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Associated Press

Two French sailors based on the Pacific island of New Caledonia – one of them a former windsurfing Olympian – have overcome tough Sydney to Hobart seas on one of the fleet’s smallest boats to all but clinch handicap honours in the annual race.
Michel Quintin and Yann Rigal arrived at Constitution Dock in Hobart on their 35ft yacht BNC on Tuesday morning after spending more than 93 hours at sea.
They were the 33rd crew across the line but the first double-handed yacht, a craft sailed by just two people, to make it to Hobart from the start last Friday morning in Sydney Harbour.
By late afternoon, their handicap time was the best, with only double-hander Crux a mathematical but highly improbable chance of overtaking them.

Crux had earlier on Tuesday led the overall standings but ran into a southerly breeze that pushed back her expected arrival time until early Wednesday morning.
However, Quintin and Rigal faced an anxious time after a protest by Min River over use of sheeting sails by BNC. The protest will be heard on Wednesday.
Overall handicap honours has in recent years been won by larger yachts, but BNC is about a third of the length of line honours winner Master Lock Comanche.
Quintin and Rigal have been sailing together for five years and spent the past two preparing for the Sydney to Hobart.
“We came here to test [ourselves] … and we didn’t really know what results we’ll have,” Quintin said, before knowing if they had reached top spot. “Even during the race we said, ‘no it’s not possible’.”
The duo, along with the rest of the fleet, battled seasickness in rugged early upwind sailing which forced 34 of the starting 128-yacht fleet to retire.
The French pair had spaghetti, lasagne and chicken curry on board with them but most of it went uneaten.
“I’m never seasick but the first six hours I couldn’t eat,” Rigal said. “We didn’t sleep much, it was very busy. The waves and the seas were crazy.”
Quintin, who represented France in windsurfing at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, said some electronic equipment had failed in Bass Strait, meaning they had no indication of the true wind direction.
“When you have to steer nearly all day and all night long, you’re tired,” he said.
Comanche claimed the yacht’s fifth line honours on Sunday after outpacing fellow supermaxis LawConnect and Hong Kong’s SHK Scallywag 100 in a tight race off the state of Tasmania.
The supermaxi arrived at the finish line near Constitution Dock in Hobart shortly after 6pm local time on Sunday in a time of two days, five hours, three minutes and 36 seconds, well behind the record set in 2017.


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Water sports

Sydney to Hobart race: French sailors in 2-person yacht set for handicap honours

Michel Quintin and Yann Rigal sail BNC as they close in on the finish of the Sydney to Hobart race. Photo: AP

No Limit sails near Tasman Island during the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Photo: AFP

Comanche wins line honours for fifth time in Sydney to Hobart, Hong Kong’s Scallywag third

Master Lock Comanche sailing near Tasman Island, during the annual Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Photo: Rolex

Competitors during the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on Boxing Day. Photo: AP

Hong Kong yacht SHK Scallywag 100 was skippered by David Witt. Photo: EPA

Supermaxis Comanche, LawConnect continue duel in Sydney to Hobart race, Hong Kong boat 3rd

Master Lock Comanche was four nautical miles ahead of LawConnect on Saturday morning, the second day of the race. Photo: Rolex/Andrea Francolini

SHK Scallywag 100 (left) set off yesterday close to URM Group (right), which has retired. Photo: EPA

Sport

Duo based on Pacific island of New Caledonia cross line 33rd in their 35ft yacht BNC – the first double-handed yacht to finish


Duo based on Pacific island of New Caledonia cross line 33rd in their 35ft yacht BNC – the first double-handed yacht to finish.


Sydney to Hobart race: French sailors in 2-person yacht set for handicap honours

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Duo based on Pacific island of New Caledonia cross line 33rd in their 35ft yacht BNC – the first double-handed yacht to finish

Duo based on Pacific island of New Caledonia cross line 33rd in their 35ft yacht BNC – the first double-handed yacht to finish