Like Verstappen in a bad car: LawConnect’s SydHob hopes
Joanna Guelas |
Like Max Verstappen praying for rain, skipper Christian Beck says LawConnect will need anything but easy conditions to snare a third-straight Sydney to Hobart victory.
Despite claiming the line honours title in the past two runnings of the bluewater classic, Beck maintains the 100ft supermaxi is a “shitbox” compared to rival Master Lock Comanche.
LawConnect was first across the finish line in Hobart last year after Comanche was forced to retire with mainsail damage early in a harrowing race that claimed two lives in wild weather.
It’s regarding these conditions that Beck draws parallels with Formula One heavyweight Verstappen’s recent title fight against ultimate champion Lando Norris.
Verstappen needed a miracle to pull off an unlikely fifth-straight title and eventually had to settle for second to Norris despite winning a tension-filled, season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
“We do better when it’s difficult. If it’s an easy race, we’ll almost certainly lose,” Beck told AAP.
“When we’re against Comanche, it’s a little bit like Max Verstappen. If he’s got a bad car, he wants it to be raining.
“It’s like us the last two years – actually. The Sydney-Hobart’s the only sport in the world where the shitboxes won.
“Comanche was built a few years later than this boat and it was a copy of the same concept, but it’s better in every way. It’s four tonnes lighter, it’s got more sail area.
“Honestly, this is like a submarine, that’s more like a spaceship kind of thing.
“If it’s difficult (conditions), then our disadvantages against Comanche become less, the more our superior crew tends to help us.”
The F1 analogies don’t stop with Verstappen, with Beck seeing similarities with the McLaren inter-team duel and LawConnect’s on-water rivalry with Comanche.
Comanche – then sailing as Andoo Comanche – had forced LawConnect to dig deep to seal a memorable finish in 2023, with Beck’s crew winning by less than a minute.
In the aftermath of his maiden F1 title, McLaren star Norris admitted he wouldn’t have been the same driver without beaten teammate Oscar Piastri consistently pushing him.
But while Norris paid an emotional tribute to Australian racer Piastri, Beck stopped short.
“Well, yes and no – it was nice last year to have them and then have them drop out,” Beck said of the rivalry with Comanche.
“The year before, we were pushing all the way, and that was very challenging.
“It’d be easy without them, to be honest.
“We always keep an eye on them. We’re in the same dock. And they’ve been doing pretty well, unfortunately.”
LawConnect, one of six 100ft supermaxis contesting the Hobart, was made to settle for second to Comanche in their final hit-out – the less rigorous Big Boat Challenge on Tuesday – before Boxing Day.
Beck said he wouldn’t take too much from the result.
“They were doing pretty good last year too,” Beck said before the Big Boat challenge.
“They beat us in the lead-up races, and we won (Sydney-Hobart), so it doesn’t mean that much actually.”
On board with Beck for the race to Hobart is Olympic champion Ian Thorpe, who made his offshore racing debut with LawConnect in the Cabbage Tree Island Race last Friday, in a role tending rigging.
“It’s awesome. He’s one of my heroes,” Beck said.
“One of our team members was smart enough to come up with the idea to ask him, and he agreed.
“So far, he’s been doing the runners.
“It’s funny because they’ve had him doing the runners, and they’ve never let me do the runners.”
AAP
