Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Comanche blows them off and Hollywood Boulevard retires
by John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World AUS 25 Dec 2019 22:44 PST
Comanche with the other 100-foot super maxis in her sight which she quickly reeled in and nudged past - Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race © Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi
Whilst @TeamComanche marches away at nearly 30 knots at times to have an 8nm lead in 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the first retirement came at 1632hrs AEDT in the form of Ray Robert's Farr55, Hollywood Boulevard. Returning to port under her own steam with no injuries reported. and a broken rudder the cause.
Around an hour later it was Faster Forward (Sydney 38) with steering issues that became number two in the retirements, leaving 155 racing as darkness approached, and for the leaders the all important first transition to lighter (and slower) conditions. Stan Honey has Comanche well to the East, whereas Wild Oats XI is on the Western side of the group, near the rhumb line. One will be right.... The other will be sorry.
The Ker46, Daguet, leads overall for now, but has a village of TPs to fend off, and it is early days yet... See Golden Rules to get a handle on that.