It was a nervous wait but Wild Oats XI's ninth Sydney to Hobart line honours victory is secure after a protest against the yacht was thrown out.
The supermaxi had held off three challengers in a line finish dubbed one of the best contests in the event's 74-edition history.
But the race descended into controversy for the second year running when the race's regulatory body decided to investigate a claim by runner-up Black Jack that Wild Oats XI's Automatic Identification System (AIS) wasn't operational.
Shortly after arriving in Hobart, Black Jack skipper Peter Harburg told media his yacht was at a disadvantage because it couldn't detect Wild Oats XI on the locating system.
Wild Oats Skipper Mark Richards (left) and Russell Green from the Sydney-Hobart Race Committee. Source: AAP
It prompted the race committee to lodge a Friday night protest against Wild Oats XI.
After an hour-and-a-half deliberation on Saturday, the international jury ruled the protest invalid as it hadn't been lodged by a competitor.
Skipper Mark Richards said the jury's decision was common sense.
"This is a family and team with integrity. We go to the utmost length to do everything by the rules," he said.
"It's a shame that this came about. Any protest is unfortunate but it's part of the sport as well.
"We can now move on and celebrate the win ... time for a cold Cascade."
It was double the relief for Wild Oats XI, who in 2017 lost line honours to Comanche after being on the wrong end of a post-race protest and copping a time penalty for an infringement in Sydney harbour.
Richards reiterated his boat's AIS was on for the duration.
"If Mark said they had it on, then I believe him," Harburg said, adding he was content with the jury's ruling but still perplexed as to why he couldn't pick up Wild Oats XI's AIS.
"I was a little bit disappointed that we weren't able to see them. For whatever reason, I don't know. I still don't know."
The AIS, which transmits the location of a boat, was this year made a mandatory requirement to help improve race safety.
Officials briefed crews about the requirement before the race started.
Chairman of the international jury, Russell Green, said under the rules of sailing, only a competitor could lodge a protest about a potential rule breach.
"The race committee's investigation and subsequent protest arose from the report of the owner of Black Jack, a competitor in the race and therefore a person with a conflict of interest," he said.
Wild Oats XI finished just 28 minutes ahead of Black Jack on Friday morning after a four-way supermaxi battle for much of the race.
Meanwhile, Tasmanian yacht Alive will be named the race's overall winner in a ceremony on Sunday morning.
Five boats have retired from the starting field of 85, including 2 Unlimited who hit a sunfish.
