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SYDNEY — Comanche took an eight nautical-mile lead over defending line honors champion and fellow 100-foot super maxi LawConnect early in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Thursday.
LawConnect, which led the 104-yacht fleet out of Sydney harbor, gave up the lead when a furling line malfunctioned, but managed to recover, having suffered a similar problem early in last year's race.
Reigning overall handicap winner Alive became the first yacht to retire from the 628-nautical mile (722 miles, 1,160 kilometers) race. The 66-footer quit off Wollongong in New South Wales state with engine and electrical issues.
The fleet was expected to make a fast start down the New South Wales state coast in a northeasterly breeze before a wind change hits Bass Strait overnight, bringing strong winds and possible showers.
The race takes the yachts across Bass Strait and to the island state of Tasmania, ending in the state capital Hobart after sailing the last portion of the race on the Derwent River.
The first all-Filipino crew of 15 sailors is entered in the race. With veteran sailor Ernesto Echauz at the helm, Centennial 7 is one of six international entrants and includes sailors from the Philippines' national team and the Philippines navy.
The Filipino entry was in 13th place about four hours into the race, trailing Comanche by about 30 nautical miles.
:Last year, LawConnect won line honors after holding off defending champion Comanche by less than a minute in an exciting finish between the super maxis. LawConnect, which was runner-up in the last three editions of the race, finished in 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes, 58 seconds. Comanche's time was 1 day, 19 hours, 4 minutes, 49 seconds — a margin of just 51 seconds.
It was the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history after Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by seven seconds in 1982.
Comanche holds the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds, set when it won in 2017.
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