SYDNEY: Two sailors have been killed in separate incidents in the treacherous Sydney to Hobart bluewater classic, officials said Friday, as a string of yachts limped out of a race fleet battered by powerful winds.

Both crew members — a 55-year-old man on Flying Fish Arctos and a 65-year-old man on Bowline — were struck on the head by booms as the yachts raced southwards along the New South Wales coast, police said.

Other crew tried to revive the two Australians but were unsuccessful. They were the first fatalities in the race since 1998.

Police believe crews on both boats were changing sails when the booms swung, said New South Wales marine area command superintendent Joseph McNulty.

“The hull moves, the sails are moving, the booms are moving. It’s a technical change of sail at sea. So that may have contributed to the deaths of those people today,” he told reporters.

“Both those crews are doing it pretty tough at the moment. They are shaken up by what they’ve seen and what they’ve had to do.”

So far 17 yachts — including race record holder Comanche — have pulled out from the initial fleet of 104 that left Sydney Harbor on Boxing Day, organizers said.

Several were dismasted or suffered damaged mainsails.

The lead boats experienced winds overnight of 25 to 30 knots — near gale force, said David Jacobs, vice commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

“So they’re traveling extremely fast,” he told reporters.

“The sea was not unusually large from the information I have received,” he said.

The deaths would hit the racing community hard, Jacobs said.

“On a boat itself they train together, live together, cook together, they do everything together. It would be devastating, as we are devastated,” he said.

He promised an investigation by the yacht club to help improve safety in the event but said the race would go on.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese issued a statement saying it was “heartbreaking that two lives have been lost at what should have been a time of joy.”

Gale-force winds and high seas had been forecast for the 628-nautical mile event, which ends in the Tasmanian state capital Hobart after the fleet tackles the notorious Bass Strait.

But this was not an “extreme” forecast, Jacobs said.

“These fleets can handle those winds easily. They are ocean racers, they are used to the winds,” he said.

In a night of drama, one man was swept overboard from the yacht Porco Rosso and carried more than a kilometer (more than half a mile) away before being rescued by his crew, Jacobs said.

Weather is a critical factor in the race, first held in 1945, with winds and sea conditions often changing rapidly.

The overnight fatalities were the first in the race since 1998 when six men died, five boats sank and 55 sailors were rescued after a deep depression exploded over the fleet in Bass Strait.

Comanche’s retirement left the door open for supermaxi rival LawConnect to win line honors for the second straight year.

Comanche, which surged over the finish line in one day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds to set a new mark in 2017, was leading when she retired.

LawConnect held a lead of more than 18 nautical miles by early Friday afternoon over its nearest rival Celestial.

Wild Oats, which has twice won the race — the last time in 2014 — was among this year’s casualties, with rigging damage.

Alive, last year’s overall winner of the Tattersall Cup, which takes into account boat size and other factors, was one of the first to pull out this year, retiring with engine issues.

LONDON: Erling Haaland had a second-half penalty saved as crisis-torn Manchester City failed to end their dismal run with a 1-1 draw against lowly Everton, while title contenders Chelsea suffered a first home defeat against Fulham since 1979 on Thursday.
Champions City have just one victory in their last 13 games in all competitions as their Christmas schedule started in disappointing fashion.
Bernardo Silva put City in front early on before Iliman Ndiaye salvaged a point for Everton.
City are languishing in seventh place and sit five points adrift of the top four, with their astonishing decline showing no sign of ending.
City boss Pep Guardiola conceded ahead of the game that his troubled side are at risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 15 years and their latest setback was another blow to that target.
“Of course we need results and we didn’t get it. The team played really good again in all departments and unfortunately could not win,” Guardiola said.
“We accept it. It is life. We did not expect it to not win games many times. But what do you have to do? Continue.”
Everton had kept five clean sheets in their last six games but were breached after just 14 minutes.
Jeremy Doku fed Silva and his effort across goal deflected off Jarrad Branthwaite and looped beyond the helpless Jordan Pickford.
Everton levelled when Manuel Akanji sliced an attempted clearance into the path of Ndiaye, who fired into the top corner for Everton’s first away goal in over two months.
Seven minutes into the second half, Haaland had the chance to end his longest goal drought at the Etihad but Pickford dived low to his right to make the save.
At Stamford Bridge, second-placed Chelsea were stunned by Fulham’s late fightback for a 2-1 win in a dramatic west London derby.
Cole Palmer put Chelsea ahead after 16 minutes, the England forward drilling home from the edge of the area after weaving through the Fulham defense in dazzling style.
But Fulham levelled with eight minutes left when Antonee Robinson’s cross was headed down by Timothy Castagne and Harry Wilson nodded in from close range.
Chelsea were furious, claiming Alex Iwobi had fouled Pedro Neto in the build-up to the goal.
But there was worse to come for the Blues in stoppage-time when Rodrigo Muniz converted Sasa Lukic’s pass with a clinical strike.
Chelsea are four points behind leaders Liverpool, who have two games in hand and host Leicester later on Thursday.
Nottingham Forest climbed to third place after a 1-0 win against spluttering Tottenham at the City Ground.
Forest went ahead in the 28th minute when Anthony Elanga raced onto Morgan Gibbs-White’s pass and stroke a composed finish past Fraser Forster.
Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo had just 17 games in charge of Tottenham before being sacked in 2021.
But Forest’s fourth successive win was sweet revenge for Nuno, whose former club had Djed Spence sent off in the closing moments for a second booking.
Tottenham are stuck in 11th place as the pressure mounts on boss Ange Postecoglou.
Newcastle swatted aside 10-man Aston Villa 3-0, moving up to fifth place after winning three consecutive league games for the first time since 2023.
Anthony Gordon struck with a superb curling strike after just two minutes at St. James’ Park.
Villa’s Jhon Duran was sent off in the 32nd minute for violent conduct after stamping on Newcastle’s Fabian Schar.
Alexander Isak made Newcastle’s numerical advantage count in the 59th minute as the Swedish striker tapped in his seventh goal in his last six appearances.
Joelinton wrapped up the points in stoppage-time with a curler from 18 yards.
Jarrod Bowen’s 59th-minute goal gave West Ham a 1-0 win at bottom of the table Southampton after the visitors saw Guido Rodriguez’s red card overturned by VAR.
It was a frustrating start for new Saints boss Ivan Juric, who has replaced the sacked Russell Martin.
Bournemouth and Crystal Palace shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium.