Global articles on espionage, spying, bugs, and other interesting topics.

Spying Claims Rock Yacht Race

The result of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race is in doubt amid allegations of spying by the winning team.

Supermaxi Investec Loyal beat the favourite Wild Oats XI by just three minutes but the result was immediately placed under protest by the race committee.

It is alleged Investec Loyal used a television helicopter to spy on Wild Oats XI and thus contravened rule 41, which refers to the use of outside assistance.

The protest will be heard at 2300 GMT on Wednesday and centres on an audio recording of a conversation between Investec and an ABC helicopter.

A crewman for Investec can apparently be heard requesting information from the helicopter about Wild Oats’ sail plan.

Investec ovetook Wild Oats mid-afternoon on the final day and crossed the winning line first 2 days, 6 hours, 14 minutes and 18 seconds after leaving Sydney.

It was one of the closest finishes in the race’s history but the seven-second gap between Condor of Bermuda and Apollo in 1982 still holds that title.