As the Sydney to Hobart race unfolds, challenging conditions are already taking their toll, with four yachts withdrawing within the first few hours of the competition.

Emerging first from the Sydney Heads, LawConnect, a two-time consecutive line honours champion, led the fleet down the New South Wales coast. Despite navigating through rough seas, it maintained a lead of about one nautical mile over its closest competitor, Master Lock Comanche, as it sailed past Wollongong.

Christian Beck, the skipper of LawConnect, expressed surprise at his yacht’s early lead over the favored Comanche, especially given the brisk start.

“The credit goes entirely to the crew. Their performance has been outstanding,” Beck remarked.

“In a downwind start, Comanche typically has the advantage. We’re strong in upwind conditions, so leading in a downwind start was a pleasant surprise,” he added.

However, the harsh conditions led to the withdrawal of three yachts between the race’s 1 p.m. start and 5 p.m., following Yendys’ earlier exit due to a broken backstay just moments before the race commenced.

Hutchies Yeah Baby (damaged headstay foil), White Noise (rigging issues) and two-hander Inukshuk (rudder problem) joined Yendys on the sidelines after racing began.

Their retirements reduced the fleet to 125.

The yacht Palm Beach XI ahead of the start of 2025 Sydney Hobart yacht race at the Sydney

Four yachts withdrew within four hours early in the race to Hobart

First-time entrant Sumatra suffered hydraulic issues in Sydney Harbour and temporarily suspended racing to fix the issue before continuing.

The luxurious 78-footer Oroton Drumfire stopped in at Botany Bay for ad hoc repairs but managed to sail on.

The incidents appeared to be only the beginning for the Hobart fleet, which is expected to grapple with strong southerlies throughout the first night of racing.

‘It’s pretty rough out here,’ Ocean Crusaders J-Bird co-skipper Annika Thomson told AAP.

‘The wind is between 18 and 25 (knots), depends on the squalls and all that. I think we saw 30 at one stage just in front of a rain squall, but otherwise it’s pretty around the 20s.’

One member of the crew aboard Thomson’s TP52 has already been sick amid conditions she described as ‘very bumpy’.

‘Spirits are very good, we’ve had one chucker already, but hopefully that will be the last,’ Thomson said.

The conditions are likely to become more intense overnight, with cold weather predicted and swells between three and four metres.

Moneypenny is pictured ahead of the start of 2025 Sydney Hobart yacht race

The weather conditions are unlikely to be as treacherous as last year

It’s unlikely to be as treacherous as last year, when two sailors were killed in storms on a horror first night at sea.

But before racing began, Sam Haynes, skipper of the reigning overall winner Celestial V70, warned the fleet to be on their guard.

‘I think there will be retirements, it’s tough on boats in the early part of this race,’ said Haynes, who is also commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

‘The crash bang, the waves, the gear itself is going to be under stress so it is a hard race in that sense.

‘Also it’s hard on crews: seasickness and potentially some injuries. They can put boats out. I think there will be some retirements in these conditions.’

The fleet paid tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack by scattering rose petals off the coast of Bondi Beach as they passed early in the race.

At the final briefing, extra rose petals were made available, with Olympic champion and Hobart debutant Ian Thorpe joining Beck in scattering them from LawConnect.