The race for line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is poised to provide two thrilling finales in one as the leading boats continue their charge towards Tasmania.
Up front in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race for first place over the line, Andoo Comanche was still leading LawConnect at 1620hrs (Tuesday), but only five nautical miles separated the two maxis.
The lead pair were 101 and 107 nautical miles east of Helen’s Point, respectively.
Andoo Comanche (above) and LawConnect below entering the Bass Straight in the 2023 Sydney Hobart Race Photo: Andrea Francolini
In the race for third place only 7.6nm separated URM Group, Moneypenny and Alive.
Anthony Johnston’s URM Group, an RP72, was third online, followed by Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny, which had steadily moved up all day from fifth, followed by Phillip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas), which was in third position earlier. They were south of Gabo Island.
Meanwhile, Kathy Veel, owner and co-skipper with Bridget Canham of the Currawong 30, Currawong, which retired earlier this morning, is expected to arrive back at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), at around 7 pm on Tuesday evening.
Currawong, a two-handed entry, was the sixth of 11 boats that have retired from the race to-date.
There are now 92 boats still racing, including 14 two-handed entries. Veel said they had retired due to “various issues with the boat that could not be resolved.” She added that she and Canham were OK.
“We're doing fine,” Veel said from aboard the yacht off Bondi Beach.
“Last night was quite difficult, and there was a lot more of that ahead of us in a long race.”
Told that Currawong supporters were disappointed for their retirement after their popular finish as the last to reach Hobart last year, Veel said: “We are too … but we made the right call.”
