- Sailors scattered roses to honour the fallen and Jewish community
Sydney Olympics hero Ian Thorpe has led a touching tribute to the victims of the Bondi mass shooting earlier this month in his Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race debut with LawConnect.
The attack happened on December 14 during a Chanukah by the Sea event near Bondi Beach, when a father and son allegedly opened fire in a crowded area, killing 15 people and injuring about 40 others.
Tributes have since flowed for the victims of the tragedy, with the sailors in the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race also honouring the lives lost in the shooting.
As the supermaxi yachts departed Sydney, sailors scattered roses into the water to honour the fallen and the Jewish community that has been left reeling by the massacre.
‘Thank you for doing this beautiful gesture of solidarity bringing people together in harmony and peace,’ one follower posted.
Another added: ‘The rose petals on the ocean are a lovely tribute. Safe passage to Hobart’.
Former Olympian Ian Thorpe is making his Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race aboard LawConnect
Thorpe and LawConnect owner Christian Beck scattered roses into the waters as they left Sydney to honour the victims of the Bondi mass shooting
All of the boats in the fleet took part in the tribute, to honour the lives of the 15 people that were killed at Bondi
‘Beautiful gesture of rose petals remembering these beautiful innocent people,’ another said.
That included Ian Thorpe, who is making his Sydney to Hobart debut aboard LawConnect.
Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore Sam Haynes praised the competitors for universally making a statement through the rose scattering tribute.
‘The tribute that we mentioned for the tragic events in Bondi has been very well received by the Jewish community, but also internationally recognised worldwide, and obviously here in Australia,’ Haynes told the assembled fleet.
Thorpe was the king of the water at the Sydney Olympics and decided to make his yachting debut this year after considering a different challenge for some time.
‘I’ve spent my life in and around water, but this is a completely different test, both mentally and physically,’ Thorpe said previously.
‘Joining the LawConnect team is an opportunity to push myself, learn something new, and be part of an incredible Australian sporting tradition.’
Meanwhile the Sydney to Hobart fleet has lost its first 100ft supermaxi, with Wild Thing 100 retiring from the 80th running of the race on the first night of sailing.
Thorpe said he wanted to test himself on the water in a different way ahead of his yachting debut
LawConnect was one of many supermaxi yachts that were impacted by treacherous weather overnight
All crew were safe as Wild Thing began the journey back to Sydney around 4am on December 27, having succumbed to rigging damage east-north-east of Tuross Head on the NSW South Coast.
Wild Thing had been considered a long shot for line honours compared to overnight leader Master Lock Comanche and reigning champion LawConnect, who were separated by around a mile-and-a-half as of 6:15am.
The two heavyweights are expected to pass Eden later in the morning, though neither will break the race record set by Comanche in 2017: one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.
LawConnect was forced to contend with a broken mainsheet and halyard overnight but managed to fix both issues and remain in pursuit of Comanche.
‘We had a few things slow us down and Comanche’s obviously done quite well,’ LawConnect skipper Christian Beck said early on Saturday morning.
