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Apollo Maxi Yacht

The famous 76ft yacht is an Australian Sailing Legend….

Welcome to APOLLO MAXI YACHT

A sailing legend.

The famous 76ft sailing yacht is an Australian sailing legend. After competing in races all over the world (and winning the famous Sydney – Hobart Race) it was converted into the ultimate Whitsundays Adventure Sailing.

Apollo Maxi Yacht was designed by Ben Lexcen.

• Winner and multiple place getter Sydney – Hobart
• Winner of the South China Sea Series
• Apollo has won every major race held on the East Coast of Australia including Sydney to Brisbane and Brisbane to Gladstone.
• Apollo set the record for the Sydney to Southport race
• Winner of the Kenwood Cup
• Winner of the Around Hawaii Island Race
• Winner of the Cairns New Guinea Race
• Winner of the Hobart to Honiara Race
• Winner of 6 gruelling Whitsunday Fun Races consecutively

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51 seconds apart after 628 nautical miles: LawConnect edges Comanche in Sydney to Hobart race

Comanche heads down Sydney Harbour during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

Skallywag, left, and Comanche sail close during the start of the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023. The 630-nautical mile race has more than 100 yachts starting in the race to the island state of Tasmania. (Salty Dog/CYCA via AP)

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HOBART, Australia (AP) — LawConnect won line honors in the 78th edition of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Thursday, holding off defending champion Andoo Comanche by less than a minute in an exciting finish between the super maxis.

The pair of 100-foot yachts had dueled for much of the race and were well ahead of the rest of the fleet of 103 yachts that started the race on Tuesday in Sydney harbor.

LawConnect, which was runner-up in the last three editions of the race, finished in 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes, 58 seconds. Comanche’s time was 1 day, 19 hours, 4 minutes, 49 seconds — a margin of just 51 seconds.

It was the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history after Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by seven seconds in 1982.

Both yachts performed several late jibes as they attempted to secure the lead.

“I can’t believe that result. Honestly, it is a dream come true,” LawConnect’s skipper and owner Christian Beck said. “They took the lead pretty close to the line and we thought there was no way we could get it back.

“A wind gust came around. It was a complete surprise. There were guys who couldn’t watch. It was very nerve wracking.”

Comanche holds the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds, set when it won the race in 2017.

“It is pretty painful, we’ve got an amazing boat that should have won,” Comanche skipper and owner John Winning Jr. said of Thursday’s result. “The other guys sailed their guts out and left nothing on the table. They beat us with an underdog boat, those guys deserve all the praise they get.”

“It was one of the most epic finishes in probably any sailing race I know. In the last three minutes I think the lead changed three times.”

Comanche and LawConnect were clear front-runners from just out of Sydney harbor. The pair began the trip down the New South Wales south coast at a fast clip but fell off the race record pace. The finish was at Constitution Dock in Hobart, the capital of the island state of Tasmania.

The highest-profile retirement of 11 race withdrawals was SHK Scallywag, one of four 100-foot super maxis which sustained a broken bow sprit and withdrew on the first evening of the race.

LawConnect was the first yacht out of the harbor.

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• Line Honours

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Andoo Comanche outlasts LawConnect to win Sydney to Hobart line honours

• Finish time less than three hours off race record set in 2017
• Black Jack crosses third, Hamilton Island Wild Oats fourth

Andoo Comanche has claimed line honours in the Sydney to Hobart for the fourth time, marking a triumphant return for the supermaxi after a brief hiatus.

The 100-foot yacht crossed the River Derwent finish line shortly before 1am (AEDT) on Wednesday with a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

Andoo Comanche, which had not sailed the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic since tasting success in 2019, has now claimed line honours in four of the past seven races.

She held off a strong challenge in darkness down the River Derwent from LawConnect, which finished about 27 minutes later.

Last year’s line honours victor, Black Jack, was third, while nine-time winner, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, finished in fourth place.

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr was joined on the crossing by his father, who had competed in the Sydney to Hobart race back in the 1970s.

“It’s pretty emotional. These are the types of things that you look back on and say you’re glad you got those opportunities,” Winning Jr said. “He’s a big golfer and I hate golf, so it’s the only sport we can do together.”

Winning Jr dedicated the victory to “dear friend” Matt Munting, who helped him set up his extreme sports venture Andoo X.

Andoo Comanche set the pace down Australia’s east coast despite a poor start on Boxing Day.

