Andoo Comanche has triumphed in a two-boat chase up 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 at 12:57am AEDT on Wednesday with a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.
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, with a time of 1 day, 12 hours, 23 minutes and 19 seconds.
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.
He also thanked the "incredible legends" on his crew as well as his parents, who he said had put a love of the water into him at a young age.
LawConnect crew member Gavin Smith said on Wednesday morning the team was exhausted but happy with the result.
"We were always hoping we would be able to catch them in the end, it was just a case that we didn't get there this year, but hopefully next year."
Black Jack crossed the finish in third with a time of 1 day, 12 hours, 40 minutes and 34 seconds.
Hamilton Island Wild Oats lost ground earlier in the race to become a distant fourth.
Wild Oats got into drama on the first night, with a seam splitting across one of its downwind sails.
The crew were forced to pull down the sail to repair it, which took them an hour and a half.
Monday saw a chaotic start to the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, with near-misses, protests and penalties for the big four.
Despite its eventual win, Comanche had a poor start when it did not get enough clear wind to move ahead of its rivals and became jammed by other craft.
It then misjudged a turn and hit the mark, losing even more ground. Shortly afterwards, the crew raised a protest flag.
Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards let loose a number of audible obscenities on the TV coverage as he and his crew tried to navigate their way to the Sydney Heads and out into the ocean for the trip south.
At one point, Black Jack cut back across two of its rivals, running a fine line between LawConnect and Wild Oats.
On Wednesday morning, Comanche's protest flag was noticeably absent as it came up the River Derwent to the finish line.
Skipper John Winning Jr was asked why the team removed it.
"Would you worry about it if you came first?" he asked.
Yachtie injured, more boats retire as wind lashes Tasmania
Moneypenny crew member David Blanchfield received cuts to his leg when he was washed from the bow to the mast.
He was met by an ambulance after the yacht crossed the line in ninth place.
Stefan Racing skipper Grant Wharington said conditions were "heinous" off Tasman Island on Tuesday night, with winds of up to 45 knots from the north.
The sixth-placed yacht was racing Willow and Alive up the Derwent on Wednesday morning when it suffered mainsail damage.
"We got stuck with a jib that was too big," he said.
"It's maximum 18, 20-knot sail and we got like 30, 33 knots or something and it's just broke in half.
"It was quite an old sail. Anyway, you get that."
Although a number of other yachts have retired from the race, including White Noise, Mondo, Navy One, Sail Exchange and Huntress, it is a stark contrast to last year, when almost a quarter of entries dropped out before finishing.
Earlier in the race, Avalanche and Yeah Baby both retired with rudder damage while Koa suffered a damaged bowsprit.
It will be rough sailing for those still in the race, with the east of Tasmania now subject to gale and strong wind warnings.
'Polar opposite' weather conditions compared to 2021
While Wednesday brought tough conditions for sailors, LawConnect crew member Tony Mutter said for his yacht, the contrast in weather between this year and last year's event had been startling.
Mutter told the ABC conditions were "pretty nice" for the crew and the "polar opposite" to last year.
"I was wearing thermals [last year]; we were in thunder and lightning," he said earlier.
"Now, I am in a T-shirt, shorts and life jacket."
While line honours go to the first yacht to cross the finish line, the overall race winner is yet to be declared.
The major prize for sailors is the Tattersalls Cup — which goes to the overall winner on handicap after times are adjusted for boat size and other factors.
Last year, line honours went to Black Jack, but the overall winner — Ichi Ban — was not crowned until two days later.
