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Final boat finishes in milestone Syd-Hob

3 minute read

The last boat has crossed the finish line in the 75th edition of the Sydney to Hobart, capping a race where Comanche and Ichi Ban took the major honours.

After six nights at sea and with rations low, Tasmanian yacht Take Five has crossed the Sydney to Hobart finish line to cap the 75th edition of the race.

Several days after supermaxi Comanche and Ichi Ban took out line and overall honours respectively, a small but vocal crowd gathered on Wednesday in Hobart to welcome local skipper Ian Gannon and his six-person crew.

They were last to cross the line from a starting field of 157 yachts, the most to contest the blue water classic in 25 years.

"It took a few days longer than I was hoping but it's bloody awesome," Gannon, who marked his third Sydney to Hobart, said.

Take Five was forced to spend four hours on Monday tucked into Tasmania's east coast when thunderstorms struck.

The finish line came in the nick of time with food and water supplies dwindling.

"I did plan for a seven-day voyage, with emergency rations as well," Gannon said.

"Another day out there would have finished up everything that we had, including the toilet paper."

Gannon rung in the New Year at sea, but celebrations weren't over the top with midnight fireworks in Hobart obscured by Tasman Island.

One of the older and smaller yachts in the fleet, it took Take Five five days, 23 hours and 41 minutes to finish the 628 nautical mile course.

It was a far cry from the time of Comanche, which was the first to finish on Saturday morning after a tactical decision to sail further east down Bass Strait.

She beat InfoTrack by 44 minutes, with nine-time winner Wild Oats XI third.

Ichi Ban was declared handicap winner on Monday for the second time in three years.

Three yachts, Faster Forward, Hollywood Boulevard and Minerva, failed to finish.

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