Celestial has been crowned the overall winner of the 2022 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, winning the bluewater classic’s Tattersall Cup in an adjusted time of 2 days, 16 hours, 35 minutes and 26 seconds just a year after being stripped of top spot following a time penalty.
The TP52 yacht from Sydney was the 14th to arrive in Hobart just before 11.30am on Wednesday. Using the International Rating Certificate that adds a handicap accounting for boat’s size and power, race officials pushed back the boat’s corrected arrival time to 5.34am this morning. The crew had to wait until 6.15pm on Thursday before being declared the official winner.
Celestial, pictured here at the start of the race, won the overall prize.Credit:Brett Hemmings/Getty Images
The TP52 yacht, skippered by owner Sam Haynes, was among the front-runners in the 105-strong non-super maxi fleet for much of the journey south, often tussling with fellow TP52 Gwelio, as well as Caro and No Limit.
Up the River Derwent, the crew arrived within minutes of Gweilo and American yacht Warrior Won.
Haynes, the vice commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club Australia, told Hobart reporters the win was a “life changer”.
“I’m screaming loud and proud,” he said. “It means everything, everything, especially after last year. It’s like an elation,” he said. “It’s huge for me and the crew. I can’t believe it.”
Celestial in full flight down the coast of Tasmania.Credit:Rolex/Andrea Francolini
The crew will be presented with the official trophy and Rolex time piece in Hobart on Friday morning, following another day of retirements and crisis on the water, as more boats arrived in Hobart.
Since line honours winner Andoo Comanche’s arrival early on Wednesday morning, 39 other boats have docked, with nine yachts now retired. At 7pm on Thursday, 60 boats were still at sea.
Crews aboard the remaining yachts were facing extreme weather conditions off the coast of Tasmania, with the Bureau of Meteorology issuing a marine wind warning.
Yachts began arriving in Tasmania yesterday with damaged sails after a period of intense wind. The crew aboard Huntress was forced to abandon their vessel after “very testing conditions” led to their rudder falling off.
“We heard a loud thud which was quickly [followed] by the loss of steerage and a violent broach,” the crew posted on Instagram after being collected by a police boat. “It became obvious that the rudder had sheared off when we saw it floating away in the distance.”
The majority of boats are now well down the Tasmanian east coast. Currawong, a small two-hander operated by Kathy Veel, 70, and Bridget Canham, 62, was halfway across Bass Strait on Thursday evening after the crew rested for a day in Eden to avoid the worst of a change in wind conditions.
