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Sydney to Hobart yacht race: LawConnect wins Sydney to Hobart line honours after two-way river battle

Topic: Sailing

In a finish for the ages, LawConnect has sensationally overtaken Andoo Comanche in the final moments to snatch line honours in the 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Andoo Comanche held the lead a lot more comfortably when rounding the Tasman Peninsula and entering the River Derwent for the final sprint, but LawConnect started to rapidly gain on them.

LawConnect and Andoo Comanche racing to the finish line. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

The two crews could wave to each other, if they wanted to. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

The speedier LawConnect closed several nautical miles between them along the river until they were neck and neck to a nail-biting finish. 

LawConnect's finish time in the end was 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds. Andoo Comanche's was just 51 seconds behind.

If you're new to the Sydney to Hobart race, we've got a shortcut guide at the bottom of the story. Tap the link below to get the gist of the race: Explained: Common Sydney to Hobart yacht race questions 

The LawConnect crew celebrate their win. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

LawConnect owner Christian Beck described their dramatic win as a dream come true.

"I can't believe that result. Honestly, it's a dream come true," he said.

"I never thought it was possible, actually."

Despite trailing by a significant margin as they passed the Iron Pot on the final approach, LawConnect had the advantage of being able to watch Andoo Comanche to see where the slow spots were.

LawConnect entered with a protest flag flying, after being on standby for about 30 minutes during the race due to concerns Andoo Comanche was in distress, but a formal protest was not lodged.

There was also some interference from a spectator boat in the final moments, with a catamaran passing close to Andoo Comanche and the crew being seen yelling and gesturing.

Tasmania Police said this afternoon action would be taken against a 57-year-old man for "allegedly breaching" marine and safety regulations.

"The man was skippering a private vessel when it reportedly encroached into the exclusion zone set by Marine and Safety Tasmania," it said in a statement. 

The offence carries a fine of up to $3,900.

Sailing master Tony Mutter said spectator boats were something the competitors had to deal with.

"It's pretty fair that everyone had troubles with the spectator boats. That's part of it when it's so busy," he said.

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr said they only had themselves to blame for the last-minute loss.

LawConnect is racing to the Sydney to Hobart finish line. ( ABC News: Megan Whitfield )

"We should have been miles ahead of them with our boat," he said.

"The conditions suited us, I think they just outsailed us."

First local boat home

URM Group has claimed third place line honours, crossing the finish line at 3:07pm to record a race time of 2 days, 2 hours, 7 minutes and 19 seconds.

The first Tasmanian yacht to finish, Alive, crossed the line almost 12 minutes later.

Alive is currently in first place to win overall handicap honours.

Four yachts have now docked at Kings Pier, with Moneypenny and Wild Thing 100 expected to be the next to arrive.

Live Moment

Join us for the finish of the 2023 Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Possible problem?

In the final moments, a catamaran appeared to cut in front of Andoo Comanche as the boat turned into the finish.

Eyewitness accounts say crew on Comanche were yelling at the catamaran to move as they tried to turn.

Could this make for an official race protest? We'll have to see.

After leading all the way into the River Derwent, Andoo Comanche won't make it back-to-back Line Honours wins. LawConnect snatched it away from them at the last moment!

How incredible. These boats set off together three days ago and it came down to mere seconds to the finish.

Andoo Comanche was in the lead when it approached the Tasman Peninsula this morning. ( Supplied: Andrea Francolini )

It has been a testing 78th edition of the Sydney to Hobart, with a man overboard, stormy seas, damaged yachts and rapid wind changes.

Eleven boats have retired, including race favourite SHK Scallywag, which broke its bow sprit on the first day.

The skipper of two-handed Rum Rebellion, Shane Connelly, was sent overboard at 6pm on Boxing Day after encountering rapid wind changes off the coast between Cronulla and Wollongong.

Two-handed Currawong also retired, after facing various issues in rough conditions off New South Wales.

Owner Kathy Veel said they were disappointed but believed they made the right decision.

"Last night was quite difficult and there was a lot more of that ahead of us in a long race," she said.

