Clipper 2017-18 Race: HotelPlanner.com awarded Redress by Sydney Hobart

HotelPlanner.com © won the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Clipper 70 Class

HotelPlanner.com (CV23) has won the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Clipper 70 Class after being granted a 120 minute redress for going to the assistance of a fellow competitor shortly after race start.

At approximately 1700 local time (0600 UTC) on Tuesday 26 December, HotelPlanner.com went to the assistance of another boat after being informed of a man overboard. The HotelPlanner.com crew successfully retrieved the man in the water within 15 minutes, and after the on board medical assistant determined he hadn’t suffered any injury, the crew member was returned to his vessel and both boats resumed racing.

Despite the time lost, HotelPlanner.com managed to catch the rest of the Clipper Race fleet, with all eleven yachts crossing the finish line within 90 minutes of each other on Friday 29 December.

Clipper Race Director Mark Light said: “Skipper Conall Morrison and his HotelPlanner.com team did extremely well and acted very quickly under the circumstances. Going to the assistance of a fellow sailor or competitor is absolutely the correct thing to do and the team handled everything superbly well which clearly indicates how well the they were trained and led by their Skipper. The Clipper Race training has once again paid dividends and shows the merits of such an extensive programme.”

Mark added: “As such, the redress award for HotelPlanner.com is fully justified and my congratulations go to Conall and his team for their efforts and first place in the Clipper 70 class.”

The award of redress for HotelPlanner.com was decided by an international jury hearing, arranged by the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Organising Committee at 1000 local time on Saturday 30 December. Click here for a full verdict from the hearing.

The decision means Sanya Serenity Coast (CV27), who was the first Clipper Race yacht across the line at 16:29:29, will take second place in the Clipper 70 Class, whilst Garmin (CV22), the second Clipper 70 across the line at 16:31:47, has been awarded third place.

As the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race doubles as Race 5 of the Clipper 2017-18 Race, HotelPlanner.com will now receive 12 points for the win, with Sanya Serenity Coast and Garmin to receive 11 and 10 points respectively.