SYDNEY, Dec 27: Supermaxi Wild Oats was on course to claim a third consecutive Sydney to Hobart title on Thursday after extending its lead in the bluewater classic.

Organisers said mild conditions meant only three yachts from the 82-strong fleet that stormed out of Sydney Harbour on Wednesday had retired from the 628-nautical-mile race.

In another mishap, a sailor aboard the yacht Capriccio of Rhu severed the tip of a finger in an onboard accident but elected to continue the race after a shore stopover to have his hand bandaged at hospital.

The race leaders were setting record-breaking pace until winds weakened early Thursday when they entered Bass Strait, which separates the Australian mainland from the island state of Tasmania where the race ends.

Australia’s Wild Oats was about 19 nautical miles ahead of British challenger Leopard at 5:00pm on Thursday, with the fleet’s third supermaxi Skandia 15 nautical miles further back.

Wild Oats will become the first yacht since 1948 to win line honours for three successive years if it maintains the lead and is the first to enter Hobart’s Constitution Dock on Friday.

However, it is not expected to break its own race record of 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds set in 2005.—AFP