They were the last boat to cross the finishing line at last year's event, making a well-received arrival in Hobart at midnight on New Year's Eve.

Your questions answered

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions.

Who won Sydney to Hobart 2023?

When we talk about the Sydney to Hobart race, there are two major "winners":

• Line honours: This is the order in which boats cross the finish line.
• Overall winners: The order of winners once race times have been calculated to take into account the differences between boats (handicaps). This is because the boats aren't exactly the same — adjustments have to be made for things like the weight and length of the boat.

Line honours will always go to the biggest, fastest yachts (supermaxis) but is likely one of the smaller vessels will be crowned the overall winner (which is seen as the more prestigious of the two prizes).

Here's the line honours as of Thursday morning:

• Andoo Comanche

The difference between the two was just 51 seconds. 

But the overall winner won't be decided for days. 

Until then, we can only wait.

However, before the race, there were a few main contenders for the overall title – here they are listed in alphabetical order:

• SHK Scallywag

Who owns LawConnect?

Christen Beck. 

Mr Beck is the founder of a legal software company, which he created off the back of building a system for his father's legal firm in the 90s. 

In 2017, he was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2018, he was ranked 99th on the Financial Review's Rich List . 

Who owns Andoo Comanche?

John 'Herman' Winning Jnr.

He's the chief executive of Winning Appliances, a company started by his great grandfather in 1906. 

Mr Winning Jnr took over the role from his father in 2011. 

How far is the Sydney to Hobart distance?

It's a 628-nautical-mile course – that's  1,163 kilometres .

Starting at Sydney Harbour, the course runs down the south-east coast of Australia, across the Bass Strait before turning into the Derwent River to finish in Hobart. 

It usually takes about 48 hours for the first boat to cross the finish line.

What is a nautical mile?

A nautical mile is the equivalent to 1.852 kilometres .

It's an internationally used standardised term used for maritime navigation, based on the Earth's latitude and longitude coordinates.

A nautical mile is the equivalent of one minute of latitude. 

Because of this, a nautical mile is slightly longer than land mile. 

How many boats are in the Sydney to Hobart race?

There's 103 this year. 

What is the prize for Sydney to Hobart?

There's no prize money – just trophies. Here's the two main ones:

• JH Illingworth Challenge Cup: This is for the line honours winner – which is the first boat to cross the finish line.
• Tattersalls Cup: This goes to the overall winner.

What's the Sydney to Hobart record?

The line honours record is 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds .

It was set in 2017 by LDV Comanche.

If you've got even more questions, go read out Sydney to Hobart explainer  or tap the link below to jump back to the top of the story.

Take me back to the top to read the recap

Andoo Comanche takes out Sydney to Hobart as supermaxi makes race history

Australian supermaxi Andoo Comanche secured a fourth line honours victory in the gruelling Sydney-Hobart ocean race Wednesday, but fell short of setting a new course record.

The 100-foot yacht, skippered by John Winning Jnr, triumphed in a nail-biting finish in the early hours of Wednesday after leading the blue water classic for much of the race.

It completed a quartet of line honours wins for the boat in the prestigious event since 2015 under a third different owner.

Andoo Comanche crossed with a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds -- about 20 minutes in front of rival supermaxi Law Connect -- and just under three hours short of its own record.

The current race record of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds was set by the same Comanche boat under a different skipper in 2017.

Winning Jnr was part of the team that won the event in 2016, but said it was something special to skipper his own crew.

“To do it in a campaign that I was part of putting together is really quite exceptional,” he told national broadcaster ABC.

Last year’s defending champion Black Jack crossed third, followed by Wild Oats, which fell behind after tearing one of its sails earlier in the race.

The 109-strong racing fleet set off from a sun-splashed Sydney Harbour on Monday afternoon, charting their way through the 628-nautical mile course (1163km) to Hobart.

Favourable weather early in the race raised the prospect of toppling that mark, but the strong winds faded as the boats barrelled towards the finish line in Hobart.

The Bass Strait, which separates Tasmania from the mainland, can unleash perilous conditions.

