A new record for Rolex Sydney Hobart Race record has been set by the supermaxi Perpetual Loyal. Owner Anthony Bell and his crew of 18 arrived in Hobart in the early hours of 28 December just 1d 13h 31m after starting the race from Sydney.

This betters the record held by Wild Oats XI since 2012 by four hours and 51 minutes.

It was a sweet victory for Bell and his crew on Perpetual Loyal (formerly Speedboat/Rambler 100). In the previous two editions of the race, the yacht was forced to retire after hull damage from a collision during the 2014 race and after rudder damage in 2015.

Bell previously won line honours in the race in 2011 in his previous supermaxi, Investec Loyal. But having won this year, the Sydney accountant has hinted that he will not return in 2017.

The crew led out of Sydney and were shadowing Wild Oats until the latter suffered from a failure of the hydraulic ram used to operate their canting keel and retired. Perpetual Loyal benefitted from good reaching and running conditions across the Bass Strait.

Bell had on board some of top sailors, including America’s Cup sailor Tom Slingsby.

This has also been a good race for those behind, particularly the group of Volvo 70s. Jim Delegat’s VO70 Giacomo and Sent Huang Lee’s supermaxi Scallywag have been fighting it out a few hours behind Perpetual Loyal and are also potentially within Wild Oats’s record time.

The photos below show some of the great high speed aerial photos taken near the finish show the pace of Karl Kwok’s 80ft Beau Geste and supermaxi Scallywag and following video gives a short summary of the race to date.

SCALLYWAGHKG2276Seng Huang LeeHONG KONGDovell 100
ROLEX Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2016

BEAU GESTEHKG1997Karl KwokN.ZBotin 80
ROLEX Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2016