At a Glance
- A 35-ft French yacht, BNC, finished 33rd overall but tops the handicap standings.
- The crew, Michel Quintin and Yann Rigal, completed the 93-hour run from Sydney to Hobart.
- They were the first doubled-handed yacht to reach Hobart from the start.
- Why it matters: It shows how a small, well-coordinated team can beat larger, faster competitors.
The Sydney-to-Hobart race is famed for its brutal conditions, and this year the under-dog BNC proved that skill and endurance can outshine sheer size.
Race Overview
BNC arrived at Constitution Dock in Hobart on Tuesday morning after more than 93 hours at sea. They were the 33rd crew to cross the line but the first doubled-handed yacht-sailing with just two people-to make it from Sydney’s harbor.
By late afternoon, the yacht’s handicap time was the best in the fleet. Only the doubled-handed Crux had a slim, unlikely chance of overtaking them. Crux had earlier led the overall standings but a southerly breeze pushed its expected arrival back until early Wednesday.
- Arrival time: Tuesday morning, after 93+ hours
- Crew rank: 33rd overall, first doubled-handed
- Handicap: Best in fleet
- Competitor: Crux, mathematically unlikely to catch up
The Under-Dog Story
Quintin and Rigal have sailed together for five years and spent the past two preparing for the Sydney-to-Hobart. They said they didn’t know what results to expect.
Michel Quintin told News Of Austin:
> “We came here to test ourselves… and we didn’t really know what results we’ll have. Even during the race we said, ‘no it’s not possible.'”
Yann Rigal added:
> “I’m never seasick but the first six hours I couldn’t eat. We didn’t sleep much, it was very busy. The waves and the seas were crazy.”
The pair battled sea sickness in rugged early upwind sailing, which forced 34 of the starting 128-yacht fleet to retire. They carried spaghetti, lasagne, and chicken curry aboard, but most of it went uneaten.
Electronic equipment failures in Bass Strait meant they had no indication of the true wind direction, adding to the challenge.
- Sea sickness: 34 retirements
- Food onboard: Spaghetti, lasagne, chicken curry
- Equipment issues: Lost wind direction
The Big Finish
While BNC excelled on handicap, the line honors went to the supermaxi Master Lock Comanche. It outpaced fellow supermaxis LawConnect and Hong Kong’s SHK Scallywag 100 in a tight race off Tasmania.
Comanche claimed its fifth line honors on Sunday, arriving at Constitution Dock shortly after 6 p.m. local time in a time of 2 days 5 hours 3 minutes 36 seconds, well behind the record set in 2017.
| Yacht | Length | Crew | Finish Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| BNC | 35 ft | 2 | 93 hrs+ |
| Comanche | 95 ft | 9 | 2 d 5 h 3 m |
Key Takeaways
- A small, well-coordinated crew can dominate the handicap standings, even against larger yachts.
- The race’s brutal conditions forced more than a quarter of the fleet to retire.
- Line honors and handicap honors can go to very different boats.
The 35-ft BNC‘s performance proves that determination and teamwork can turn an under-dog into a champion in the world’s toughest yacht race.