A deep depression proved catastrophic for the fleet in 1998, when six sailors were killed and 55 more were rescued after five boats sank.

Race officials on Tuesday evening said only three of the starting fleet had been forced to retire so far.

One of them, 40-foot yacht Yeah Baby, withdrew less than four hours into the race after reportedly colliding with a massive sunfish.

Dozens of smaller yachts were still in the water Wednesday morning, competing for the handicap prize, which compensates for boat size.

READ BELOW FOR A FULL WRAP OF ALL THE ACTION FROM THE RACE!

Comanche held a consistent lead of 20 nautical miles throughout the afternoon as it moved towards the Derwent with LawConnect telling the Nine papers they expect to arrive at Constitution Dock in Hobart at around 2am AEDT.

As darkness neared, Wild Oats XI fell back into fourth having suffered sail damage overnight while reigning line honours winner Black Jack was third, some five nautical miles behind LawConnect.

FOLLOW THE LIVE RACE TRACKER HERE

Comanche led the fleet into Bass Strait in the early morning, but slipping well behind LDV Comanche’s race record from 2017. Three of the four supermaxis (100-plus-footers) ran well east of the rhumbline to take advantage of marginally stronger winds, before turning back towards the coast of Tasmania around midday.

There were two retirements on the first day, with two-hander Avalanche the first to pull back to shore with a damaged bowsprit after a collision with Llama II just outside the Sydney Heads. Llama II escaped with only superficial damage.

Yeah Baby then retired in the evening after sustaining rudder damage near Wollongong due to a collision with a sunfish, but returned safely to Sydney.

Koa then became the third retirement after breaking her rudder, and is set to be towed to Eden on the NSW south coast, leaving 106 yachts still in the race. Enterprise Next Generation put in a request for redress after helping their stricken rival.

WILD OATS COPS DAMAGE OVERNIGHT

Hamilton Island Wild Oats came within 0.3 nautical miles of Black Jack around 2am overnight in the hunt for third position, before Black Jack surged in the early morning.

The pair traded positions throughout the day, with Wild Oats taking a line significantly closer to rhumbline.

It followed a wild start where both Comanche and Wild Oats were forced to take penalty turns following a series of near-misses in Sydney Harbour (more below).

Wild Oats - hunting a record tenth line honours win - then suffered damage to one of their two largest sails overnight.

Their veteran crewman Chris Links told NewsLocal a seam across one of their large downwind sails split, requiring running repairs on deck.

“It is not an easy job,’’ Links said.

“It has a cable in it and we had to do the repair on deck.

“It took around one and a half hours to repair.’’

LIVE STREAM

Watch live on-board action from LawConnect below.

WILD START CAUSES CHAOS

“Protest, get the flag up, that was f***ing bull***t,” someone yelled on Andoo Comanche in the first two minutes after being cut off by rival supermaxis LawConnect and Black Jack.

URM and LawConnect were also “inches” away from crashing into each other, according to URM skipper Ashley-Jones.

Less than a minute later, one of the crew was heard barking: “you’re asking for a clusterf***, we’re going to be in a collision,” and labelled one rival a “f***ing idiot”.

Comanche hit a turning mark as it exited the heads and was later spotted flying a protest flag of their own, after another boat protested them.

On Wild Oats, which took two penalty turns, skipper Mark Richards could be heard yelling “furl, furl, we are going to do a 720 (penalty turn)”.

Wild Oats famously lost the win in 2017 upon arrival in Hobart, after being handed a one-hour penalty for a rule breach over an incident with Comanche.

That race saw the record time set, with 2022’s Comanche roughly eight nautical miles behind the 2017 edition’s pace late on Monday night and falling further back overnight.

EARLY RACE UPDATES AND PREVIEW (via AFP)

More than 100 yachts set sail Monday on the Sydney-Hobart race as favourable winds raised hopes for a record time in one of the world’s most punishing ocean events.

Fans gathered at coastal vantage points and on spectator boats in a sun-splashed Sydney Harbour, which hours earlier had been shrouded in a thick fog that halted all ferry traffic.