Winning Jr said his crew had to navigate some “hairy” moments in the early stages, made more difficult by spectator zones that narrowed the course. The supermaxi also hit a 10-foot log early in the race, suffering a chip to her rudder.

Winning Jr said he was worried about the winds dying in the notoriously fickle River Derwent. “[Winning the race] didn’t feel real until the last minute. It means a hell of a lot,” he said.

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Andoo Comanche, the pre-race favourite, was at one stage on track to break the line-honours record time – one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds – she set in 2017 but ultimately missed out by almost three hours.

She is the first yacht to take out Sydney to Hobart line honours under three different owners or skippers.

Andoo Comanche was one of two supermaxis forced to take penalty turns during a dramatic start to the race in Sydney on Monday. The overall race winner, decided on handicap, will be decided in the coming days.

Just three yachts have so far retired from the starting fleet of 109, a far cry from 2021’s race when 36 boats pulled the pin across the first two days in rough weather. The Sydney to Hobart was not held in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Sydney to Hobart yacht race
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AUSTRALIA: SLOOP APOLLO FIRST PAT THE LINE IN THE SYDNEY-HOBART YACHT RACE

• Title: AUSTRALIA: SLOOP APOLLO FIRST PAT THE LINE IN THE SYDNEY-HOBART YACHT RACE
• Date: 3rd January 1979
• Summary: 1. LV Race winner, the sloop Apollo passes finishing line with crew taking down sails (TWO SHOTS) 0.42 2. GV ZOOM INTO LV Runner up, the cutter Helsal 1.02 3. SV Captain Jack Rooklyn being interviewed aboard Apollo 1.17 ROSS: "There's the gun. And the horns and the cheers and the clapping and the shouting now start. Apollo, winner of line honours, Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 1978. Now of course a lot of very frantic activity on board as they get the sheets down. And yes here comes the foresail. That will come down first, and that will come down very quickly. And the lads can't pull it down quick enough, as the pick-up boat moves out and will shortly take them in tow and take them into berth. There she is. She crosses the line. Helsal, second place for line honours in the 1978 Sydney to Hobart yacht race. And receiving the traditional welcome from the very large crowd gathered on the foreshore of (indistinct) Esplanade." ROSS: "Well, Jack Rooklyn welcome to Hobart once more. First line honours again." ROOKLYN: "Thank you." ROSS: "Congratulations to you. what sort of a trip was it?" ROOKLYN: "Well, rough, slow, rather frustrating. The first two days were quite brisk. Very calm. The day before yesterday was beautiful-like cruise weather." Winner on handicap of the 630 mile (1000 kilometre) Sydney-Hobart race was the former Admiral's Cup yacht, Love and War, with a corrected time of three days, twelve hours and thirteen minutes. Initials KM/1600 SPORT: YACHTING Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
• Embargoed: 17th January 1979 12:00
• Access Restrictions: This media cannot be downloaded as there may be copyright restrictions. Please contact us for more information
• Location: HOBART, AUSTRALIA
• Country: Australia
• Reuters ID: LVA6R13V8AW2ALP8FP8RROGG5XMW
• Story Text:
• Copyright Holder: REUTERS - SOURCE TO BE VERIFIED
• Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
• Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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LawConnect hails ‘dream’ Sydney to Hobart underdog win

Perennial bridesmaid LawConnect has claimed Sydney to Hobart line honours, coming from behind to pip fellow supermaxi Andoo Comanche by just 51 seconds.

LawConnect, runner-up in the past three events, edged across the River Derwent finish line in light winds shortly after 8am (AEDT) on Thursday.

It was the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history after Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by seven seconds in 1982.

LawConnect and Comanche, who were in a tight battle the whole race, each had their nose in front in the dying stages.

Skipper and owner Christian Beck said his maiden line-honours win in the 628-nautical-mile bluewater event was a dream come true.

“They took the lead pretty close to the line and we thought there was no way we could get it back,” Beck said.

“A wind gust came around. It was a complete surprise.

“There were guys who couldn’t watch. It was very nerve-racking.”

Pre-race favourite and 2022 winner Comanche took the lead into the River Derwent after holding the advantage down Tasmania’s east coast on Wednesday night.

“It is pretty painful. We’ve got an amazing boat that should have won,” Comanche skipper and owner John Winning Jr said.

“The other guys sailed their guts out and left nothing on the table.

