LATE BLOW LANDS WIN
How ‘s--tbox’ boat pulled off miraculous Sydney to Hobart comeback
LawConnect skipper Christian Beck described the comeback by his “s--tbox” yacht to pip Andoo Comanche in the Sydney to Hobart by less than a minute as miraculous while confirming he and his crew would return to defend the line-honours trophy next year.
The Sydney software entrepreneur, who describes himself as a “passenger’’, is now part of Sydney to Hobart folklore on a boat that was once at the centre of an international drama.
The supermaxi, which has cracked paint and Beck says is as “rough as’’ below, got home on a zephyr of wind before the Battery Point finish line to claim the line-honours win in one day, 19 hours, three minutes and 58 seconds.
It was 51 seconds ahead of Andoo Comanche after a 628nm battle with the defending champion skippered by
John “Herman” Winning.
On land, Beck jokingly asked if anyone wanted to buy his supermaxi before confirming he would return to defend the trophy.
“Do you want to buy it?’’ he said. “It’s probably a good afternoon to sell it when it beats Comanche.”
The yacht has an extraordinary history. It was built in the UK and called Speedboat before a name change to Rambler.
As Rambler, it broke numerous records before it broke when flipped upside down and left floundering following a catastrophic keel failure in the Fastnet Race in 2011.
She was then bought by accountant Anthony Bell and
renamed Perpetual Loyal before being sold to Beck in 2017 after Bell and his team won the 2016 Sydney to Hobart on her.
Beck rebranded it InfoTrack and eventually LawConnect.
She finished 24th, fourth and had three consecutive third
placings in the Sydney to Hobart before Thursday’s win.
Beck paid tribute to boat captain and tactician Tony Mutter, from New Zealand, and Chris Nicholson, from Lake Macquarie.
“I think there are two guys who are instrumental,’’ he said. “They had a lot to contend with.
“I jokingly call it a s--tbox but compared to Comanche it is a s--tbox.
“I know it looks good on TV but when you get up close she’s as rough as anything and Comanche is a beautiful boat that is better in every way. “Secondly, they had a pretty lean budget and five corporates on the boat, including me, to deal with. None of us know all that much about sailing.”
The never-say-die approach of the crew delivered LawConnect the win when Andoo Comanche appeared to have an unassailable lead.
“I thought it was over a couple of hours before the finish but then we were able to come back,’’ said Nicholson, a former Olympic sailor and aroundthe-world racer.
“I can’t believe this. I can’t believe it happened.’’ Neither could Beck.
“I can’t believe that result,’’ he said. “It’s a dream come true. I never thought it was possible.
“A wind gust came around and miraculously it happened, so it was a complete surprise.’’
The finish will long be remembered after the two yachts went hammer and tongs almost from the start.
Winning was disappointed but gracious in defeat.
“It was one of the most epic finishes in any sailing race I know,’’ he said.
“To fight gybe for gybe for the last three minutes, I think the lead changed three times. It was unbelievable.
“Unfortunately, I’m on the wrong side of it, that battle royale. It’s amazing for the sport.’’
While the leaders made it to Hobart in quick time, most of the fleet will be slowed by expected upwind sailing.