The starting cannon fired to release 109 yachts on the 628-nautical mile (1,200-kilometre) blue water classic.

Crews dashed to get out of the city’s harbour on the first leg of the race down Australia’s eastern coast and across the treacherous Bass Strait towards the finish line in the Tasmanian state capital.

A final weather briefing on race day predicted “fresh to strong” north to northeasterly winds in the next day or so, giving the fastest, 100-foot supermaxi yachts a chance to challenge Comanche’s 2017 record of one day, 9 hours, 15min and 24sec.

Mark Richards, skipper of nine-time line honours-winning supermaxi Wild Oats, said his crew was buoyant after preparing for exactly these conditions.

“We put all our eggs in one basket and we put all our money on black for a downwind forecast and we have ended up getting it,” he told public broadcaster ABC.

“I think Wild Oats is going to be very fast,” Richards added. “The world is going to find out who is the fastest boat downwind.”

Wild Oats is competing for line honours against three rival supermaxis: Andoo Comanche, last year’s line honours winner Black Jack, and LawConnect.

Weather is a critical factor in the race, which was first held in 1945. Though the supermaxis are expected to be powered by northerly winds to a quick finish as early as Tuesday, slower mid- to small-sized boats will still be in the water in the following days facing possible gales and changes in wind direction.

In 1998, when a deep depression exploded over the fleet in the Bass Strait, six men died, five boats sank and 55 sailors were rescued.

Black Jack took line honours last year after a tight tussle with LawConnect, ending years of frustrating near misses to cross the finish line on the River Derwent after two days, 12 hours, 37min and 17sec.

Ichi Ban, which is not racing this year, was the 2021 winner of the overall handicap prize, which takes into account the yachts’ sizes. The boat pipped rival Celestial in a race where dangerous waves and weather conditions saw many withdraw.

International boats are making a return after the race was cancelled in 2020 for the first time due to the pandemic, and Covid hit the fleet last year.

Entrants come from Germany (Orione), Hong Kong (Antipodes), Hungary (Cassiopeia 68), New Caledonia (Eye Candy and Poulpito), New Zealand (Caro), Britain (Sunrise) and the United States (Warrior Won).

Sunrise is a proven ocean racer, winning the 2021 Fastnet Race in Britain, while Caro has been tipped to take out overall handicap honours, although skipper Max Klink played down his prospects ahead of the race saying: “I do not think we are the favourite.”

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Yacht Race You Need to See to Believe

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Considered one of the most difficult yacht races in the world, this is one of Australia’s most beloved and anticipated events.

What Is It?

The yacht race starts in Sydney, Australia and takes racers all the way to the Tassie capital of Hobart , taking place over several days. The winner often reaches the finish line in less than two. With over 100 contestants, this is an extremely challenging and competitive race.

What Can You Expect

Interested in catching the end of the race? Go to Hobart’s Constitution Dock where the fleet will arrive after finishing the race and witness local new year festivities.

The race is held by both the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (Sydney). The winner receives a Rolex watch--hence the festival’s name. It is extremely difficult to win and the crews of the yachts compete at the most professional level.

When and Where?

Not sure where to go? If you want to celebrate with the yacht’s captain’s and enjoy champagne, then you will want to go to Hobart.To get there, fly into Hobart’s international airport .

Go to the Royal Botanical Gardens for the best view of the competing yachts. For a fun time, bring food and snacks for a picnic. If you want to see the boats cross the finish line, then you will need to stay in Hobart beforehand. Most boats start to arrive 2 or 3 days after the race begins.

The race started in 1945. Since that time, its taken place every single year without missing a beat. Yacht racing can find its origins in England.

Luckily for spectators, the event only costs money for those yachts that register to compete.

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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is a huge sporting event in Australia that is held on Boxing Day each year.

Attracting some of the best sailing crews in the world, the race travels from Sydney, 630 nautical miles (1,100km) south to Tasmania.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2024, Dates, Times, Course Route & Tracker

The race record is around one day, 9 hours and 15 minutes. Each boat’s time is adjusted according to its size and expected speed, adopting a handicap system. The power-to-weight ratio is the most crucial factor in speed, and most boats competing in the race are ‘sloops’ – single-mast yachts.

