be live broadcasting on 7plus, we’ve got six cameras set up to give those in the lounge room a similar experience to what we’re going through. 

“It was one of my pet projects to get it all up and running, it was a bit of a challenge, but viewers will get a good visual and get a birds-eye view of our race experience.”

If all goes to plan, those same viewers will get a birds-eye view of InfoTrack crossing the finish line in first place.