Winnings Appliances, John Winning Junior is a loser, after his boat failed to win the Sydney to harbour yacht race where it counts, crossing the line in front.
In a nerve-racking finish the John Winning Junior boat was beaten by a better crew with Christian Beck’s LawConnect pulling off a win right in the last few minutes of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in Tasmania’s Derwent River.
Law Connect took line honours from Andoo Comanche skippered by Winning Junior who is one minute, restaurateur, CEO of Winning appliances, and the rest of the time publicity junkie.
In an absolute thriller on an almost windless Derwent River LawConnect with former Olympic sailor and round the world gun Chris Nicholson calling the shots the Law Connect crew read the conditions right, much to the angst of Winnings the part time skipper of Andoo Comanche.
The major upset was one of the best finishes to a white-water classic ocean race in decades, with the win going down in history as one of the great on the line victories in a Sydney to Hobart race.
“That’s so, so good,” Nicholson said.
“What a race. It’s unbelievable.”
“The lead changed several times and they took the lead pretty close to the line and I thought there was no way we could get it back.
“A wind gust came round and miraculously it happened so it was a complete surprise.’’
Beck was asked if winning his first race was sweeter because of his past results.
“I came 24, fourth, then three times second. It does make you appreciate it more,’’ said Beck, who was also asked if anyone wanted to buy his boat now it had finally won the Sydney to Hobart.
“Do you want to buy it? It’s probably a good afternoon to sell it when it beats Comanche.
“It was the highlight of her career for sure.’’
The runner-up in the past three events, LawConnect crossed the river Derwent finish line 51 seconds ahead of her rival just after 8am (AEDT) as thousands watched live on breakfast TV.
The official time for LawConnect for the 628-nautical mile course was one day 19 hours three minutes and 58 seconds.
Andoo Comanche finished after one day, 19 hours, four minutes, and 49 seconds since the start gun in Sydney Harbour.
