Blue water classic had everything except a southerly buster but it wasn’t always smooth sailing

LAST year’s Sydney to Hobart was a race of records, breakthrough performances, early dramas, high-profile retirements and mighty performances from the fleet minnows.

Perpetual Loyal smashed the race record. Picture: Brett Costello

IT was a race of records, breakthrough performances, early dramas, high-profile retirements and mighty performances from the fleet minnows.

The 72nd Sydney to a Hobart had it all — except the traditional southerly buster that causes carnage.

Amanda Lulham take a look at the stars, the drama queens, the record makers and the casualties of a memorable 2016 race.

RECORD BREAKER

She came, she saw, she conquered — in record time. It was third time lucky for Sydney supermaxi Perpetual Loyal which set a new race record in the Sydney to Hobart by slashing almost five hours off the previous mark. Perpetual Loyal had failed to finish her last two Hobart races.

Perpetual Loyal smashed the race record. Picture: Brett Costello

THE RACE

With all boats home by December 30, this was the second fastest race in history. It was also one of the easiest races with an extremely low attrition rate of just five boats.

THE MORNING FINISH

With her sails lit up by TV cameras and a spotlight, Anthony Bell and his crew sailed across the finish line on the Derwent River at 2.31am on Wednesday, December 28, to become the fastest boat ever to make it to Hobart. Her time: one day, 13 hours, 31 minutes, 20 seconds

THE TAIL-LIGHT

The 54-footer Landfall, built in 1935 and the second oldest boat in the fleet, just missed out on her own special record.

The timber yacht had been on course to become the fastest ever last placegetter in the race, but light winds at the finish saw her miss out by less than two hours. However she still made it in well before New Year’s Eve.

Simon Crockett on board Clipper Ventures 5. Picture: Salty Dingo

FAMILY GAME

For the first time in recent memory a father and his two sons sailed together on an overall winner. Giacomo skipper Jim Delegat’s New Zealand 70-footer finished second over the line to claim the overall prize. Delegat, who sailed with son Nikolas, 20, and James, 18, took just 1 day, 15 hours, 27 minutes, 5 seconds to complete the race - also well within the previous race record set by Wild Oats XI in 2012.

THE HEARTBREAKER

For the second year in a row Wild Oats X1 failed to make it to Hobart, issues with a hydraulic ram system forcing Mark Richards and his crew out of the race in Bass Strait.

LEADING LADY

In a year of records, Sydney mother-of-two Adrienne Cahalan achieved a special milestone aboard the 52-footer Ragamuffin. The former round the world sailor and multiple Sydney to Hobart winner is now the first woman to ever compete in 25 Sydney to Hobart races.

Newly weds Erin and Shaun McKnight on board Manuka. Picture: Matt Thompson

DRAMA QUEEN

The hands-down winner here was Ludde Ingvall’s radical 100-footer CQS which crash tacked on Sydney harbour, stalled her engine and with the keel out on the wrong side of the boat, was laid on her side briefly.

THE BATTLERS

The crew on the yacht Ark323 won the award for dedication to the cause. The first yacht from mainland China to enter the race a year ago, they were sent to the sidelines after a collision in the harbour. This year their boom snapped, meaning they could only race with restricted sails. But while slow, they did manage to finish to claim their place in history.

THE MIGHTY MINNOW

The grand dame of the race, the 86-year-old timber boat Maluka is less than a third of the size of the supermaxis but still made her mark on the race. The oldest and smallest boat set a PB of three days, 19 hours 38 minutes and seven seconds - her best ever time by almost five hours.

HOBART HEROES

Brad Kellett celebrated his milestone 25th Sydney to Hobart by winning the line honours race. It was 40-year-old Kellett’s 25th straight race.

Joining him as a Hobart hero are Adrienne Cahalan (Ragamuffin), Peter Sheldrich (Love & War), James Permezel (Chutzpah) and Drew Taylor (Chutzpah).

THE BOY SCOUT AWARD

Bowman John Flannery on Perpetual Loyal spent nearly 90 minutes on the prodder at the front of the boat fixing a furling mechanism in a dangerous feat at high speed.

The crew on the Melbourne yacht Hartbreaker docked briefly in Eden to pull their engine apart, found a broken spindle, repaired it and then headed back out to complete the race.

THE HISTORY MAKERS

The first ever crew from Korea, on the yacht Sonic, contested and completed this year’s Sydney to Hobart.

THE ROCK STARS

Celebrities were thin in the ground but the best sailors in the world headed down under for this year’s race. Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby raced as did three-time America’s Cup winner Will McCarthy. There were also multiple Dutch, Ukraine and New Zealand Olympic sailors competing along with numerous round the world sailors.

THE CASUALTIES

Of the start fleet of 88, 83 yachts made it safely to Hobart.

Dare Devil - Broken rudder.

Freyja - Headsail damage.

Koa - Broken starter motor

Patrice - Broken rudder

Wild Oats XI - Hydraulic Ram issues

THE WINNERS

Line: Perpetual Loyal, Anthony Bell, NSW

Overall: Giacomo, Jim Delegat New Zealand

IRC 0: Giacomo, Jim Delegat New Zealand.

IRC 1: Balance, Paul Clitheroe NSW.

IRC 2: Springday Pazaz, Rob Drury NSW

IRC 3: Bravo, Robert Robertson QLD

IRC 4: Maluka of Kermandie, Sean Langman TAS.

ORC 1: UBOX, Bin Wang China

ORC 2: Terra Firma, Nicholas Bartels VIC

ORCI 3: Bravo, Robert Robertson QLD

ORCI 4: Komatsu Azzurro, Shane Kearns NSW.

PHS: Helsal 3, Paul Mara NSW

PHS 2: Imalizard, Bruce Watson NSW

CORINTHIAN: Cromarty Magellan, Richard Grant TAS

BEST QUOTE

It was an uneventful race on the 70-foote Maserati in terms of drama - except for one little incident according to skipper Jim Cooney.

“The worst thing was that Waratah rugby prop forward Jeremy Tilse fell out of his bunk and onto me. It had to be the biggest bloke on the boat.”