Sydney to Hobart yacht racer’s crazy video of being slammed by violent storm, weather

A training run has provided an early taste of the nasty conditions a Sydney to Hobart yacht race regularly throws up for one line honours contender. Watch the VIDEO.

It was the mid-morning storm which hit Sydney and her surrounds, causing widespread damage, uprooting trees, blasting roofs off and causing a rain white-out in the suburbs.

While most of us were able to shelter inside front the violent storm which came out of the south west and lashed the city last week, these Sydney to Hobart sailors were fully exposed.

Footage was shot on the boat as the wild winds and dirivng rain hit the supermaxi LawConnect as she was motoring out to Sydney Harbour in preparation for a training day.

“We saw 51 knots and I’ve never seen that on a boat on Sydney Harbour before,” said Olympian, round the world skipper and sailing master Chris Nicholson.

“It was ridiculous.

LawConnect during the last race where the Sydney to Hobart fleet was hit by wild winds and weather just hours after the start.

“It was the windiest I have ever seen on the harbour.

“We didn’t have any sails up. If we had there would have been damage.”

Sky went black at 10.42am and the heavens opened. Sydney summer is very weird! #SydneyStorm#Sydneyweatherpic.twitter.com/kzaUZ9u1uG

— amanda lulham (@amandalulham) December 11, 2022

LawConnect, owned and skippered by Christian Beck, is one of four supermaxi in the 2022 Sydney to Hobart.

The annual Boxing Day race starts at 1pm with a 100 plus fleet on the startline.

Racing will be last year’s line honours winner Black Jack and race favourite Andoo Comanche, which is being campaigned by former world 29er champion and 18-foot skipper John Winning junior.

This year's fleet boasts eight international and yachts from across Australia including entries from Victoria, Queensland, Tasmania and South Australia.

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Originally published as Sydney to Hobart yacht racer’s crazy video of being slammed by violent storm, weather