On Tue, 29 Dec 1998 16:36:03 EST, Wirt Atmar <[log in to unmask]> wrote,
>I thought someone else might post this, so I waited until now. The news is
>that Larry Ellison just barely escaped death yesterday in a disasterous
yacht
>race off Australia. Six crewmembers of other ships were drowned or killed.
>Ellison and crew did survive -- and actually won the race -- although many
of
>the other boats were put out of commission and had to have their crews
rescued
>by the Australian Coast Guard (and even the rescues were hairy).
[snip...]

The crew of the Sayonara were never considered at serious risk.  Being a new
"maxi" yacht, it was well equipped to handle the tough ocean going.  Of
course, the sailor's lament "the sea is so vast, and my boat is so small",
is still true and even the best can suffer.  As it was, the crew member with
the broken ankle was the head of Oracle Australia, on his first race.  More
significant, another 'guest' on board was the scion of Rupert Murdock, and
current head of News Limited, Lachlan Murdoch.  Should the boat have been in
emergency, the financial world would have been deeply concerned.  As it was,
the loss of life was a tragedy that only the friends and family of the
departed will best understand.

Jim (lost my .sig again!) Wowchuk