Rolex Sydney Hobart: Maxis play cat and mouse – two extra retirements
by Di Pearson | RSHYR Media 26 Dec 15:11 EST
26 December 2023
Maritimo Rolex Sydney Hobart © Maritimo
As Andoo Comanche and LawConnect proceed their sport of cat and mouse on the entrance finish of the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet, little greater than 4 nautical miles separating the pair, two additional retirements have been reported in a single day.
The Michael Spies skippered TP52, Maritimo 52 (Qld), sustained rig injury which in the end precipitated different injury to the boat.
Crew member Peter Jones stated, “The becoming on the deck for the forestay shredded, which ripped the No. 4 headsail and the mainsail. We tried to work 1,000,000 methods round it, however we might have been crusing at 50 p.c. We are shattered.
“The climate stunning in a single day. We had as a lot lightning as I’ve ever seen. The sou-west entrance got here via, we noticed excessive 20s to early 30s (knots) and had strong rain for 3 hours.
“We were south of Jervis Bay, 115 miles down the course. Everyone on board is fine,” ended Jones, who expects the yacht to be again on the CYCA round mid-afternoon at present.
Then got here the information that Sticky, the Cookson 50 owned by Richard Harris, had suffered electrical injury, forcing her retirement.
Both yachts have been anticipated to do properly within the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 628 nautical mile race.
The two retirements means there are 98 boats nonetheless within the race, inclusive of 17 two-handed entries.
This morning at 5.45am, the John Winning Jr skippered Andoo Comanche and Christian Beck’s LawConnect have been respectively 100 and 104 nautical miles south-east of Green Cape, as they head into Bass Strait.
Andoo Comanche is 88nm behind the report she set in 2017 of 1 day 9 hours quarter-hour and 24 seconds. She was travelling at 18-19 knots, whereas LawConnect was transferring alongside at 21 knots.
Behind them was the 2018 winner, Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and race favorite, URM Group, the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones.
The two yachts have been simply 10 and 18nm respectively behind LawConnect.
For the total record of entries and extra details about the race, go to rolexsydneyhobart.com.