“They beat us with an underdog boat, those guys deserve all the praise they get.”

Winning Jr, whose two-year ownership of Comanche will come to an end after this race, lamented a slow start and getting caught in unexpected low pressure.

“It was one of the most epic finishes in probably any sailing race I know,” Winning Jr said.

“In the last three minutes I think the lead changed three times.”

Beck, who said he would return to defend the win, jokingly described LawConnect as a “s***box” compared to Comanche. 

“I know it looks good on TV, but you go up close … she’s rough as anything,” he said.

“Comanche is better in every way. The fact (our crew) can make that boat beat Comanche is amazing.”

There was drama near the finish line when a spectator catamaran sailed close to Comanche. 

Tasmania Police said a 57-year-old man from Hobart would be proceeded against for allegedly encroaching into an exclusion zone and breaching marine and safety regulations.

“Spectators on the water need to be mindful of their actions and ensure they remain at a safe distance from competitors and other vessels,” police said in a statement. 

LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter said competitors had to deal with spectator boats.

“It’s pretty fair that everyone had troubles with the spectator boats. That’s part of it when it’s so busy,” he said.

LawConnect arrived in Hobart with a red protest flag flying after they slowed for 30 minutes earlier in the race for Comanche, who they believed was in distress.

Mutter said they didn’t assert any wrongdoing on Comanche’s part. 

LawConnect finished in one day, 19 hours, three minutes and 58 seconds. 

They were first out of the Heads in Sydney during a dramatic opening day, which included the retirement of fellow supermaxi SHK Scallywag because of a broken bow sprit.

Twelve of the race’s starting 103-strong fleet have pulled the pin, with some reporting damage and seasickness after a challenging thunderstorm on the first night.

Attention turns to the overall honours decided on handicap, with Tasmanian 2018 winner Alive in the early box seat after finishing on Thursday night. 

More than 80 yachts remain at sea. 

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LawConnect claims dramatic Sydney to Hobart line win

LawConnect has clinched line honours in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, running down fellow supermaxi Andoo Comanche in a thrilling river finish.

A close finish in the 2023 Sydney to Hobart, with LawConnect taking out the honours less than a minute ahead of last year's winner Andoo Comanche. Photo: AAP

Perennial bridesmaid LawConnect has claimed Sydney to Hobart line honours, coming from behind to pip fellow supermaxi Andoo Comanche by just 51 seconds.

LawConnect, runner-up in the past three events, edged across the River Derwent finish line in light winds shortly after 8am (AEDT) on Thursday.

It was the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history after Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by seven seconds in 1982.

LawConnect and Comanche, who were in a tight battle the whole race, each had their nose in front in the dying stages.

Skipper and owner Christian Beck said his maiden line honours win in the 628-nautical-mile bluewater event was a dream come true.

“They took the lead pretty close to the line and we thought there was no way we could get it back,” Beck said.

“A wind gust came around. It was a complete surprise.

“There were guys who couldn’t watch. It was very nerve wracking.”

Pre-race favourite and 2022 winner Comanche took a lead into the River Derwent after holding the advantage down Tasmania’s east coast on Wednesday night.

“It is pretty painful. We’ve got an amazing boat that should have won,” Comanche skipper and owner John Winning Jr said.

“The other guys sailed their guts out and left nothing on the table.

“They beat us with an underdog boat, those guys deserve all the praise they get.”

Winning Jr, whose two-year ownership of Comanche will come to an end after this race, lamented a slow start and getting caught in unexpected low pressure.

“It was one of the most epic finishes in probably any sailing race I know,” Winning Jr said.

“In the last three minutes I think the lead changed three times.”

Beck, who said he would return to defend the win, jokingly described LawConnect as a “shitbox” compared to Comanche.

“I know it looks good on TV but you go up close … she’s rough as anything,” he said.

“Comanche is better in every way. The fact (our crew) can make that boat beat Comanche is amazing.”

LawConnect arrived in Hobart with a red protest flag flying after they slowed for 30 minutes for Comanche who they believed was in distress.

LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter said they didn’t assert any wrongdoing on Comanche’s part, with the winners finishing in one day, 19 hours, three minutes and 58 seconds.

She was first out of the Heads in Sydney during a dramatic opening day which included the retirement of fellow supermaxi SHK Scallywag because of a broken bow sprit.

Eleven of the race’s starting 103-strong fleet have pulled the pin, with some reporting damage and seasickness after a challenging thunderstorm on the first night.

Meanwhile, the rest of the fleet of smaller boats is crossing the Bass Strait this morning, including the only South Australian yacht in the race, Clockwork.

The Sydney 38 owned by Mary Ann Harvey and Andrew Lloyd, is currently in the main pack, 52 nd for line honours and 7 th in the IRC3 handicap.

Eleven of the race’s starting 103-strong fleet have pulled the pin, with some reporting damage and seasickness in challenging conditions which included a thunderstorm on the first night.

Moneypenny, URM Group and Alive are together about 60 nautical miles from the finish, with the third remaining supermaxi Wild Thing 100 further back in sixth.

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race: LawConnect wins Sydney to Hobart line honours after two-way river battle

Live Moment Sport Sydney to Hobart yacht race: LawConnect wins Sydney to Hobart line honours after two-way river battle

In a finish for the ages, LawConnect has sensationally overtaken Andoo Comanche in the final moments to snatch line honours in the 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Andoo Comanche held the lead a lot more comfortably when rounding the Tasman Peninsula and entering the River Derwent for the final sprint, but LawConnect started to rapidly gain on them.

The speedier LawConnect closed several nautical miles between them along the river until they were neck and neck to a nail-biting finish. 

LawConnect's finish time in the end was 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds. Andoo Comanche's was just 51 seconds behind.

If you're new to the Sydney to Hobart race, we've got a shortcut guide at the bottom of the story. Tap the link below to get the gist of the race: Explained: Common Sydney to Hobart yacht race questions 

LawConnect owner Christian Beck described their dramatic win as a dream come true.

"I can't believe that result. Honestly, it's a dream come true," he said.

"I never thought it was possible, actually."

Despite trailing by a significant margin as they passed the Iron Pot on the final approach, LawConnect had the advantage of being able to watch Andoo Comanche to see where the slow spots were.

LawConnect entered with a protest flag flying, after being on standby for about 30 minutes during the race due to concerns Andoo Comanche was in distress, but a formal protest was not lodged.

There was also some interference from a spectator boat in the final moments, with a catamaran passing close to Andoo Comanche and the crew being seen yelling and gesturing.

Tasmania Police said this afternoon action would be taken against a 57-year-old man for "allegedly breaching" marine and safety regulations.

"The man was skippering a private vessel when it reportedly encroached into the exclusion zone set by Marine and Safety Tasmania," it said in a statement. 

The offence carries a fine of up to $3,900.

Sailing master Tony Mutter said spectator boats were something the competitors had to deal with.

"It's pretty fair that everyone had troubles with the spectator boats. That's part of it when it's so busy," he said.

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr said they only had themselves to blame for the last-minute loss.

"We should have been miles ahead of them with our boat," he said.

"The conditions suited us, I think they just outsailed us."

First local boat home

URM Group has claimed third place line honours, crossing the finish line at 3:07pm to record a race time of 2 days, 2 hours, 7 minutes and 19 seconds.

The first Tasmanian yacht to finish, Alive, crossed the line almost 12 minutes later.

Alive is currently in first place to win overall handicap honours.

Four yachts have now docked at Kings Pier, with Moneypenny and Wild Thing 100 expected to be the next to arrive.

Live Moment

Look back at how ABC readers and other Australians responded to this live moment.

Possible problem?

In the final moments, a catamaran appeared to cut in front of Andoo Comanche as the boat turned into the finish.

Eyewitness accounts say crew on Comanche were yelling at the catamaran to move as they tried to turn.

Could this make for an official race protest? We'll have to see.

What an incredible finish

After leading all the way into the River Derwent, Andoo Comanche won't make it back-to-back Line Honours wins. LawConnect snatched it away from them at the last moment!

How incredible. These boats set off together three days ago and it came down to mere seconds to the finish.

LawConnect wins Line Honours!

Wondering what this is? Join us next time we're live and be part of the discussion.

It has been a testing 78th edition of the Sydney to Hobart, with a man overboard, stormy seas, damaged yachts and rapid wind changes.

Eleven boats have retired, including race favourite SHK Scallywag, which broke its bow sprit on the first day.

The skipper of two-handed Rum Rebellion, Shane Connelly, was sent overboard at 6pm on Boxing Day after encountering rapid wind changes off the coast between Cronulla and Wollongong.

Two-handed Currawong also retired, after facing various issues in rough conditions off New South Wales.

