Sailors were warned of gale force winds, lightning and abrupt weather changes in the final days before the Boxing Day race.
The main idea of the text is that the Sydney to Hobart yacht race could be affected by "wild weather" with strong winds and storms, potentially leading to broken masts or other damage rather than record-breaking speeds.
While the start of the race is expected to be favorable, a strong southwesterly wind is predicted to hit the vessels as they approach the Bass Strait, posing a significant challenge to the sailors.
