Less than ten nautical miles separates all four super maxi runners as they near Jervis Bay off NSW coast

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Sydney to Hobart frontrunner LDV Comanche holds a narrow lead in the race for line honours in the 73rd edition of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race as night descends on day one of the blue water classic.

After opening up a buffer over the three trailing super maxis, the crew aboard the yacht that was first to tie up at Constitution Dock in 2015 insists they were lucky to escape the heads unscathed after narrowly avoiding a collision with race darling Wild Oats XI.



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“We had a near miss with Wild Oats XI,” said LDV Comanche’s Jim Cooney “We needed to take evasive action but nothing was damaged.”



Despite the close call within the first passages of the race, the crew aboard LDV Comanche were still pointing the finger of blame at Wild Oats XI three hours into the racing. “We did authorise,” said Mr Cooney aboard the race leader. “And we did fly the protest flag around the event that a boat that infringed didn’t execute any penalty turns.”

It could prove to be a decisive moment in the 628-nautical mile race south with LDV Comanche in the lead and with Wild Oats XI astern. Both 100 footers are trailing the virtual hull-print of last year’s line honours and race record holder Perpetual Loyal – but both are expected to make up considerable ground as the winds freshen up this evening.



“Everyone is in great spirits and we are happily flying down the coast now,” said LDV Comanche’s Jim Cooney. “Everyone is on the rail, everybody is enjoying themselves so we are doing well.”

The experienced crew, who have enlisted the skills of world renowned navigator Stan Honey are still very much eyeing off a new race record and are planning a sail change. “[We hope to] start rolling a little faster with the conditions,” said Cooney.

“We are looking for and if things stay true to the forecast and shift around in the next couple of hours then we expect to pick up the pace and start getting some miles behind us.”



Tactical decisions over the first night will be a major factor for the front running yachts, all in the same weather pattern, with less than ten nautical miles separating all four super maxi runners as they neared Jervis Bay off the New South Wales coast.



Recently purchased American yacht Wizard is the best placed international in fifth with Karl Kwok’s Hong Kong-labelled Beau Geste the only other outsider in the top ten, which includes Wild Oats XI’s sister ship Wild Oats X.



Travelling four times slower than the front-running super maxis and the last on the line is Freyja. The wooden beauty didn’t make it out of the harbour in her last edition of the blue water classic and is new to offshore racing, having mainly been used for family holidays and the odd race out of her home base at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club.



All 102 yachts are still in the race to Hobart.



Facebook Twitter Pinterest The fleet begins their journey in the Sydney Hobart yacht race in Sydney. Photograph: Carlo Borlenghi/AP

Earlier, Queensland’s Black Jack landed a surprise blow at the beginning of the 73rd Sydney to Hobart yacht race, upstaging line honours winners to be the first yacht to clear the heads.



LDV Comanche nailed the start of the blue-water classic, but eight-time line honours champion Wild Oats XI uncharacteristically started well adrift, battling behind Infotrack as the last-placed super maxi.

The two-time America’s Cup winner Jimmy Spithill was the calming voice and cool hand on the helm of LDV Comanche, putting her to the top of the class early, ahead of the three other Australian-owned 100-foot behemoths.

But after 10 minutes of racing in light air and sloppy water it was Black Jack that provided the greatest test to the yacht owned by the Sydney local Jim Cooney, who is on board Comanche with his son and daughter for the 628-nautical mile journey to Hobart.

Black Jack, named after the Australian motor-racing legend Sir Jack Brabham, took the most direct line to the first turning marker and virtually boxed LDV Comanche off the course, but there was more drama to follow as the Queensland super maxi pulled clear.

As Wild Oats XI scythed her way into third place she nearly collided with LDV Comanche. Spithill took evasive action and lodged a protest at the close call between the multimillion-dollar super maxis.

Weather modelling on Tuesday showed a building breeze that could help the leaders shave up to four hours off the race record. The patterns play nicely for reaching specialist LDV Comanche, favoured to be the super maxi most likely to be leading the fleet by Wednesday morning after a fast run down the coast.



The forecast indicates the leaders will reach Tasman Island around sunset on Wednesday in record time but the critical element for breaking the benchmark of one day, 13 hours and 31 minutes will be when the front-running yachts arrive at the mouth of the Derwent, where breezes often vanish in the evening.



Yachts will need to eclipse an average speed of 16.8 knots to set a new race record.

Further back but in handicap contention, PSP Logistics led the Clipper flotilla out of the heads.

For the Olympic gold medallist Hannah Macleod, on board the Great Britain Clipper, anticipation was high before the start of the race.

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“Most nerves come from thinking about what could happen – the secret is to just get the job done that’s in front of you,” she said. “You also learn that a few sacrifices can make a big difference when it comes to competition.”



The professional hockey player, who won gold in Rio in 2016 and bronze at her home Olympics in 2012, has been bolstered by her team-mates cheering on from a distance.

“Some will be viewing on Facebook Live,” Macleod said. “The support they have provided has been brilliant.”



Sean Langman’s 85-year-old Maluka of Kermandie, made from Huon pine, was the last yacht to make the first mark.