The Sydney to Hobart yacht race has entered the fourth day, after Master Lock Comanche claimed line honours late on Sunday.
The overall winner may not be known for several days as many of the fleet are still making their way to Hobart.
But Celestial V70, which crossed the finish line at 05:14:34 on Monday, is still a contender.
The first yacht across the finish line is the line honours winner, not the overall winner. The overall or handicap winner is calculated by a number of factors, including the size of the boat.
Live: Sydney to Hobart yacht race
Master Lock Comanche finished at 18:03:36 after a cat-and-mouse run down Tasmania’s east coast.
Comanche was followed up Hobart’s River Derwent by LawConnect, SHK Scallywag 100, Lucky and Palm Beach XI on Sunday, and Celestial V70 on Monday morning.
Comanche’s competing time was 2 days, 5 hours, 3 minutes and 36 seconds — well shy of the line honours race record it set back in 2017.
Master Lock Comanche crosses the finish line. (Supplied: Sydney Hobart Yacht Race)
Master Lock Comanche came powering up the River Derwent to nab line honours. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
During last year’s event, the boat was forced to retire early due to mainsail damage.
Co-owner and co-skipper James Mayo said this year’s win was “unfinished business”.
“Last year was brutal, but it was unfinished business,” he said.
“We wanted redemption and we said, ‘Let’s do it again.’
“The crew are incredible. If you are going to achieve great sporting achievements, you can’t do it without a fantastic team, and that is what we have.”
Co-owners of Master Lock Comanche, Matt Allen and James Mayo, celebrated docking in Hobart in the 2025 Sydney Hobart yacht race. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
Comanche’s competing time was 2 days, 5 hours, 3 minutes and 36 seconds. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
LawConnect crossed the finish line in second place — roughly 47 minutes behind at 18:50:40.
The owner and skipper of the line honours runner-up, Christian Beck, said they were leading on the first night, when they sustained some damage and broke a mainsheet.
LawConnect crew taping sail tears at first light on Sunday. (Supplied: LawConnect)
“Those things — we fixed them but they took time,” Beck said.
“If that didn’t happen, we would have been leading up until the transition and then probably would be OK through there.
“But as soon as that heavier wind came in, Comanche was always going to overtake us.
“We did well at the start but made some errors.”
Eighty-eight boats are still at sea, with one of them still in New South Wales.
Six boats still have not reached half-way.
Participants described it as a tough race, with a quarter of competing yachts retiring by Sunday morning.
Participants described it as a tough race. (Supplied: Sydney Hobart Yacht Race)
Multiple boats pulled out due to damage being sustained, as well as seasickness in crews.
Comanche’s Mayo said the crew lost the bowman about 3 minutes after the start.
“He suffered a pretty bad injury,” he said.
“Maybe he has some broken ribs. We’re not quite sure yet, so he was out for the whole race from the first turning buoy.”
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia vice-commodore David Jacobs said it felt like “being on a five-storey building and doing a belly flop into a swimming pool”.
Speaking on Monday morning, he said competitors for the overall winner will have had the benefit of the northerly wind, giving them a very good run down the coast.
“The first two days were really tough. It was strong winds, 25 knots, sometimes gusting up to 30-35 [knots]. We even had some reports of 40-45 [knots]” he said.
“They’ve been going straight into the wind.
“Now it’s a bit nicer, the wind’s moved around, the seas have dropped a bit. It’s more pleasant sailing.”
The overall winner is yet to be decided. (ABC News: Maren Preuss)
Follow the yachts as they sail for Hobart with the official race tracker.