Grasp Lock Comanche (Matt Allen & James Mayo) has gained Line Honours within the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart after a nail-biting end within the closing hours.
Grasp Lock Comanche (Matt Allen & James Mayo) has gained line honours within the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart, the eightieth operating of the Cruising Yacht Membership of Australia’s traditional 628-mile offshore race.
The present race report holder (since 2017) completed the race at 18.03.36 on 28 December (native time) after second 5h 3m 36s to say the title (although the upwind circumstances meant that was nowhere close to her report time of 1d 9h 15m).
The 2025 version of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race set off on Boxing Day, 26 December, in robust headwinds. Mixed with a 2-3m swell and confused wind-driven waves, the fleet confronted two days of doubtless boat-breaking circumstances as they beat in the direction of the Bass Strait en path to Tasmania.
Begin of the eightieth Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Kurt Arrigo/Rolex
First throughout the road was final yr’s line honours winner LawConnect, holding off from Grasp Lock Comanche and the quick 88-footer Fortunate on the first turning mark, with Palm Seaside XI (previously nine-time line honours winner Wild Oats XI, making its race debut in its new livery after a significant refit) simply behind.
Lots of the 129-boats entered scattered rose petals as they handed Bondi Seaside in a tribute to the victims of the current Bondi terror assault.
With no fewer than six 100ft tremendous Maxis participating this yr (LawConnect, Grasp Lock Comanche, SHK Scallywag, Wild Factor 100, Palm Seaside XI and the efficiency cruiser Maritimo 100) competitors for line honours went to the wire.
Initially Christian Beck’s LawConnect (Christian Beck), the two-time defending champion, took the early lead, chased arduous by SHK Scallywag 100 (skippered by David Witt, for Hong Kong) with the 88ft Fortunate (Bryon Ehrhart, USA) impressing in third.
LawConnect (nearest) and Grasp Lock Comanche at first of the eightieth Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Picture: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex
Issues beset many boats within the fleet after a tricky opening part, with 14 retiring.
Christian Beck, skipper of LawConnect commented after the primary night time: “We had issues final night time. We broke the mainsheet and that took some time to repair. Then we broke the halyard. The J1 got here down twice. It’s mildly disappointing. If we didn’t have these points, all could be high-quality. Every part’s good, although.”
Wild Factor 100, skippered by Grant Wharington was amongst these to retire after struggling injury to the runners on the primary night time.
Comanche was not immune – their bowman was injured with suspected damaged ribs within the early phases, and one other crew member fell out of their bunk within the tough sea state, with the Maxi’s 11-metre beam making it notably difficult to maneuver round.
Boat-breaking circumstances within the early phases of the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart – right here Elizabeth Tucker’s Class 40 First Gentle takes off over a wave. Andrea Francolini/Rolex
Over the second day Comanche pulled forward, however the strategy to the end in Tasmania – ceaselessly a twist within the story of this race – noticed an nearly full restart in gentle winds.
Going into the ultimate miles Grasp Lock Comanche had stretched out a lead of round seven and a half nautical miles — not conclusive by Maxi requirements, however sufficient to counsel a level of confidence. Then, with out warning, the breeze shut down. The fleet closed up quickly, with LawConnect, SHK Scallywag 100 and Fortunate all inside just a few 100 metres of one another.
“It’s not good,” Matt Allen recalled. “You’ve had a helpful lead, and then you definately’re watching it disappear. We needed to work arduous to get it again within the later quarter of the race.”
The Grasp Lock Comanche crew opted to defend their inshore place. “We caught to our recreation plan,” Mayo mentioned. “We needed to be nearer to the coast. We may see one thing creating there. The breeze stuffed in from inshore, we received transferring first, received the lead again, after which we have been in a position to prolong.”
“There was simply no wind — it completely dissipated,” he added. “The boats behind caught us, introduced the breeze again down, after which all of us parked up for some time. However everybody stayed calm.
“We noticed puffs creating close to the shore, began transferring, and instantly we had a correct boat race. We have been solely a size aside for near 100 miles. That was particular.”
Grasp Lock Comanche crosses the end line in Hobart to say line honours on the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Picture: Kurt Arrigo/Rolex
As soon as into the Derwent River, the place gentle winds and clean water allowed the Comanche workforce to benefit from the closing sail to victory.
“The run up the Derwent was the most effective I’ve had in 33 races,” Allen mentioned. “The crusing was very good, and the welcome in Hobart was unbelievable.”
Hundreds lined the waterfront as Grasp Lock Comanche eased into Structure Dock, greeted by cheers, applause and a way of shared reduction. “Tasmania embraced us,” Mayo mentioned. “That’s one thing I’ll always remember.”
Second was LawConnect by 47 minutes and 4 seconds, with SHK Scallywag (David Witt) some 24 minutes behind.
At present main IRC general is the double-handed JPK10.30 Min River skippered by Chinese language/Australian short-handed sailor Jiang Lin with Alexis Loison, 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race and La Solitaire du Figaro successful skipper.
You’ll be able to observe the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet on the reside tracker.
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