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<\/p>\nThe yacht primed to win the overall category in this year’s Sydney to Hobart is facing a potential penalty with a protest was lodged by the team currently in second place.<\/p>\n
Double-handed yacht BNC, from New Caledonia, is the current favourite to secure the overall victory, with a handicap time of 4 days, 1 hour and 2 minutes.<\/p>\n
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Min River sails along Tasmania’s east coast during this year’s Sydney to Hobart race. (Supplied: Rolex\/Kurt Arrigo)<\/p>\n
Min River lodged a protest against BNC with race organisers, citing a breach to “sheeting sails” regulations in the Australian Racing Rules.<\/p>\n
The rule the front-runner is accused of breaching states:<\/p>\n
“No sail sheet be sheeted over or through any device that exerts outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck [except in some conditions].”<\/p>\n
In sailing, a sheet refers to a rope or cable used to control the movable corners, or clews, of a sail.<\/p>\n
Your guide to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race<\/a><\/p>\n Everything you need to know about the Sydney to Hobart yacht race as the 80th edition takes place.<\/p>\n Min River, also a double-handed yacht, is currently in second place in the overall standings after finishing with a handicap time of 4 days, 1 hour and 56 minutes.<\/p>\n An overall victory for either BNC or Min River would be a significant moment, as a double-handed boat has never won the overall category in the Sydney to Hobart.<\/p>\n Double-handed yachts, boats manned by just two sailors, were only made eligible for the top prize from 2022.<\/p>\n An international jury will debate the protest at 9am on Wednesday at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Hobart.<\/p>\n It is not clear what penalties, if any, BNC will face should it be found to have breached the regulations.<\/p>\n