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'Flashbacks of 2018': Comanche survives scare to win Sydney to Hobart

Pictured here, Comanche claimed line honours in the 2019 Sydney to Hobart.
Comanche claimed its second line honours in three years. Pic: Getty

Comanche has come through a concerning mid-race hiccup to claim line honours in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

The win marks the third time the supermaxi has won the prestigious race in what was the 75th edition.

The Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant-skippered supermaxi made the most of strong overnight winds to cross the River Derwent finish line just after 7.30am (AEDT) on Saturday.

Comanche earlier broke away from a five-strong pack of supermaxis down Tasmania's east coast having taken a wider route across Bass Strait on Friday.

However, there was a nervous moment when the wind died down, leaving Comanche at a standstill in the middle of the Derwent River.

Comanche's skipper says he feared being pipped to the finish line just like last year, when Wild Oats XI claimed a thrilling victory.

“Very nervous. I turned around and saw Infotrack and started having flashbacks of 2018,” Cooney said.

To Cooney's relief, Comanche capitalised when the wind picked up, crossing the line in a time of one day, 18 hours, 30 minutes and 24 seconds.

InfoTrack is in second place for line honours, while Black Jack, Hong Kong's SHK Scallywag 100 and nine-time winner Wild Oats XI are jostling for third.

Comanche's previous wins were in 2015 and 2017, the latter coming in race-record time after Wild Oats XI was stripped of the title in a post-race protest.

NSW boat Minerva became the fleet's third retirement overnight, reducing the number of yachts in the race to 154.

With AAP