LawConnect led the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet through Sydney Heads before Master Lock Comanche overtook their rivals and were 3.8 nautical miles ahead of LawConnect at 14:38hrs (local time).
Sam Haynes Celestial V70, was also doing well, along with Grant Wharington/Adrian Seiffert’s Wild Thing 100. Defending champion, Tasmania’s Alive, was in third place, 6.5 nautical miles behind the leader.
The fleet of 104 spent the time before the 13:00 start dramatically manoeuvring for positions along the four start lines, watched by a huge flotilla of spectator craft and Sydneysiders crammed along the harbour foreshore.
While the majority of the fleet took a western line down Sydney Harbour, it was noticeable that URM Group took an easterly track.
Alive, owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, becomes first casualty of the 2024 Race when they withdrew shortly after 16:00hrs. The Tasmanian boat, won the 2018 race and then repeated the feat in 2023.
Transcendence Rudy Project retired after dismasting after 18:20hrs. They had completed 50 nautical miles of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in the double handed category.
Leading positions – Racetime : 00:06:20 – 26 December 2024, 19:20 AUS
1st Master Lock Comanche DTG 483.6
2nd LawConnect DTG 492.5
3rd Wild Thing 100 DTG 502.1
4th Celestial V70 DTG 505.4
5th URM Group DTG 505.9
6th Zeus DTG 508.7
7th Caro
8th No Limit
9th Whisper
10th Smuggler
