Sydney-Hobart yacht race result overturned after protest

US - The grueling Rolex Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race ended in sensational fashion when the initial winner was stripped of victory after a protest launched by a rival.

Wild Oats XI was initially crowned the line honors winner, with a record-beating time and a lead of more than 26 minutes over its nearest challenger at the finish. But after a hearing lasting more than three hours, an international jury ruled on Thursday that the crew had failed to keep clear of its rival, LDV Comanche, when the two super-maxis were still within Sydney Harbor at the start of the race on December 26. A penalty hour was added to Wild Oats XI’s official time, handing victory to LDV Comanche. Wild Oats XI skipper Mark Richards was stoic after the announcement, accepting the jury’s decision. “We are very disappointed but I can see the jury’s point of view... Everyone’s a genius in hindsight. We made our decisions and have to live with them today. We’ll get back up on the horse,” he said, according to the race’s official Twitter feed. Wild Oats XI was initially declared the winner on Wednesday after finishing the grueling 628-nautical mile dash from Sydney to Tasmania in a record time of one day, eight hours, 48 minutes and 50 seconds, taking four hours off Perpetual Loyal’s time last year.

It would have been the ninth time that Wild Oats XI had won line honors -- the yachting term given to the vessel that crosses the finish line in a race first. But the owner of second-placed Comanche, Jim Cooney, immediately lodged a protest, based on a maneuver carried out in the early part of the race as the crew steered through Sydney Heads. (CNN.COM)