Two Frenchmen sailing one of the smallest boats in the Sydney to Hobart have claimed a prestigious first-past-the-post win and could secure a stunning overall victory.<\/p>\n
Former Olympic windsurfer Michel Quintin and friend Yann Rigal arrived at Constitution Dock on BNC \u2013 my::NET \/ LEON at 10.40am AEDT on Tuesday, four nights after setting off on Boxing Day.<\/p>\n
They sit atop the overall handicap leaderboard on corrected time but could face trouble after second-placed yacht Min River lodged a complaint alleging BNC breached race rules.<\/p>\n
The complaint, relating to sheeting sail use, was lodged on Tuesday night and will be heard by an international jury on Wednesday morning.<\/p>\n
It is unclear whether a breach by BNC will attract a time penalty. In 2017, Wild Oats XI copped a one-hour time penalty for breaking race rules that resulted in it losing line honours.<\/p>\n
The corrected time of Min River is 54 minutes behind BNC.<\/p>\n
NSW\u2019s Crux had earlier on Tuesday led the overall standings but ran into a southerly breeze that pushed back its expected arrival time.<\/p>\n
Quintin and Rigal, who are based in overseas French territory New Caledonia, have been sailing together for five years and spent the past two preparing physically for the Sydney to Hobart.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe came here to test [ourselves] \u2026 and we didn\u2019t really know what results we\u2019ll have,\u201d Quintin said, after being greeted by family in Hobart.<\/p>\n
New Zealand yacht Callisto arrives at Constitution Dock as eighth\u00a0across the line after finishing the Sydney to Hobart race. Photograph: Ethan James\/AAP<\/p>\n
The duo, along with the rest of the fleet, battled sea sickness in rugged early upwind sailing which forced 34 of the starting 128-strong fleet to retire.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m never seasick but the first six hours I couldn\u2019t eat,\u201d Rigal said. \u201cWe didn\u2019t sleep much, it was very busy. The waves and the seas were crazy. I don\u2019t think we\u2019re special, we just found something.\u201d<\/p>\n
Quintin, who represented France in windsurfing at the 1988 Olympics, said some electronic equipment failed in Bass Strait so they had no indication of the true wind direction.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you have to steer nearly all day and all night long, you\u2019re tired,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n