Grant Wharington's 100-footer Wild Thing 100 became the first supermaxi to retire from the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, withdrawing in the early hours of Saturday morning after sustaining rigging damage during a demanding first night at sea.
The Queensland-based maxi turned back at approximately 6.30am on 27 December, when the damage made it unsafe to continue with the fleet. At that point, the yacht had been racing for around 17.5 hours and was positioned just south of Batemans Bay. Wild Thing 100 is now heading back to Sydney, where repairs will be carried out.
Among those onboard was Wharington's daughter Georgia, contesting her third Hobart. Wharington himself is no stranger to the race, entering his 30th campaign, while co-owner Adrian Seiffert was not onboard for this edition.
Before the Boxing Day start, Wharington had flagged that the forecast conditions were unlikely to suit his highly modified 100-footer, acknowledging the race might become more about survival than outright performance, with Hobart's celebrations already firmly in mind. The rigging damage removed even that possibility.
*A significant blow to a proven campaign*
The recently installed rig was designed to better control the boat's power and keep her competitive against the latest generation of maxis. Before it was fitted, Wild Thing had delivered standout results through 2024, taking line honours in both the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race and the inaugural Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race, setting a new course record in the latter.
Wild Thing carries an extensive Hobart history. She competed five times as an 80-footer, including the 2022 race as Stefan Racing, and ran earlier campaigns as Beau Geste before returning in her current 100-foot configuration.
*Leaders press on in lighter-than-forecast conditions*
At the time Wild Thing 100 turned back, the leading supermaxis remained closely grouped along the coast. Master Lock Comanche, skippered by Matt Allen and James Mayo, held the lead around 8 nautical miles north of Green Cape. LawConnect sat next in line, with SHK Scallywag 100 a further distance back, followed by Lucky and Palm Beach XI. All six yachts were sailing the coastal route inside the rhumb line.
Christian Beck, speaking from onboard LawConnect at 6.15am, confirmed the front of the fleet remained tightly contested.
"We're one and a half miles behind Comanche and Scallywag is five miles behind us," Beck said.
It had not been a straightforward night for LawConnect, as Beck explained.
"We had problems last night. We broke the mainsheet and that took a while to fix. Then we broke the halyard. The J1 came down twice. It's mildly disappointing. If we didn't have these issues, all would be fine. Everything's good, though."
Conditions had also come in lighter than forecast.
"Last night was pretty rough. I've been in worse in past years, but it was a long night, pretty rough and cold."
With onboard instruments offline, the team was working from experience rather than data.
"Nicko says we're in a 10–12 knot southerly that's gone more south-southwest. We're still in the hunt. It's going to get windier later today, so we'll try to catch Comanche then."
*Attrition builds, fleet largely intact*
Further retirements followed Wild Thing 100's withdrawal. Around 5.30am, Awen, skippered by David Hows, retired with forestay damage. Trouble & Strife also withdrew due to engine problems. All three yachts are returning to Sydney.
Six boats have now retired in total, leaving 122 still racing south toward Hobart.
Deeper in the fleet, conditions had been challenging but manageable. Richard Hudson, skipper of Pretty Woman, described a testing night.
"It was bumpy all night. The most breeze we saw was 25 knots with gusts. It's not been as strong as they said it would be," Hudson said.
"We had a solid swell, coming in sets. It's been upwind the whole time, but we're battling on. The wind's in the late teens now from the south. A couple have been seasick, but the boat's in good shape."
As the fleet continues south, Wild Thing 100's absence leaves a clear mark on the supermaxi contest, with the rest of the field pressing on through a race already demanding both resilience and reliability.
