Gloomy Hobart finish scenes after fatal incidents

Australian supermaxi LawConnect took back-to-back line honours in the Sydney-Hobart ocean race on Dec 28, leading a fleet shaken by the deaths of two sailors in wild weather conditions.

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SYDNEY - Australian supermaxi LawConnect took back-to-back line honours in the Sydney-Hobart ocean race on Dec 28, leading a fleet shaken by the deaths of two sailors in wild weather conditions.

LawConnect, the 100-foot defending champions skippered by Christian Beck, arrived first in Hobart after main rival Comanche dropped out with a damaged mainsail on the first night.

The crew navigated to victory along the final stretch of Tasmania's River Derwent in the dark, early hours of the morning after a day-and-a-half of drama since the fleet departed a sun-splashed Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day.

LawConnect crossed with a winning time of one day, 13 hours, 35 minutes and 13 seconds, according to the official race tracker.