Sydney to Hobart 2022: Drama before maxis wave fleet goodbye

Protests, penalties and high drama marked one of the most gripping openings to the bluewater classic in recent history.

Andoo Comanche heads for deep water outside the harbour. Picture: Steve Christo – Corbis/Getty Images

There were protests, penalties and no shortage of drama in one of the most gripping openings to the Sydney-Hobart in recent history, but by nightfall normal order had been restored, with the four supermaxis streaking ahead of the field, led down the coast by Andoo ­Comanche.

Two of the race favourites, Andoo Comanche and Hamilton Island Wild Oats, took early infringements before joining their rivals at the head of the fleet.

Andoo Comanche led from LawConnect, with Black Jack and Hamilton Island Wild Oats in a tight battle for third at 8pm (AEDT) as a northerly wind put all four supermaxis ahead of Comanche’s 2017 race record time.

An early protest flag was raised by Andoo Comanche in the opening 20 minutes of the race, but she later recovered to set a commanding pace ahead of rivals LawConnect, Black Jack and Wild Oats, while several other boats narrowly escaped collisions at the starting line.

Andoo Comanche skipper Justin Shaffer later confirmed his boat was flying a protest flag but he did not elaborate, only saying several incidents had occurred at the beginning of the race.

Thousands of spectators, meanwhile, lined the harbour foreshore under brilliant sunlight and hot conditions to watch the chaotic start, while thousands more joined a sprawling flotilla of private vessels, ferries and party boats, making conditions difficult for the smaller boats in the fleet.

Hundreds at North Head alone spread out across the headland with picnics, binoculars and radios to watch the action, as the fleet turned into the long stretch of coastline toward the Bass Strait and on to Hobart.

Scott Bealy, who was among the crowds at the North Head’s Fairfax Lookout, cheered loudly as his son, Chris, passed through the heads aboard Flying Cloud, in his first Sydney to Hobart competing alongside his French partner, Jess Nuel.

“We were sitting up here only last year with him, almost in this exact position to watch the race, and he decided then and there he would compete this year with Jess, even though he had absolutely no sailing experience at all,” Mr Bealy said.

“He’s a very competitive and passionate person. We told him it was a big effort to compete in the Sydney to Hobart, but he did as much training as he could in six-months and decided he’d join the race along with Jess”.

Ellie Davies and Ellie Fitzgerald came down to watch the opening of the race in between the cricket and said joining the crowd on the water or at the headland was part of a long summer tradition, with the two amateur sailors following the race since childhood.

“The start of the race is always exciting, and this year has been absolutely epic,” said Ms Davies. “From this position, at the heads, you get to see the boats lining up and then racing right up to the turn. It gives you a good sense of what’s happening.”

“If you’re on the water it’s a different experience; you’re hit by a wave of sound from the different boats. It’s a different kind of energy,” Ms Fitzgerald said. “It’s the race that shows this city and harbour at its absolute best.”

A final weather briefing on Monday predicted “fresh to strong” north to northeasterly winds until Wednesday, giving the fastest, 100-foot supermaxis a chance to challenge Comanche’s 2017 record of one day, 9 hours, 15min and 24sec.

The first race retirement came less than three hours after the opening cannon, with two-hander yacht, Avalanche, forced to turn back after breaking its bow sprit, taking the fleet to 108 boats.

By late afternoon, crews faced favourable conditions of 20-knot northeasterly winds, with predictions of 40 to 50km an hour northerly winds blowing the fleet due south Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday as most reach Bass Strait.

Race officials said the updated weather forecast meant that even if the race record was not broken this year, it would be close to Comanche’s record.