After the exciting finish to the Rolex Sydney Hobart between Wild Oats XI and Comanche, the officials at the finish line had a long night checking in the next 10 competitors.
It wasn't until 2.26am that the third finisher, Syd Fischer's Ragamuffin 100, crossed the line, just 11 minutes and five seconds ahead of another super-maxi, Rio 100, which in turn was just two minutes and 11 seconds ahead of the Volvo 70 Black Jack. Then came the previous Black Jack, the RP66 now known as Alive which was the first Tasmanian boat to finish, and the Cayman Islands entry Caro.
They were followed by Matt Allen's Ichi Ban, Andrew Wenham's older Volvo, Southern Excellence II, Ray Roberts Farr 55 OneSails Racing and then two TP52s, Rob Date's Scarlet Runner and Paul Clitheroe's Balance, which finished just after 6.30am.
There will be no rest in the finishing tower with another nine boats in the Derwent at that time.
Unless the rest of the fleet is really hammered by the expected southerlies, none of the boats which have so far finished will feature in the handicap homours. As they were last night, Division 3 and 4 boats dominate the first page of the IRC rankings with After Midnight currently on the top line. However, these placings will change dramatically over the next 24 hours.
