Andoo Comanche wins Sydney to Hobart

Andoo Comanche has triumphed in a two-boat chase down the River Derwent to take out its fourth line honours in a late-night finish to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

The 24-strong crew on the John Winning Jr-skippered supermaxi crossed the finish line with a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

Andoo Comanche has won its fourth Sydney to Hobart yacht race title.
Photo: Photosport

Favourable weather led to a speedy race this year but it was still not enough to pip Comanche’s 2017 line honours win with skipper Jim Cooney, which set the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

This year’s tussle for line honours and the JH Illingworth trophy became a clash between supermaxis Andoo Comanche and LawConnect on the River Derwent.

LawConnect finished a little over 20 minutes after Comanche.

Black Jack followed closely behind the pair and all three chased each other down the east coast of Tasmania, hooked a sharp right turn around Tasman Island and closed in on Hobart in quick succession.

Comanche skipper John Winning Jr said the line honours win felt “pretty unbelievable at the moment” and was “still sinking in”.

“I was on [line honours winner] Perpetual Loyal as one of the skippers in 2016 so I sort of know what to expect in terms of all of this,” he said.

“But to do it in a campaign that I was part of putting together is really quite exceptional.”

He said this year he had “lost a dear friend”, Andoo Team X founder Matthew Munting, and would dedicate the win to him.

-RNZ