Sydney to Hobart 2013: Giacomo firms as a dark horse

If you are looking for a dark horse challenger for line honours in this year's Sydney to Hobart, it may be worth noting the name Giacomo.

There are others that could pose a threat to the major favourites - the Botin 80 Beau Geste, owned by Karl Kwok that arrived in Sydney on Saturday afternoon, and the Peter Harburg owned Volvo 70 Black Jack are two such outsiders spoken of at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutter's Bay.

But Giacomo, another Volvo 70 owned by New Zealander Jim Delegat, 64, could also prove a threat if the right conditions allow her to unleash the sheer speed that helped her become the 2011-2012 Volvo Ocean Race winner when she was named Groupama.

The 21.5m Giacomo gave a glimpse of what she can do on Sydney Harbour on December 14 in race one of the CYCA Trophy – Passage Series.

Giacomo led Wild Oats XI early and was flying off South Head in a 20 knot southerly. Wild Oats XI later passed Giacomo; but the Volvo 70 had done enough to leave many onlookers wondering: “what if?”

The 10-15 knot north easterly forecast for the Sydney to Hobart start on Boxing Day will not suit Giacomo.

But if the wind strengthens early and allows her to minimise any distance and turns more from the west to provide far reaching conditions, Delegat said they may just get their tail up and be able to force an upset.

“We are a quick starter, but not on a nor-east going out the heads,” Delegat, managing director of the Delegat Wine Estate, told Fairfax Media on Monday.

“I did notice the other day when Wild Oats got away from us that they actually did get away from us.

“We have to shorten that gap, so we are going to need a really good start, get out the Heads and if we can, when we turn right, get the sails up.

“I think having Black Jack there is a really good measure for us. We will race well together and probably get the most out of each other.”

But Delegat is not short of optimism for what speed Giacomo, named after his grandfather who started the family wine business, can produce.

“It's a fast boat, a very powerful boat. It gets up to speed very, very quickly,” he said.

“It has the ability to overperform, so we have to know how to manage it.

“If we are downwind, or on a strong reach, we are going to have to hang on to the wheel because we don't want to get washed off.

“Couple in what the Sydney to Hobart can throw at us it becomes a technical and tactical race.

“We have to work out where we want to put the boat - at what spot - at the end of the first day, and where we want to be, given the conditions for the next day, or the next morning. It's a 12 hour by 12 hour game.

“If we could work out [of] a good 30 knots [soon after the start], we could hang on to the big boats.

“But if we are around 15-18 [knots] I think we'll sit in the water and the big ones will sail away.”

Delegat's faith for what will be his first start and personal campaign in the Sydney to Hobart, has been bolstered by how Giacomo has been reconfigured for the race, the options he has in its sail wardrobe and the strength of his crew.

His crew includes Rodney Keenan as second in command, Steve Cotton as boat captain, Juan Vila as his navigator and Chris Dickson who skippered the 1998 line honours winner Sayonara.

So if Delegat does win the race, will he offer Wild Oats XI owner and wine maker, Bob Oatley a taste of his finest drop?

“I would be happy to give anybody a taste of my wine,” he said, laughing. “You wouldn't hear the end of it.”