The Sydney-Hobart Regatta in Australia will welcome a special runner: a cat named "Ollie". The Australian Broadcasting Corporation 25** said that since its inception in 1945, the tournament has attracted a wide variety of participants, including media mogul Rupert Murdoch and former British Prime Minister Edward Heath, but there is no record of any feline "seafarers" participating in the competition.
Bob Williams with "Ollie".
Bob Williams, owner of Ollie, said: "I joke that we are a 'two-handed, four-paw' team. Williams' race boat, the Silver, is about 12 meters long and was produced in 1960. Although the Silver has raced six times in the Sydney-Hobart Regatta, Williams is racing for the first time. However, he and "Ollie" have a lot of experience at sea. Williams is a retired naval officer who spends a considerable portion of his time at sea. Ollie, on the other hand, was about 10 years old, sailed alongside Williams five years ago and quickly adapted to life as a seafarer. "It used to get seasick a lot and it was a bit stressful at first, but now it's fine," Williams said. With the stakes involved in the sea race and the Silver's "advanced age", Williams will aim to make it to the finish line, where he will reward Ollie with some milk on the rocks.
*: Global Times).