Dhe racing record from 2017 remained unchallenged, but it was still exciting. The favorite Australian yacht Comanche reached the finish line of the Sydney-Hobart sailing classic on Wednesday night (local time) as the first boat with a sailing time of one day, eleven hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds. Five years ago, the same boat completed the 628 nautical miles (1163 kilometers) between the Australian mainland and the southern island of Tasmania in an incredible time of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.
The majority of the field is still on the road about a day and a half after the starting signal for the 77th edition of the sailing classic. The Orione, sailed by an eight-man German crew, was 96th on Tuesday afternoon German time. The amateur team led by the two Berlin brothers Axel and Peter Baumgartner from the Spandau Yacht Club reported a break on board at half-time. “Unfortunately, our spinnaker bell broke, otherwise we could sail faster,” said Axel Baumgartner.
The struggle that began on Boxing Day in Sydney Bay continues after the first night of the traditional regatta from the Australian metropolis to Hobart in Tasmania. All four Supermaxis rushed into the morning at the head of the field, which now numbered 106 boats. For the quartet of 30-meter yachts, it’s all about being the first to enter the Derwent River in the next few hours. This is the moment the skippers dread the most: because after the wild ride along the south-east coast of New South Wales, the long river often waits with calm and nerve-wracking manoeuvres. The weak wind has literally cost many a racing yacht, which looked like a sure winner, victory in the last few meters.
The Comanche, who had been the first to reach the open sea the day before, were already in the lead at midday in Australia. She is a returnee: After victories in 2014, 2017 and 1019, the yacht had been overhauled and rebuilt, as is usual in this scene. Now she is in the hands of top sailor John Winning Jr. from Sydney. He made it clear that he wanted to live up to his name, and predicted that the Comanche, under his leadership, would have the bows in front if there was a long sweep down the coast to the south – and it did.
By midday the lead was still a good 20 nautical miles, while the three competitors Law Connect, Wild Oats and Black Jack were still within sight of them. For everyone in the field, the night was almost a rest: This year the weather is glorious, the wind drives the ships from behind, T-shirts and shorts are worn; last year it was freezing cold and thunderstorms erupted over the field, which was decimated by the corona restrictions.
Justin Schaffer, on board the Comanche, said over the radio that the crew had had a “fantastic night”. However, the unknown remains the weather: the Maxis at the head of the field will probably be lying at the quay wall of Hobart and the teams will be celebrating in one of the pubs along the harbour. However, the majority of the field could still be affected by a drastic change in the weather and a storm warning due to wind speeds of more than 60 kilometers per hour from Wednesday.
The freshening wind came too late for the Big Four to break their own time record as they had hoped. Nevertheless, her victory is a recompense: At the chaotic start in Sydney Bay she touched the first ton and had to turn two penalty circles, like later her competitor Wild Oats, who is hoping for her tenth victory at Sydney-Hobart. No one escaped unscathed: the Wild Oats tore a seam on her headsail during the night; the change of sails under these conditions is said to have cost them almost an hour at top speed, it was said in the morning.
109 yachts competed in the 77th edition of the Sydney-Hobart Regatta. For the first time since 2019, the traditional regatta was restarted without restrictions due to the corona pandemic. In 2020, Sydney-Hobart was even canceled for the first time since 1945.
