Rolex Sydney Hobart Race: Line honours for "LawConnect", mourning for fatalities
Tatjana Pokorny
· 27.12.2024
The line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race go to Christian Beck's Juan K 100 Custom "LawConnect" for the second time in a row. Peppered with well-known big-boat professionals and circumnavigators such as New Zealander Tony Mutter and Australian Chris Nicholson, the 20-strong crew mastered the 628 nautical mile course from Sydney across the Tasman Sea to Hobart in 1 day, 13 hours, 35 minutes and 13 seconds.
Rolex Sydney Hobart Race: 2017 record unbroken
The course record, which "LDV Comanche" had set in 2017 with 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, remained out of reach in the end. The main field continued to race in the afternoon of 27 December German time. By the morning, 21 of the 104 yachts that had started had retired from the race. The V70 "Celestial" was leading the overall IRC standings on Friday afternoon, but its crew is not expected in Hobart until the weekend.
Following the two fatal accidents on two different yachts, the organisers have expressed their deepest sympathy on many occasions and provided and continue to provide all possible help and support to those affected. The incidents are being investigated by the police. At the same time, the organisers reaffirmed their stance of not stopping the regatta.
No race cancellation after the fatal accidents
David Jacobs, deputy commodore of the organising Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said he had been asked about a possible cancellation. "And the answer is no, we would not cancel the race," he said in Hobart. Vice Commodore Jacobs also said it was a The basic principle of sailing is that skippers have the right and duty to decide after the start whether it is safe to continue the race.
David Jacobs clarified: "It is therefore up to the skipper to decide whether he or she wants to continue the race or retire. The skipper is able to look at the conditions on the ground. The skipper can therefore decide whether the weather he is in is too dangerous and whether he wants to retreat and also whether it is safe to retreat."
The Vice Commodore went on to say that the processes and procedures surrounding the race would also have to be taken into account. "If we cancel the race, this structure falls away. And we believe that it is safer for the crews to have this structure over them than to have it removed," he explained.
And this is the background: "It may not be safe for the boats to return to the coast. They may have to sail through very difficult seas. They could be travelling in very bad weather. So those are the main reasons why we don't cancel a race."
"Difficult conditions" during the fatal accidents
David Jacobs also said he was certain that the night conditions played a role in the night-time deaths. "The weather was weather that these boats and these crews are used to, that they have trained for and that the boats are prepared for. But it was difficult conditions."
Jacobs also went into more detail about the circumstances: "One of the boats, probably both, had winds of between 30 and 38 knots and the sea was between two and three metres high. These are difficult conditions. You only need to be hit broadside by a wave to be knocked over."
The Vice Commodore confirmed the details of the two sailors killed. Roy Quaden, 55, from Western Australia, was a crew member on the 'Flying Fish Arctos' (New South Wales, Australia). According to earlier reports, he was hit by the ship's main boom in an incident about 30 nautical miles east-south-east of Ulladulla (New South Wales). The other crew members carried out resuscitation measures but were unable to revive him.
Resuscitation measures unsuccessful in both cases
The second was Australian Nick Smith, 65, on the Australian "Bowline". "Nick is a very experienced sailor," explained Jacobs, "we thought he had been hit by the main boom like Roy, but we have now learnt that he was hit by the mainsheet which threw him across the boat and unfortunately he hit his head on the winch."
Vice Commodore Jacobs said another near-disaster was averted in a separate incident after crew member Luke Watkins was washed overboard from the Porco Rosso at 3.14am (local time). "So if you can imagine what it's like to move around the deck in reasonably difficult conditions during the day, imagine what it would be like at night. It would be absolutely terrifying," he said.
He said there were strict procedures in place to deal with such situations and that Watkins was wearing a portable locator beacon (PLB), also known as an EPIRB, which contributed to his rescue. Vice Commodore Jacobs said race conditions were not exceptionally worse than previous editions. "We have 21 boats retired at the moment. In 2021 we had 29 retired boats, in 2004 we had 59 retired boats," he said.
The organisers had already announced further details about the two separate fatal accidents on the previous day. Here is the official announcement:
"The names of two sailors who died overnight in accidents on two yachts competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024 have been confirmed. Roy Quaden, 55, from Western Australia, was a crew member on the 'Flying Fish Arctos' (NSW). He is believed to have been struck by the yacht's boom in an incident that occurred overnight about 30 nautical miles east-south-east of Ulladulla (NSW). The crew members performed CPR but were unable to revive him.
Nick Smith, 65, from South Australia, was a crew member on the 'Bowline' (SA). It is believed that he was also struck by the boom of this yacht when the Bowline was sailing about 30 nautical miles east-north-east of Batemans Bay (ed.: this assumption is now outdated). The crew members also carried out resuscitation measures, but these were unsuccessful. The 'Flying Fish Arctos' has reached the harbour of Jervis Bay and the Bowline is moored in Batemans Bay.
The safety of all participants in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is extremely important and is always a top priority for the Race Committee. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is in contact with both yachts and has set up counselling services for both crews. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of the two crew members. Our thoughts are also with the crews and our sailing community who have been affected by these tragic events. 'Flying Fish Arctos' and 'Bowline' are among the 21 yachts that retired from the race at 16:30."
The Australian TV channel 7News Autralia reports on the two fatal accidents in the 79th Rolex Sydney Hobart Race:
