LawConnect claimed its second consecutive line honours victory in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race early on Saturday, completing the 628-nautical-mile journey in one day, 13 hours, 35 minutes, and 13 seconds.
After trailing Master Lock Comanche in the early hours of Friday, LawConnect surged into the lead when Comanche retired due to mainsail damage. This year’s race lacked the nail-biting finish of 2023, where LawConnect edged out its competitor by 51 seconds.
Instead, the Supermaxi achieved a commanding victory over second-placed Celestial V70. Despite the triumph, bad weather forced several yachts to withdraw, underscoring the event’s challenging conditions.
The race was overshadowed by the deaths of two sailors, marking the first fatalities in the event since 1998. Nick Smith, 65, from South Australia, was struck by a boat’s mainsheet, causing a fatal head injury. Hours later, Roy Quaden, 55, an experienced sailor from Western Australia, was killed in a similar incident involving a sail boom.
Both tragic accidents occurred on separate yachts, Bowline and Flying Fish Arctos. “The sailing community is very close-knit… losing two in this way is devastating,” said David Jacobs, vice commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. Organizers have pledged to review safety measures to prevent such incidents in future races.
Tempered celebrations aboard LawConnect which claimed back to back line honours wins in a tragedy stricken Sydney Hobart.
No Christian Beck either who was struck down by a stomach bug in the final hours of the race
LawConnect won in 1d 13h 35m 13s@abcsport pic.twitter.com/5wBgGDJufZ
— Chris Rowbottom (@chrisroww) December 27, 2024
Every year this ‘Sydney-to-Hobart Yacht Race’ usually results in death and injury, and is never seemingly delayed due to weather conditions.
Same thing goes for the Fastnet Yacht race in the U.K., and the Boston Regatta in the U.S..
In fact, if you plan to sail your yacht / motor sailer around the southern tips of Africa and South America, you may not be able to get vessel insurance, or your policy might end-up being cancelled for doing so.
AND-
IF you deliberately go out to sea in bad conditions and a terrible sea-state, you’ll lose your vessel’s insurance policy in the event of vessel damage or a sinking.
Common sense needs to over-ride the mindset of ‘win at any cost’ competitions…especially at sea!