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  • RACE UPDATE | 0000hrs 28 December 2019

RACE UPDATE | 0000hrs 28 December 2019

RACE UPDATE | 0000hrs 28 December 2019
Quest during the 2019 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. ©Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

RACE UPDATE | 0000hrs 28 December 2019

Trying conditions for all crews and an ever-changing leader board is creating a race to remember

Day 2 saw many changes and much movement throughout the fleet. With the majority of the fleet battling their way through a light and fickle section of the racecourse, it was a game of snakes and ladders as navigators worked to connect gusts of wind to keep their yachts progressing south.

For the front runners, it was Comanche who was able to hold on to her early lead even with the weather conditions not the most favorable for the current race record holder. In hot pursuit were the three super maxis of InfoTrack, SHK Scallywag, and Black Jack were in close proximity across the day. The big talking point in the battle for line honours was Wild Oats XI who were unable to keep up the pace of the other 100 footers slipping back in the chasing pack of 60-70 footers. They were, however, able to claw their way back and currently sit at the back of the leading pack.

In the battle for overall victory, today's weather conditions have played into the hands of the 50-foot range of entrants with many of the TP52s having their time at the top of the leader board after an early charge from some of the smaller and vintage yachts. The French yacht Daguet has been holding strong in first position for the past few hours with Maverick 49 in hot pursuit followed by a pack of TP52s. With many of the mid-sized yachts making their way past Bass Strait the weather conditions in the coming days will have a large impact on to which area of the fleet the overall winner will evolve from.

The full list of current standing across all divisions can be found on the Standings page HERE.

The current list of retirements are as follows (all crew are safe and well):

  • Faster Forward - Steering problems
  • Hollywood Boulevard - Broken rudder
  • Faster Forward - Steering problems

Stay locked on rolexsydneyhobart.com to keep up to date with the Race Tracker, standings, photos and video throughout the race. Fans, participants and media are encouraged to follow the race on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter as well as tag their Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race content with the official hashtag #RolexSydneyHobart on all social media platforms.