A favourable weather forecast has set up this year’s Sydney To Hobart to be the fastest of all time, although the smaller boats are likely to encounter harsher conditions on their final approach to Tasmania. The fleet of 89 yachts will be greeted by a north-easterly of about 15-20 knots when they turn out of Sydney, with gusts steadily increasing into the evening before a dry southerly change hits the south-east coast of Australia.