Rolex Sydney Hobart: Andoo Comanche regains lead in thrilling arm wrestle
by Rupert Guinness/RSHYR Media 27 Dec 2023 02:26 UTC
From 26 December 2023
Andoo Comanche working their way down the NSW coast - 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race © Rolex / Andrea Francolini
LawConnect threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion, Andoo Comanche this morning.
The fight for Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is turning into a veritable arm wrestle with the two front runners swapping the lead twice this morning.
At 12.45pm, Andoo Comanche was back in front and 2.6 nautical miles ahead of LawConnect that had only taken the lead from Andoo Comanche a few hours earlier.
AndooComanche and LawConnect were respectively 134 and 144 nautical miles east of Flinders Island in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia race.
Both were sailing in Bass Strait, east of the rhumb line - Andoo Comanche at 28.7 knots and LawConnect at 26.8 knots.
The tussle between the two maxis has been a thrilling one in conditions that have pitted them and the remaining fleet of 95 against rain, thunderstorms, lightning and squalls.
Behind Andoo Comanche and LawConnect, the race for third place had also seen a change in positions.
Moving into third, from fourth place, was URM Group,the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones.
Whereas, Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine had fallen from third to fourth.
They were 91.3nm and 94nm respectively behind Andoo Comanche at the time of this update.
For the full list of entries and more information about the race, visit rolexsydneyhobart.com.