Black Jack claims Sydney to Hobart victory in slowest race since 2004

Black Jack has overcome a rocky preparation and rugged seas to take out line honours with the slowest Sydney to Hobart victory time in 17 years.

The Monaco-registered, 100-foot supermaxi crossed the River Derwent finish line in darkness at 1.37am AEDT on Wednesday.

Black Jack previously claimed line honours in the 628 nautical mile bluewater classic in 2009 under the name Alfa Romeo.

It finished fifth in the most recent Sydney to Hobart in 2019 and was second to Wild Oats XI by just 28 minutes in a 2018 thriller.

Owner Peter Harburg for the first time did not race with Black Jack but was at Constitution Dock in Hobart to greet his team after riding them home.

Black Jack missed a chance to compete against LawConnect and SHK Scallywag 100 in the inaugural Australian maxi championship earlier this month because a crew member tested positive for Covid-19.

Bradford said Black Jack only suffered minor breakages in a race where many smaller competitors have reported hull damage and other serious issues.