Sydney to Hobart: Comanche claims line honours for the third time over InfoTrack, Wild Oats XI

Supermaxi claims third line honours victory after “traumatic … stressful” becalming in the River Derwent, downing InfoTrack, Wild Oats XI.

2019 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Line honours finish. Comanche sails up the River Derwent Picture: News Corp

Supermaxi Comanche has taken line honours in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, after enduring what skipper Jim Cooney describes as a “traumatic … stressful” becalming in the River Derwent.

The 100-footer atoned for a heartbreaking third place in 2018 by claiming line honours for the third time on Saturday morning.

Comanche came undone in light river winds last year and it looked as if history was going to repeat when the yacht dubbed the aircraft carrier came to a halt with the line in reach.

But this time the breeze picked up to take the supermaxi home. “That was dramatic. That was 30 minutes of my life that I’ll never get back. It was really very stressful,” Cooney said.

Comanche claims 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart line honours!!

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— Rolex Sydney Hobart (@rshyr) December 27, 2019

Comanche crossed the line just after 7.30am (AEDT), with InfoTrack about 45 minutes behind followed by nine-time winner Wild Oats XI in third. The typical champagne shower celebrations were subdued at Constitution Dock after intense racing that spanned two nights.

Comanche crossed the Castray Esplanade finish line at about 7.30am on Saturday, following a frustrating early morning in at times mill-pond conditions on the Derwent Picture: News Corp

Comanche made the most of strong winds in the early hours of Saturday to break away from a five-strong pack of supermaxis heading down Tasmania’s east coast. It had taken a more easterly route to the other supermaxis across Bass Strait, a move which paid off.

“We treated the race as a sprint, we didn’t take too many breaks. We wanted crew on deck all the time,” Cooney said.

“We put the boat where we wanted it to be. It all went very much to plan, the weather was what we expected.” The supermaxi last year sailed off Tasmania’s east coast ahead of the pack but was overtaken on the River Derwent as the wind fell away.

Comanche has claimed its third line honour’s title Picture: News Corp

“I don’t think it will ever erase that memory completely,” a relieved Cooney said of the win which came in 1 day, 18 hours, 30 minutes and 24 seconds. “Last year was very frustrating. You’ll always remember that disappointment, but it’s faded a little bit.” Hong Kong supermaxi SHK Scallywag 100 finished fourth, a mere 38 seconds behind Wild Oats XI.

Scallywag had led for much of the race on Friday but was undermined by a collision with a shark that night which damaged their rudder. “We had to drop all the sails and back the boat up to get the dead shark off the rudder. We lost about four miles,” skipper David Witt said.

“It basically cost us running second.” Comanche had a bit of trouble herself, when an unknown object wrapped around the yacht’s rudder and rendered it immobile near Tasman Island.

But Cooney said the yacht quickly became untangled, not costing them much time. Comanche’s previous wins came in 2015 and 2017, the latter in record line honours time after Wild Oats XI was stripped of the title following a post-race protest.

The majority of the race’s remaining 154 boats remained on the water late on Saturday afternoon, with Faster Forward, Hollywood Boulevard and Minerva having retired.

2019 SYDNEY TO HOBART LINE HONOURS

1 - Comanche: 1 day, 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds

2 - InfoTrack: 1 day, 19 hours, 14 minutes, 42 seconds

3 - Wild Oats XI: 1 day, 20 hours, 12 minutes, 52 seconds

4 - SHK Scallywag 100: 1 day, 20 hours, 13 minutes, 30 seconds

5 - Black Jack: 1 day, 20 hours, 28 minutes, 56 seconds