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Comanche Holds Slim Sydney to Hobart Lead as Finish Nears

Rough conditions have pushed retirements to roughly a quarter of the 128-boat fleet.

Overview

  • Master Lock Comanche led by about five nautical miles off Tasmania with LawConnect and SHK Scallywag close as the fleet neared the River Derwent for an expected Sunday evening finish.
  • SHK Scallywag briefly moved into first along the Tasmanian coast and earlier executed a 720-degree penalty turn to avoid potential time penalties.
  • Reports tallied 31 to 33 withdrawals tied to gear failures, safety rules and seasickness, with injuries including suspected broken ribs on Kraken 42S and Mistral.
  • High-profile retirements included Wild Thing 100 due to rigging damage, Moneypenny after losing a life raft, URM Group with hull damage and Ragtime after its life raft went overboard.
  • LawConnect overcame a broken mainsheet and halyard plus instrument problems to stay in touch, while the pace sits well outside the 2017 race record.