For visitors wanting to view the race whilst they are in Sydney , head to Sydney Harbour as the fleet sails out to the Tasman Sea before heading south down the coast and over the Bass Strait. Head over to Nielsen Park, where the cannons will signal the start of the race, usually around 1pm. For those wanting to get up close to the action, head over to Middle Head Lookout or Headland Park.

The Seven Network, through 7Mate, will once again broadcast the start of the race live around Australia. ABC TV will also follow the fleet down the eastern seaboard and provide all the in-race news footage used by the various Australian and International news networks.

Seven West Media will webcast the program for those who can’t watch the live broadcast of the start of the Race on the Seven Network across Australia. You can also watch a live webcast on the home page of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website.

The Yacht Tracker page lets viewers track the entire fleet or a particular boat from start to finish. Yacht Tracker uses a specially designed tool that calculates the predicted results for every boat in the fleet so you can see how each boat is performing. Each yacht will be fitted with a tracker that will obtain a position using the GPS satellite network and transmit that position back to HQ.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Images & Photos

Sydney to hobart yacht race, nsw current weather now & 7 day forecast, sydney to hobart yacht race information & details,  event dates,  event times,  contact details, sydney to hobart yacht race area, street & hotel map, nsw, other places we recommend.

About the author

Michael Jones

Michael created and runs the Sydney Point website, as well as the Holiday Point travel brand that incorporates a network of 16 location based travel information and attraction websites around Australia, Asia, and around the world.

With 25+ years of online experience and a passion for travel (having visited Sydney many times and seeing a lot of the city in the process), Michael not only researches and writes content for the website, he also tinkers behind the scenes with the website functionality & design.

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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

A 7 night Yachtsman's Cruise aboard Coral Discoverer

26 December 2024

Experience the excitement at the start of the race on Sydney Harbour aboard the wonderful Coral Discoverer . Watch the fleet sail past, listen to expert commentary, soak up the incredible atmosphere and yachting spirit before sailing the south coast and Bass Strait with the trailing fleet.

Once across the strait, combine the spirit of the race with your spirit of adventure and enjoy exploring the scenic and rugged Tasmanian coastline with options to join your expedition team on a number of exhilarating shore excursions to Tasmania’s National Parks. Then in Hobart, join the festivities surrounding the official race presentation before preparing to welcome in the New Year.

Highlights & Inclusions

• Take in a grandstand view of the start of the race as the leaders charge through Sydney Heads
• Enjoy expert commentary and insights from our guest lecturer as you watch the yachts race around the heads and sail south.
• Insights into the race tactics, history and culture will also be provided by guest lecturer
• Trail the yachts on a coastal cruise, enjoying drinks at Coral Discoverer’s  sundeck Xplorer Bar
• Visit Adventure Bay on Bruny Island and stretch your legs on the Fluted Cape walk
• Ring in the New Year onboard and enjoy a sundeck cocktail party while watching the fireworks over the Derwent River
• All excursions and sightseeing
• Use of Xplorer, Zodiacs and kayaks where possible
• Daily lectures and briefings
• All meals, chef-prepared on board
• Selected wines, selected beers, juices, and soft drinks served with lunch and dinner
• Coffee and a selection of teas
• All entrance fees to National Parks and ports

Cabins & Staterooms

• Main Deck Cat B
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$5,820 per person twin share

Solo fares available on request

$5,280 per person twin share

$6,380 per person twin share

$9,570 solo

$6,880 per person twin share

$7,420 per person twin share

Call 1300 766 537 or complete the enquiry form below

Sydney to hobart yacht race - december 2024.

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Sylph VI (TH)

Sylph VI returns for its first offshore race since her last Sydney Hobart in 1972.  Since then, owner Bob Williams has sailed around the world two and a half times, most recently successfully completing a non-stop single-handed circumnavigation via all the great capes in 193 days.  For this year’s race, Williams has a simple goal – complete the course, preferably before New Years.   

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Competitor Details

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!