The 80th edition of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race is witnessing a fierce contest between heavyweights Comanche and LawConnect, both vying for the lead as adverse conditions prompt several yachts to retire. As of 15:00 on December 30, 2023, Comanche held a narrow margin, just four nautical miles ahead of LawConnect, traversing the challenging waters of Bass Strait.
The race has not been without its share of setbacks. The supermaxi Wild Thing 100, initially considered a contender for line honours, withdrew early on Saturday due to rigging issues off the New South Wales South Coast. The number of retirements escalated dramatically from three on Friday to eleven by Saturday afternoon, a notable casualty being previous division winner Moneypenny, which lost its life raft at sea.
Conditions have been described as “uncomfortable” and demanding, leading to significant challenges for the crews. LawConnect faced its own difficulties, with skipper Christian Beck reporting a broken mainsheet and halyard on the first night of sailing. “It’s been a tough night, we had a lot of breakages,” he stated in an interview with the Australian Associated Press. “We’re still together, we’re still in the race,” he added, acknowledging the daunting conditions expected later on Saturday.
Crew member Chris Nicholson echoed the sentiment, characterizing the situation as a “bit of a horror show” after the yacht’s wind instruments malfunctioned. “We were looking forward to daylight so we could see the sails again,” he remarked, highlighting the ongoing challenges the team faces.
As the race progresses, an afternoon line honours finish is anticipated on Sunday, significantly later than last year’s record of 02:35 and the overall record of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes, and 24 seconds, established in 2017. Comanche, skippered by Matt Allan, is determined to redeem itself this year after a forced retirement in 2024 due to substantial mainsail damage.
Trailing closely behind Comanche and LawConnect are SHK Scallywag and the American yacht Lucky, occupying third and fourth positions, respectively. The fleet also includes Palm Beach XI, which is slightly further back.
The withdrawal of Wild Thing has been particularly disheartening for veteran skipper Grant Wharington, who oversaw significant upgrades to the yacht in preparation for this year’s race. Wharington reflected on the situation, noting, “We kept breaking runner tails and had some other rigging issues as well. Conditions were pretty testing, and we lost quite a lot of time trying to fix those problems.” He added, “It’s a tough race, isn’t it? It’s something that pushes the limits of technology and people’s endurance. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be our year.”
On Boxing Day, LawConnect was the first yacht to exit the Sydney Heads but lost its lead shortly after by tacking out to sea around 18:00. The first night saw the fleet battling wind speeds reaching 25 knots and rough seas of 2-3 metres. Jo Clarke, a crew member aboard the cruiser Rum Bucket, described the conditions as “really uncomfortable and tough on the body with confused big seas,” adding that while many experienced seasickness, crew members were starting to recover.
The challenges faced this year are not as severe as those encountered during last year’s race, which tragically resulted in the deaths of two sailors amid violent storms. The early hours of Saturday saw the retirement of Awen due to a broken forestay around 05:30, followed by Trouble & Strife, which withdrew an hour later due to engine issues. Additionally, Troubadour and Roaring Forty retired, with crew members suffering from seasickness.
As the race continues, the focus remains on the leading yachts and their crews as they navigate the challenges of one of the world’s most iconic offshore sailing events.
