LINE HONOURS | Live Blog

• NEWS
• 28 Dec, 2018 05:35:00 AM

LINE HONOURS | Live Blog

It's an absolute table-thumper - what a finish

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is living up to its billing as arguably the most exciting yacht race in the world, with a thrilling finish for line honours on the cards. Here's the live commentary from Rupert Guinness & DJ Munro.

-

0945hrs: What a finish! We hope you enjoyed the live coverage of the gripping line honours finish, which saw Wild Oats XI reclaim her place as the Queen of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Wild Oats XI breaks her previous record eight line honours victories, now the proud owner of nine. 

Stay tuned right here on the Rolex Sydney Hobart website for the latest news as it comes in. We'll be bringing you interviews from the line honours champs, as well as footage of the finish and more! 

Don't forget the battles for the overall win as well as divisional victories are still unfolding along the Tasmanian Coast and out into Bass Strait, and the race is far from over! Stay glued to the Yacht Tracker and live standings page for the latest on the Great Race as it unfolds. 

-

0720hrs: We're live streaming the nail-biting finish! Be sure to check it out right here on our website and Facebook page. 

-

0700hrs: In a seemingly-unstoppable show of force, Wild Oats XI continues to flex her sailing muscles, extending her lead and powering towards Hobart at around 14 knots in approximately 8-12 knots of southerly breeze. At this speed, she's one knot quicker than the hunting Black Jack, however this could all be soon-undone as the further-back Comanche and InfoTrack seem to have caught a freshening breeze behind them as they power up to 16-17 knots. 

With third and fourth now moving faster than first and second, it's anyone's guess as to what is going to happen at the finish line of this Great Race. Make sure to stay tuned to the Yacht Tracker for live positions on the Yacht Tracker, and stay glued to live estimated arrival times on the Standings page. 

-

0645hrs: DJ Munro taking over now as Rupert Guinness heads for the Derwent River to witness one of the closest finishes in Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race history. Wild Oats XI has managed to extend their lead on the chasing 100-footers and is now about 5nm in front of Black Jack. Skipper Mark Richards will want to be putting as much distance between them as possible right now though, as Black Jack is famed for her light wind performance - conditions that will most likely greet them as they round the Iron Pot into the Derwent River. 

While there's been a lot of talk of Comanche's improvements in the lighter air, they've been a real surprise as her almost twice-as-wide frame continues to hound her skinnier rivals in front. 

Stay locked right here for updates and don't forget the finish will be streamed live from the Derwent River via this website and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Facebook page with commentary by Olivia Price and Nic Douglass.

-

0630hrs: At the finish, the hype is building by the minute as the four leaders still duke it out for line honours.

The media centre, so quiet when we arrived before dawn, is now packed with media - from photographers, camera crews and journalists - waiting in readiness for instructions to board the three media boats.

The sun is now starting to shine across the Derwent River where a spectator fleet is building by the minute.

-

0605hrs: With Cape Raoul behind the leaders, 6.5nm separates the four leaders. Wild Oats XI is now 3nm in front of Black Jack with 29nm to go, while Comanche is in third another 1.6nm back followed by InfoTrack less than 1nm behind.

They are still averaging 14 knots-plus, but their fates still hang in the balance as they all know that still conditions await them for the 11.2nm stretch from the Iron Pot up the Derwent River where many a race has been won and lost in the most agonising way.

-

0545hrs: The battle is ongoing between the four maxi yachts still in the race with Wild Oats XI passing the overnight leader Comanche shortly after 4am with dawn still to rise. 

At the time, Wild Oats XI, skippered by Mark Richards, and Comanche, owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, were 45 nautical miles out from the finish in Hobart and off Tasman Island.

However, Peter Harburg’s Black Jack is hot on their trail and still within striking range, followed by Christian Beck’s InfoTrack about 4nm behind. All four maxis are averaging at about 15 knots.

But as they approached Tasman Island, their boat speeds began to slow in the northerly breeze; although, less so for Black Jack which then passed Comanche into second place while Wild Oats XI began to extend her lead.

As dawn emerged and with Tasman Island behind then, the prospects of a nail-biting finale rose further with weakening winds for the crossing of Storm Bay, and ultimately the passage up the Derwent River to the finish line.

-

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will go LIVE from its official Facebook page for the line honours finish as the action in the Derwent gets underway! Commentary will feature Olivia Price and Nic Douglass.