Wild Thing sails through collision on Sydney-Hobart

Crew members of supermaxi yacht Wild Thing gesture before they collide with a media boat at the start of the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race in Sydney Harbour December 26, 2010.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Sydney to Hobart contender Wild Thing made the worst possible start to the long distance blue water classic on Sunday when it collided with a media boat inside Sydney harbour.

The 87-vessel race was just three minutes old when the 30-metre maxi yacht ran straight into A-Team with the crew shouting and gesticulating in vain for the media boat to get out of the way.

Both vessels were damaged by the collision but Wild Thing managed to get away and proceed past the heads of the harbour and out into the open sea behind multiple winner Wild Oats XI.

Another of the favourites for line honours -- or first past the post victory -- is Loyal, which is crewed in part by former Australian sportsmen such as test cricketer Matthew Hayden and rugby internationals Phil Waugh and Phil Kearns.

Robert Knox-Johnston, who in 1969 became the first sailor to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe, makes his race debut on board Titiania of Cowes at the age of 71.

The crews will have to deal with some rough weather, including a "southerly buster" later on Sunday, as they head down Australia's east coast, across the volatile Bass Strait and into the Tasmanian capital over the next three days or so.

The weather forecast has effectively ruled out an attempt to beat the record of one day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds Set for the 628 nautical miles by Wild Oats XI in 2005.

A repeat of the major storm that sank five boats and killed six sailors in the 1998 race is also unlikely, however.

(Writing by Nick Mulvenney; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)