Lake Macquarie sailor Chris Nicholson has achieved more than most in a career featuring two Olympics, six world championship wins and multiple shots at the gruelling around-the-world Ocean Race.
His worldwide exploits, which now include coaching the Danish SailGP team, mean he has little time usually for the Sydney to Hobart.
But the 2023 edition of the race now holds a special place in his memory after he helped guide LawConnect to an unlikely victory on line honours on Thursday - just 51 seconds ahead of defending champions and favourites Andoo Comanche.
The 54-year-old was tactician on the winning boat and played a major role in recruiting the crew and preparing the assault after two runner-up finishes.
"It was a huge day, a huge couple of days, but to get them like that at the finish, that's about as good as it gets," Nicholson told the Newcastle Herald.
"Comanche is eight years newer than our boat and the technology has moved a long way in that time.
"It's a seriously quick boat, so for us to do that ... it might not ring bells with most people, but sailors who have a close understanding of that boat's performance versus ours, it was a massive effort."
It was Nicholson's seventh Sydney to Hobart and his first win.
He said the against-the-odds nature of the victory placed it among his best achievements in the sport.
"It is up there, really just because of the odds of us being able to do that were pretty slim," he said.
"Maybe a couple of bookies around town will be licking their wounds, I'm not sure.
"On paper we shouldn't really be able to beat them, so for me, it will be one of the most memorable races I've ever had.
"I was saying to the guys earlier, we really won the race in the middle of the course, because we set ourselves up to be quite close to them at the finish on Storm Bay, and we had the opportunity to get to them.
"Coming towards the finish, everything was critical and the crew work that we had, the guys were really giving the boat a hard time to make all the manoeuvres stick. How they executed it all was really cool to watch.
"I just really like the group of people and the culture we have with the team. It's a good team to be with."
Fellow Lake Macquarie local Lucas Chapman was also part of the crew. Nicholson said interstate crewmates Alex Gough and Charlie Wyatt now also call Dudley home.
Nicholson was due to sail LawConnect back home from Friday with sons Banjo and Tully, who took a flight to Tasmania to join their father.
Meanwhile, Newcastle boat Frantic, a TP52 owned and skippered by Mick Martin, was set to finish on Friday night. It was 17th on line honours about 5.30pm.
Another Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club entry, Mako, was 43rd in the fleet but first in PHS division one and second in PHS overall. Lake Macquarie Yacht Club's She's The Culprit was 59th and led PHS and PHS division two.
Paul Beath's Verite, sailing out of NCYC, was 71st in the fleet but ninth in the two-handed handicap section.
AAP reports: Uncomfortable weather is showing no sign of letting up for a Sydney to Hobart fleet already battered by squally conditions that have damaged yachts and broken ribs.
More than 70 boats remained at sea late on Friday afternoon, with the day's first finisher not arriving until 1pm (AEDT) - some 29 hours after LawConnect claimed line honours victory.
Tasmanian yacht Alive, which finished on Thursday, is primed to take out overall honours for a second occasion with a time that appears unbeatable.
Official confirmation is likely to occur on Saturday.
No Limit and 12-year-old luxury cruiser Whisper were among a handful of yachts to make it to the safety of Hobart's Constitution Dock on Friday afternoon.
"Tough ... wet, lumpy, plenty of wind. But the team did an amazing job," No Limit skipper David Gotze said after his seventh-place finish across the line.
"We did the best with what we could do in the circumstances."
The retirement tally stands at 16 from 103 starters following a stormy Boxing Day night at sea.
A strong wind warning is in place for waters off Tasmania's east coast, where a chunk of the fleet is tracking south.
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia commodore Arthur Lane said winds of 35 knots and 4.5-metre seas were expected on Friday afternoon and night.
"It is certainly slower than the last few years and that is because of the wind. It is an uphill race," he told AAP.
"It's going to be a very uncomfortable night."
NSW entrant Salt Lines, veteran of 22 Sydney to Hobart races, and 52-footer Gunshot pulled the pin on Thursday night because of damage to their sails.
Robbie Fisher, skipper of 66-footer Helsal 3, reported a broken mainsail rope, torn sail and "other little things".
"We have a minor injury to a crew ... our navigator was on deck, slipped, and cracked a couple of ribs," he said.
"We copped a beating across (Bass) Strait. We had over 30 knots and it was pretty bad. We have persevered though."
Hong Kong entrant Antipodes, crewed by Lindsay May in his 50th race, was slated to finish at some point on Friday.
"We've had some down time ... with breeze holes that our competitors didn't get," crew member Brad Kellett said.
"We've got a tear in the new mainsail to repair. We blew out our J2 headsail."
The Darren Hine-skippered Alive, overall winner in 2018, finished as clubhouse leader on handicap time.
The overall winner, which is awarded the Tattersall Cup, is judged on handicap which takes into account factors including the size of the boat.
LawConnect won line honours on Thursday morning, coming from behind to beat fellow 100-footer and 2022 winner Andoo Comanche by just 51 seconds in the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history.
