LawConnect stopped racing in Bass Strait and beat Comanche in a Sydney-Hobart thriller by a boat length

LawConnect wins historically-close Sydney to Hobart yacht race — here’s why did they stopped racing in Bass Strait.

LawConnect claimed the second-closest line honours victory in the 78-year history of the Rolex Sydney-Hobart in a Derwent River thriller on Thursday and skipper Christian Beck revealed they stopped racing in Bass Strait because his team believed rival supermaxi Comanche was in trouble.

The stern of the Sydney tech billionaire’s 100-footer donned a red protest flag as the crew decided whether or not to ask the race committee to “redress” 30 minutes it spent standing by Comanche.

“We slowed down for half an hour, standing by for a boat we thought was in distress,” said LawConnect’s sailing master Tony Mutter.

“We are still talking as a team about what to do about the incident that we thought affected our performance.”

As LawConnect’s owner, Beck is less than complimentary of his yacht.

He calls it a “shitbox”, but the supermaxi covered the 628 nautical mile race in a winning time of 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

“I can’t believe that result,” Beck said.

His “shitbox” was first out of Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day before Comanche took over the lead until a thrilling final few miles unfolded between Sandy Bay and the finish off the CSIRO.

LawConnect wins the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race after a close finish with 2nd place Andoo Comanche. Picture: Chris Kidd

That snail’s pace race to the gun saw the huge yachts swap the lead five time before LawConnect got a zephyr near the finish line and took line honours by a boat length.

Andoo Comanche and LawConnect at the finish of the Sydney to Hobart 2023. Picture: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

The winning yacht as Loyal in 2016, LawConnect delivered Beck his first win after being runner-up for the past three races.

“It’s a dream come true – I never thought it was possible,” Beck said.

“The lead changed several times and when they took the lead pretty close to the line we thought there’s no way we could get it back.

LawConnect skipper/owner Christian Beck is thrown overboard after winning the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race. Picture: Chris Kidd

“But a wind gust came around, just as it happens, and it was a complete surprise to be honest.”

LawConnect crew after winning the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race. Picture: Chris Kidd

LawConnect’s win was made all the more remarkable for five reasons.

“Firstly, the boat — I jokingly call a shitbox, but compared to Comanche it honestly is a shitbox,” Beck said.

“I know it looks good on TV, but you go up close to that boat, it’s as rough as anything, and Comanche is a beautiful boat that’s better in every way.

“The fact that this crew can make that boat beat Comanche is amazing.”

LawConnect is also four tons heavier, has a lesser righting moment than Comanche, runs on a tighter budget, and its crew of 24 consisted of five “corporates”, adding up to a recipe for mediocrity.

“To have all of that and still win the race is actually an incredible feat,” Beck said.

Asked what he thinks of his inferior yacht now, Beck said: “Do you want to buy it? It’s probably a good time to sell it when it beats Comanche.”

The race for handicap is a tussle between Sydney maxi URM, Tasmanian pocket-maxi Alive, NSW yacht Moneypenny skippered by Kermandie Hotel owner Sean Langman, LawConnect and another Hobart yacht Midnight Rambler (Ed Psaltis).

As it happened

LATEST 8.07AM: LawConnect crosses the line to clinch the ultimate come from behind victory.

The official margin was 9 seconds as LawConnect denied second-placed Comanche back-to-back wins.

EARLIER 7.40AM: Comanche is off Sandy Bay crawling toward the finish line at about walking pace and sometimes drifting.

LawConnect has halved the gap to about 500m.

Tensions are high on Comanche and hopes are high on LawConnect as the second placed supermaxi poses a massive threat for the line honours title.

Comanche and LawConnect neck and neck in the final stretch of the Sydney to Hobart 2023. Picture: James Bresnehan

INITIAL 7.10AM: has back-to-back line honours titles within reach but with rival supermaxi LawConnect less than two miles behind the Rolex Sydney-Hobart and is set for one of its closest finishes on the Derwent this morning.

The winner of line honours last year, Comanche is predicted to cross the finish at about 7.30am.

The finish for the 78th Sydney to Hobart as the leaders surge into the Derwent River on December 28, 2023. Picture: James Bresnehan

LawConnect is estimated to cross about seven minutes later.

The Derwent is quiet with pockets of calm, making the 11nm from the Iron Pot a minefield for the navigator and tacticians of both 100 footers.

The race could easily be won and lost in the river.

The finish for the 78th Sydney to Hobart as the leaders surge into the Derwent River on December 28, 2023. Picture: James Bresnehan

It will be the first daylight finish for the line honours winner in recent year. A spectator floatilla is gathering to watch the two yachts battle it out.