SYDNEY — During the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Thursday, Comanche surged into an early lead, establishing an impressive eight nautical-mile advantage over last year’s line honors champion, LawConnect, both of which are 100-foot super maxis. LawConnect had initially set the pace for the fleet of 104 yachts as they departed from Sydney harbor. However, a malfunction involving the furling line set them back, though they managed to regain their position, having previously faced a similar challenge in the prior year’s race.
In a setback for the competitors, Alive, the reigning champion for overall handicap, became the first yacht to withdraw from the race. The 66-foot vessel encountered engine and electrical problems as it sailed off the coast of Wollongong in New South Wales, prompting its retirement from the demanding 628-nautical mile journey (approximately 722 miles or 1,160 kilometers).
The fleet was anticipated to make swift progress down the New South Wales shoreline, riding the currents of a northeasterly breeze. However, a wind shift was forecasted to impact Bass Strait overnight, introducing the possibility of strong winds alongside scattered showers.
This prestigious race requires participants to navigate across Bass Strait toward Tasmania, ultimately culminating in Hobart, the capital city of the island state, as they make their way along the picturesque Derwent River for the final stretch.
Notably, this year marks the debut of the first-ever all-Filipino crew, consisting of 15 sailors. Led by seasoned mariner Ernesto Echauz, their entry, Centennial 7, is one of the six international participants, featuring sailors from both the Philippine national team and the Philippine Navy. After approximately four hours into the race, the Filipino yacht was ranked in 13th place, trailing Comanche by about 30 nautical miles.
In the previous edition of the race, LawConnect clinched line honors after narrowly defeating Comanche, with less than a minute differentiating the two super maxis in a thrilling finish. LawConnect, also a three-time runner-up in recent years, recorded a time of 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes, and 58 seconds, while Comanche followed closely with a time of 1 day, 19 hours, 4 minutes, and 49 seconds— a mere 51 seconds apart. This exhilarating finish stood as the second closest in the history of the Sydney to Hobart race since Condor of Bermuda edged out Apollo by just seven seconds back in 1982.
For the record, Comanche holds the fastest finishing time for the race, clocking in at 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, and 24 seconds during its victory in 2017.
