HOW THE HOBART WAS WON

fter the fleet began from four starting lines that included the inaugural doublehanded division of 17 yachts, it became evident that seamanship was at the fore on the first night over pure racing prowess. The strong southerly gave them a fast exit from Sydney Heads, including the three 100ft supermaxis. The strong conditions favoured the heaviest and widest, the Juan K designed . However, the milder conditions in the Bass Strait eventually favoured the lighter who took Queensland’s first line in 2017). Skipper Mark Bradford praised owner Peter Harburg for his commitment to the project, saying: “It’s great to get the win. Pete and I’ve been working on this for 14 years, so it means a lot.” Bradford said the win makes up for the number of near-misses the former (built by Neville Crichton) had made with the Queensland crew.