The 80th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has its line honours winner. Master Lock Comanche, the 100-foot maxi co-skippered by Matt Allen and James Mayo, crossed the finish line in Hobart at 18:03 AEDT on 28 December, completing the 628-nautical-mile course in 2 days, 5 hours, 3 minutes and 36 seconds. It was a victory forged in the closing stages, in a race that evolved from raw brutality to a finely balanced tactical duel among the favourites.
The start on 26 December brought together a fleet of 128 yachts, with five 100-foot maxis firmly in the spotlight. From the outset, LawConnect, winner of the previous two editions, showed its intent by leading the fleet out of Sydney Heads in downwind conditions, signalling that the fight for line honours would be anything but straightforward. Master Lock Comanche and SHK Scallywag 100 remained firmly in touch, the margins small enough to suggest an unusually close contest.
Conditions changed rapidly after the opening phase. Strong southerly winds, consistently in the 25 to 30-knot range, combined with a short, confused sea state to test boats and crews alike. Attrition soon became a defining feature. A total of 33 yachts were forced to retire, underlining that this edition offered little forgiveness for technical weakness or strategic miscalculation.
As the fleet pushed south towards Bass Strait, Master Lock Comanche gradually extended its advantage to around seven nautical miles. By maxi standards, it was not an unassailable margin, but it was enough to convey authority. The Sydney Hobart, however, rarely rewards early control. Approaching the Tasmanian coast, the breeze shut down abruptly, compressing the leading group and transforming what had looked like a controlled race into a four-boat confrontation sailed largely within sight.
That moment proved decisive. While much of the fleet hesitated between holding station offshore or waiting for pressure to return, Master Lock Comanche committed to a more inshore defensive position, reading early signs of developing breeze along the coastline. The call paid off. Wind filled first near shore, allowing the Australian maxi to regain momentum ahead of its rivals, re-establish the lead and, crucially, begin to extend once more.
From there, the race became an exercise in control rather than outright speed. LawConnect, despite a series of technical issues during the race, remained firmly in contention and briefly reclaimed second place after an exchange with SHK Scallywag. Lucky also entered the equation, joining the front group before damage and earlier delays curtailed its challenge.
The final approach up the River Derwent delivered one of the defining scenes of the Sydney Hobart. Light winds, narrow margins and thousands of spectators lining the water and shoreline created a rare blend of tension and celebration. Master Lock Comanche made no mistakes. Defending its position with precision, it crossed the line 47 minutes ahead of LawConnect to secure a hard-earned and tightly contested victory.
The result carries significant historical weight. The Verdier and VPLP-designed yacht has now claimed line honours five times under four different ownerships, with previous victories in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2022. She also remains the holder of the race record, set in 2017 at 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, a benchmark far removed from the slower, more demanding conditions of this edition.
While the line honours outcome is settled, the Sydney Hobart is rarely defined by a single result. The 80th running once again demonstrated why the race remains one of the most respected offshore contests in the international calendar. Victory does not always belong to the outright fastest boat, but to the crew that makes the right decisions at the right moment. This time, in Hobart, that boat was Master Lock Comanche.
