Rolex Sydney Hobart - First blood to Comanche

by Richard Gladwell, Sail-World NZL on 26 Dec 2015 The 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart race got underway with a couple of incidents, forcing three retirements.

After getting the best of the start, and tacking onto port from the leeward end. Wild Oats XI took the early lead, but was soon passed by Comanche and Perpetual Loyal before the fleet rounded the first turning mark off Sydney Heads.

Sailing with a reef, Wild Oats XI was noticeably slower, but Comanche was able to line up the 2014 race winner and pass along with Perpetual Loyal.

At the turing mark, Comanche just trailed Perpetual Loyal and then lit the afterburner when she unfurled her massive Code Zero in the fresh seabreeze which had forced the yachts to tack down the harbour.

At the turning mark Perpetual Loyal was unable to unfurl her Code Zero and languished as Comanche sailed away. Third around was Rambler 88 with Wild Oats XI trying to shake out her reef and losing distance on the race leaders.

Three yachts retired before reaching Sydney Heads. The Tasmanian yacht Cougar II suffered severe damage to her starboard quarter after an incident with Lupa of London. Bith yachts retired. two of the crew of Cougar II suffered facial injures in the incident.

Also retired was the Chinese crew on Ark323 who were involved in a collision. The Sydney yacht Dare Devil also retired with rudder damage soon after the start.