Sydney to Hobart yacht race: Comanche takes lead over rival LawConnect as fleet braces for rough night at sea
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The Sydney to Hobart fleet is bracing for a rough night at sea after the reigning handicap winner, Alive, became the first major boat to quit the race rather than brave the conditions with engine issues. The Tasmanian 66-footer was one of two boats to withdraw in the first five-and-a-half hours of racing on Boxing Day, as father-son two-hander Transcendence Rudy Project was dismasted and retired north-east of Kiama.
![[Alive yacht in Sydney Harbour]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/24510c936c6936417a66bc9cd1750cc344cb26f5/0_156_5377_3227/master/5377.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Line honours favourite Master Lock Comanche led the fleet into the evening on Boxing Day after overtaking incumbent LawConnect when it experienced a furling issue coming out of Sydney Harbour. That problem has since been fixed but as of 6.30pm, LawConnect was 8 nautical miles behind Comanche, which made the best of strong north-easterly winds coming down the New South Wales coast.
![[Wild Thing yacht in Sydney to Hobart race]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e35ceea4e1904ac3d109de41c7e9fad4e835750a/0_26_1604_962/master/1604.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
Fellow supermaxi Wild Thing 100 was in third place about 9 nautical miles behind LawConnect and ahead of mini-maxis Celestial V70 and URM Group. The fast start will have been a big confidence booster for Comanche after LawConnect ambushed it in the River Derwent to take line honours by only 51 seconds last year.
A west south-westerly change is expected to hit Bass Strait overnight, bringing winds up to 40 km/h and possible showers which will be particularly challenging for the smaller boats in the fleet. The four 100ft supermaxis also risk damage from the wild weather, which could force more retirements from a fleet standing at 102 yachts after Transcendence Rudy Project pulled out.
