Tragedy strikes early
The race’s opening stages turned deadly, with two sailors tragically losing their lives on the first night. One crew member was aboard Flying Fish Arctos, a McIntyre 55, and the other on Bowline, a Beneteau First 44.7. These devastating incidents underscore the inherent dangers of offshore racing, where the ocean’s power can be treacherous.
Man overboard in the dead of night
Adding to the drama, Porco Rosso (RYCT), a Tasmanian yacht, faced a terrifying man-overboard crisis in pitch-black conditions. At 03:14 (local time), a crew member was swept into the frigid waters, 60 nautical miles off the New South Wales coast. Acting swiftly and with precision, the crew launched a search operation. Using the sailor’s activated personal locator beacon, they navigated 1.2 nautical miles of darkness to recover him safely.
Vice-Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, David Jacobs, hailed the crew’s efforts, saying:”Going overboard is terrifying – doing it at night is 10-fold terrifying.”
The incident highlights the life-saving importance of rigorous safety protocols in offshore racing.
Fleet faces mechanical mayhem
The race has also taken a toll on the fleet. As of writing, only 83 yachts remain in the race, with 21 yachts retiring:
- Alive – engine issues
- Bacchanal – retired, broken boom
- Bowline – retired
- Calibre – retired, mainsail damage
- Centennial 7 – retired, mainsail damage
- Ciao Bella – retired, steering issues
- Flying Fish Arctos – retired
- Georgia Express – retired, electrical issues
- Lord Jiminy – retired
- Master Lock Comanche – retired, mainsail damage
- Mayfair – retired, broken equipment
- Philosopher – retired, dismasted
- Porco Rosso – retired, man overboard
- Pretty Woman – retired, headstay foil damage
- Quetzalcoatl – retired, crew injury
- Rum Rebellion – retired, equipment damage
- Transcendence Rudy Project – retired, dismasted
- URM Group – retired, dismasted
- Verite – retired, electrical issues
- Wild Oats – retired, rigging damage
- Zeus – retired, foil damage
The Battle for Line Honours
At the front of the fleet, LawConnect dominates the race, sitting 31 nautical miles southeast of St Helens Point with 147.7 miles to the finish. While unlikely to break the race record, her performance solidifies her position as the line honours favourite.
In the IRC handicap race, Celestial V70, skippered by Sam Haynes, leads the charge, with New Zealand’s Caro, helmed by Max Klink, positioned for a strong second-place finish. Currently sixth overall, Caro is 77 nautical miles east of Flinders Island with 253.1 miles to Hobart.
Looking ahead
The race south remains unforgiving. With tragedy and triumph already etched into its history, the 2024 Rolex Sydney to Hobart continues to test the mettle of its sailors. New Zealand’s Caro continues to keep Kiwi hopes alive in one of the world’s toughest ocean challenges.
Stay tuned as the drama unfolds, with every nautical mile presenting fresh stories of courage and determination in this iconic offshore race.
