BT winner's Hobart race

Former LG Flatron skipper Conrad Humphreys recounts his story from the Sydney-Hobart race

Tasmania's famous 'organ pipe' rocks

On the BT we never saw Tasmania. Remaining 80 miles offshore, we slid around and headed south into the Roaring 40s without a chance to notice its incredible landscape. Will Oxley, skippered Compaq and still remarks that this was the turning point of that race. Coming to terms with sitting off Macquarie Island on the eastern coast for 9 hours and watching us slide away still rangles.

That night we rounded Tasman Island close inshore. The wind was gusty and combined with the swell and backwash from the cliffs we were in a melting pot. A couple of gusts knocked us flat as we past Raul Point and headed into Storm Bay. A forty mile beat was ahead of us to the finish. With tide running out through the entrance at Iron Pot, we decided to hug the northern side. Rounding Iron Pot as the sun rose over the organ pipe-shaped cliffs was spectacular and once again any justification for sailing the Sydney-Hobart was instantly there. The scenery was breathtaking and gradually as we worked our way up the river dotted signs of civilisation started to appear.

With nine miles to go to the finish line the breeze died in behind the cliffs. As each puff came down the river we went one boatlength forward and two back with the tide. As we sat motionless in the clutches of the Derwent, our chances of a podium position gradually faded. Finally the deadlock broke and a fresh set of breeze found us beating the last few miles in 25 knots of wind. We crossed the line at 1000 local time, the 13th yacht to finish on the water and first 40 footer to Hobart. Now the waiting game for the slower boats to see how we faired on handicap.