Sydney to Hobart competitors will be using Perpetual LOYAL's thrashing new race record as a benchmark for years to come, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia commodore John Markos says.
Anthony Bell's supermaxi crossed the finish line in the dark hours of Wednesday morning in one day, 13 hours, 31 minutes, 20 seconds, carving almost five hours off the previous mark set in 2012 by Wild Oats XI.
"There's absolutely no doubt that this record will stand for a long time," Markos told AAP.
"I'm very pleased for this particular crew - they've put a lot of hard preparation in and it's come up trumps which is great."
After two successive years of being forced to retire with damage, LOYAL's win comes as a swansong for Bell who plans to sell the boat and move on to a new sailing challenge.
It's a decision Markos can appreciate.
"These guys, once they get to their pinnacle, their Everest top, they look for something else," the commodore said.
"I know that in Anthony's case he's got something boiling.
"He's climbed Everest, he's reached the top, he doesn't have to do it again."
The fickle nature of the race has been on show in 2016.
"(On Tuesday) morning we had 24 boats capable of beating the record," Markos said.
After the withdrawal of lead boat Wild Oats XI, suffering mechanical problems, conditions changed and just the top-three line honours boats broke the previous record time.
SYDNEY TO HOBART RECORD RACE TIMES:
* 2016 Perpetual LOYAL 1 day, 13 hours, 31 minutes, 20 seconds
* 2012 Wild Oats XI 1d, 18h, 23m, 12s
* 2005 Wild Oats XI 1d, 18h, 40m, 10s
* 1999 Nokia 1d, 19h, 48m, 2s
* 1996 Morning Glory 2d, 14h, 7m, 10s
* 1975 Kiola III 2d, 14h, 36m, 56s
Slowest winner
* 1945 (inaugural) Rani 6d, 14h, 22m
