HAMILTON, Bermuda — Tom Slingsby, one of the world’s top sailors, would really rather race close to shore and spend the night on dry land. But that has not kept him from becoming a regular at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which can turn into quite a rough and sleepless ride on the way to Tasmania.
“I actually don’t enjoy ocean racing,” Slingsby said earlier this month before leaving Bermuda to return to Sydney, Australia. “I’ve been pretty open about that. It’s just not my cup of tea. A lot of people love it. I just prefer the in-shore-course-get-your-races-done-and-sleep-in-your-own-bed type of program.