Owner Kathy Veel said they were disappointed but believed they made the right decision.

"Last night was quite difficult and there was a lot more of that ahead of us in a long race," she said.

They were the last boat to cross the finishing line at last year's event, making a well-received arrival in Hobart at midnight on New Year's Eve.

Your questions answered

Here are the answers to some of the most common questions.

Who won Sydney to Hobart 2023?

When we talk about the Sydney to Hobart race, there are two major "winners":

• Line honours: This is the order in which boats cross the finish line.
• Overall winners: The order of winners once race times have been calculated to take into account the differences between boats (handicaps). This is because the boats aren't exactly the same — adjustments have to be made for things like the weight and length of the boat.

Line honours will always go to the biggest, fastest yachts (supermaxis) but is likely one of the smaller vessels will be crowned the overall winner (which is seen as the more prestigious of the two prizes).

Here's the line honours as of Thursday morning:

• 1. LawConnect
• 2. Andoo Comanche

The difference between the two was just 51 seconds. 

But the overall winner won't be decided for days. 

Until then, we can only wait.

However, before the race, there were a few main contenders for the overall title – here they are listed in alphabetical order:

• Andoo Comanche
• SHK Scallywag

Who owns LawConnect?

Christen Beck. 

Mr Beck is the founder of a legal software company, which he created off the back of building a system for his father's legal firm in the 90s. 

In 2017, he was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year and in 2018, he was ranked 99th on the Financial Review's Rich List . 

Who owns Andoo Comanche?

John 'Herman' Winning Jnr.

He's the chief executive of Winning Appliances, a company started by his great grandfather in 1906. 

Mr Winning Jnr took over the role from his father in 2011. 

How far is the Sydney to Hobart distance?

It's a 628-nautical-mile course – that's  1,163 kilometres .

Starting at Sydney Harbour, the course runs down the south-east coast of Australia, across the Bass Strait before turning into the Derwent River to finish in Hobart. 

It usually takes about 48 hours for the first boat to cross the finish line.

What is a nautical mile?

A nautical mile is the equivalent to 1.852 kilometres .

It's an internationally used standardised term used for maritime navigation, based on the Earth's latitude and longitude coordinates.

A nautical mile is the equivalent of one minute of latitude. 

Because of this, a nautical mile is slightly longer than land mile. 

How many boats are in the Sydney to Hobart race?

There's 103 this year. 

What is the prize for Sydney to Hobart?

There's no prize money – just trophies. Here's the two main ones:

• JH Illingworth Challenge Cup: This is for the line honours winner – which is the first boat to cross the finish line.
• Tattersalls Cup: This goes to the overall winner.

What's the Sydney to Hobart record?

The line honours record is 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds .

It was set in 2017 by LDV Comanche.

If you've got even more questions, go read out Sydney to Hobart explainer  or tap the link below to jump back to the top of the story.

Take me back to the top to read the recap

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• Cape Barren Island

Numbers add up to a Sydney-Hobart spectacular

SYDNEY TO HOBART FACTS AND FIGURES

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* Fleet - 103

* Reigning line-honours winner - Andoo Comanche

* Reigning overall winner - Celestial

* International entrants - 10

* Largest boats - Andoo Comanche, LawConnect, SHK Scallywag, Wild Thing 100 (100ft)

* Smallest boats - Currawong, Sylph VI (30ft)

* Oldest boat - Sylph VI (1960)

* Boats launched this year - 7

HISTORICAL FIGURES

* Largest fleet - 371 (1994)

* Smallest fleet - 9 (1945)

* Race record - Comanche in one day nine hours 15 minutes 24 seconds (2017)

* Closest finish for line honours - Seven seconds, Condor of Bermuda over Apollo (1982)

* Most line-honours wins - Wild Oats XI (nine)

* Most overall wins - Freya, Love & War, Ichi Ban (three each)

* Boats to have claimed line-honours and overall victories in the same year - 6

* Most races by an individual sailor - Tony Ellis (54)

* Most consecutive races by an individual - Lindsay May (49)

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Lawconnect comes from behind to win the rolex sydney hobart in epic finish.

Lawconnect wins Sydney to Hobart

It has been hailed as one of the most remarkable come-from-behind wins of all time and it all came down to the thrilling final mile.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race ended in dramatic circumstances with perennial bridesmaid LawConnect inching past fellow supermaxi Andoo Comanche to claim line honours in a ridiculously close nailbiter.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: LawConnect wins Sydney to Hobart in thrilling finish.

