Video of the Week: Peter Harburg's BLACK JACK wins the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge, the Rolex Sydne

SYDNEY – Just 43 seconds separated near-sister ships BLACK JACK (Peter Harburg) and WILD OATS XI (the Oatley family) in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 2017 SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour last week (December 12), when the black Queensland boat, skippered by Mark Bradford, swooped across the finish line first at Fort Denison in a fresh north-easterly breeze.

Last week the 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart line honors victor, COMANCHE, was purchased by Sydney’s Jim Cooney from its American owner Jim Clark, meaning there will be a gathering of four Australian-owned super maxis on the start line of the CYCA’s 628nm classic when it starts on Boxing Day, the day after Christmas, December 26th, one week from tomorrow. Start time is 0200 UTC next Tuesday (next Monday in the States, Christmas Day, at 1800 Pacific, 2100 Eastern).

You can watch a livestream of the start of the Rolex S2H on their excellent website here, and a YouTube preview of this year's race here.

Last week the CYCA live-streamed the entire 2017 SOLAS Big Boat Challenge via YouTube. Watch that 1h26m video here. But Club Marine TV has produced a nice nice four-minute highlights video of the SOLAS, and it is our video of the week....

After watching this video, once again your Ed. submits that, when it comes to watchable sailing videos, size and power matters much more so than speed. Do you agree?