Celestial crowned overall winner of Sydney to Hobart yacht race

Celestial skipper and owner Sam Haynes said he wasn't expecting to claim the title, labelling the feat a "lifetime achievement".

Celestial skipper Sam Haynes says he is pleasantly surprised to win the title, adding that his goal had been to be "competitive" and deliver the best result possible. Source: Getty / Brett Hemmings

KEY POINTS

• Celestial has been named the overall winner in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
• Skipper Sam Haynes says the win is particularly special after the yacht's experience last year.
• Rough seas have forced more vessels to retire.

Celestial has claimed overall victory in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, one year after the NSW yacht was stripped of top spot following a time penalty.

The Sam Haynes-skippered 52-footer crossed the line at 11.28am (AEDT) on Wednesday and was crowned handicap winner on Thursday evening.

"I'm screaming loud and proud. It means everything, everything after last year," Haynes said.

"We put together a program targeting this race. It's huge for me and the crew. I can't believe it. It is a bit of a life-changer."

The delay in the announcement was due to a redress hearing request from Enterprise Next Generation.

The vessel, which currently sits at 14th overall, made the request to be awarded lost time over an act of sportsmanship, which saw the team assist stricken yacht, Koa, which later retired with a broken rudder.

Redemption after heartache in 2021

Haynes, who also owns Celestial, was at the helm in 2021 when the yacht heartbreakingly missed out on handicap honours.

Haynes and crew were penalised 40 minutes for breaching race rules requiring competitors to keep a continuous watch for radio contact.

From an initial line up of 109 vessels, only about 60 remain on the seas. Source: Getty / Mark Evans

It meant Ichi Ban was lifted from second to first to take the silverware.

Hanyes, vice commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club, said earlier this week he would have been happy to walk away from the sport following the disappointment.

Rough seas force more vessels to retire

The remaining members of the fleet have been gradually arriving in Hobart after very rough seas on Wednesday night.

The list of retirements grew to nine with New Caledonia's Eye Candy (forestay damage) forced to pull the pin.

Victorian 47-footer Cyan Moon (damaged gooseneck) and NSW's Flying Cloud (broken boom) both suffered damage but kept sailing.

More than 60 yachts from the starting fleet of 109 were still at sea at 6pm (AEDT) Thursday, with the second smallest vessel Currawong not expected to arrive in Hobart until the New Year.

Veteran Sydney sailor David Blanchfield was taken to hospital on Wednesday after arriving in Hobart with a broken leg after being tossed around in bad weather aboard Moneypenny.

Line honours were claimed by supermaxi Andoo Comanche for the fourth time.