LawConnect, runner-up in the past three events, edged across the River Derwent finish line, 51 seconds ahead of her rival not long after 8am (AEDT) on Thursday.

After almost two days of sailing in ferocious conditions, the 100-footers played a tactical game of cat and mouse in light winds as they neared the finish, with LawConnect crossing the line in a time of 1 day, 19 hours, 03 minutes and 58 seconds

Both performed several jive manoeuvres as they attempted to secure the lead.

It is the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history after Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by a mere seven seconds in 1982.

The John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche held the upper hand for most of the 628 nautical mile race but LawConnect skipper and owner Christian Beck was always confident he could hunt down his rival.

As Comanche held a narrow lead into the River Derwent, Beck told Seven’s Sunrise it was game on. Both yachts then performed several jibe manoeuvres in the epic race to the line.

After the race Beck said: “I can’t believe that result. Honestly, it is a dream come true.

“They took the lead pretty close to the line and we thought there was no way we could get it back.

“A wind gust came around. It was a complete surprise.

“There were guys who couldn’t watch. It was very nerve-racking.”

Fans were blown away by the stunning finish.

“Wow, that was a close finish on the Derwent!!,” one wrote on social media.

And another said: “Holy s***! LawConnect passes Comanche in the variable breezes on the Derwent River. Nailbiter!!!”

And another: “Wow wee! What an amazing finish in the Sydney to Hobart! Congratulations LawConnect! I was hoping for a Comanche win.”

Andrew Hawkins, of horse racing fame, said: “Hard to believe it wasn’t the closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history but nine seconds separated LawConnect and Andoo Comanche - the closest was seven seconds in 1982! Still remarkable after 628 nautical miles to have such a close finish.”

LawConnect was first out of the Heads in Sydney on Boxing Day after a dramatic start to the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic and the retirement of fellow supermaxi SHK Scallywag.

Scallywag was forced to retire roughly six hours into the race after breaking her bow sprit.

Eleven of the race’s starting 103-strong fleet pulled the pin, with some reporting damage and seasickness in challenging conditions which included a thunderstorm on the first night.

LawConnect navigator Chris Lewis described the stormy seas as “wild” with 180-degree wind shifts.

Shane Connelly, skipper of retired two-handed entrant Rum Rebellion, was briefly flung overboard on Boxing Day off the NSW coast in strong winds.

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LawConnect pips Andoo Comanche by 51 seconds to win Sydney to Hobart

LawConnect has won the 2023 Sydney to Hobart line honours in incredible fashion, in what was the second closest finish ever.

The 100-foot supermaxi sailed into Hobart harbour just after 8am on Thursday, 51 seconds ahead of Andoo Comanche.

The closest recorded finish to the race was in 1982, when Condor Of Bermuda beat Apollo by just seven seconds.

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The race came down to the wire as the two superyachts duelled over the final few miles, and LawConnect made up significant ground to overtake and then beat Andoo Comanche before the line.

Andoo Comanche had led by as much as four kilometres only half an hour earlier. Andoo Comanche was the reigning champion.

LawConnect and its owner Christian Beck had been runner-up in the race the past three years.

The yacht was first out of Sydney harbour, while Andoo Comanche ran into trouble and almost collided with fellow supermaxi Scallywag, which was forced to retire six hours later.

LawConnect wins the 2023 event in one day, 19 hours, three minutes and 58 seconds. Andoo Comanche took one day, 19 hours, four minutes and 49 seconds to complete the 628-nautical mile course.

Earlier, Beck had spoken as his yacht attempted to chase down Andoo Comanche, who several media outlets had already declared the line honours winner.

"You can watch where they go, and if they go slow, we go somewhere else," Beck told the broadcast.

"We've come second three times in a row, so we really want to win...we're obviously happy to be in the Derwent too, but we'd like to be a little closer to Comanche."

LawConnect was flying a protest flag as it crossed the finish line, which confused spectators.

Sailing master Tony Mutter later explained the crew were protesting Andoo Comanche, but may not follow through with it.

"We did notify the race committee that we were flying a protest flag... for an incident during the race that we thought affected our performance," Mutter said.

"We slowed down for half an hour… on standby for a boat we thought was in distress.

"There was no intent on their part to create that problem...we're not suggesting that at all."

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