Newly launched American yacht Comanche looms as a serious threat to a record-breaking eighth Sydney to Hobart line honours win for Wild Oats XI in this year's Sydney to Hobart.
Owned by Netscape founder Jim Clark, with America's Cup sailor Ken Read as skipper, Comanche heads an imposing list of four super-maxi rivals to Wild Oats XI.
Also representing the United States is RIO 100, which has previously contested the race as Lahana, but has been lengthened from 98 to 100 feet by its new owner, Manouch Moshayedi.
The local big boat contenders include octogenarian sailing icon Syd Fischer's new Ragamuffin 100, whose new hull arrived in Sydney this week.
Perpetual LOYAL, which finished second across the line behind Wild Oats XI in 2013 and also in this year's Sydney to Gold Coast race, has undergone recent modifications.
"This is going to be one of the toughest (races) ever," Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards said when asked to assess the quality of this year's fleet.
He said he had already heard a lot about Comanche despite the fact it had yet to race.
"It's a very wide, very powerful sort of machine," Richards said.
"I think it's a complete opposite sort of thinking to Wild Oats so it's going to be very interesting.
"Wild Oats is ten years old this year, so she's no spring chicken, but it's certainly been an amazing benchmark for the event."
A line honours win this year would take the boat one clear of the record of seven wins it shares with Morna/Kurrewa IV.
"It's the only boat on the planet with a possibility of creating a bit of yachting history like this," Richards said.
Richards was pleased with the way his boat performed after undergoing modifications earlier in the year.
"We've put a complete new bow section on the boat and we've got the whole front end of the boat very streamlined, which has been quite a big improvement," Richards said.
The boat will also have a new carbon fibre hydrofoil wing after the previous one was damaged during the Sydney to Gold Coast race.
Around 75 entries have already been received for the 70th Sydney to Hobart, with organisers anticipating a starting fleet of about 130 boats.
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