Battle continues at the front - Wild Thing 100 out
by Di Pearson/RSHYR media 26 Dec 2025 13:28 PST
26 December 2025
2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race © RSHYR
Master Lock Comanche continues to lead the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart this morning, but there is still little in it - just 14 nautical miles separates the top six, LawConnect just 3nm astern of the leader.
SHK Scallywag 100 (skippered by David Witt) is next, followed by the 88ft Lucky (Bryon Ehrhart, USA) and Palm Beach XI (Mark Richards). Master Lock Comanche (Matt Allen/James Mayo) was 8nm north of Green Cape. All six yachts are sailing the coastal route inside the rhumb line.
"We're one and a half miles behind Comanche and Scallywag is five miles behind us," Christian Beck reported from LawConnect at 6.15am this morning.
"We had problems last night. We broke mainsheet and that took a while to fix. Then we broke the halyard. The J1 came down twice. It's mildly disappointing. If we didn't have these issues, all would be fine. Everything's good, though."
Beck said the weather is lighter than expected, "but last night was pretty rough. I've been in worse in past years, but it was a long night, pretty rough and cold."
Of the current wind strength, Beck said, "Our instruments have died, Nicko (Chris Nicholson) says we're in a 10-12 knot southerly that's gone more sou-south/west. We're still in the hunt. It's going to get windier later today, so we'll try to catch Comanche then."
After a quiet night on the race track, Grant Wharington's 100ft Wild Thing 100 retired in the early hours of this morning after suffering rigging damage. Then around 5.30am, David Hows' Awen retired with forestay damage.
Next came news that Trouble & Strife had retired with engine problems. All three boats are returning to Sydney. To-date, six yachts have retired, leaving 122 still racing.
Meanwhile, further down the fleet, Richard Hudson and crew on his 13.8 metre Pretty Woman were settling into the conditions.
"It was bumpy all night. The most breeze we saw was 25 knots with gusts. It's not been as strong as they (Bureau of Meteorology) said it would be. We had a solid swell - it came in sets. It's been upwind the whole time, but we're battling on," Hudson said.
"The wind's in the late teens now from 180 degrees (south). A couple have been a bit seasick, but we're going along alright. The boat's in good shape," he ended.