History made as Sydney Hobart overall race winner sensationally overturned after protest

The overall winner of the 2025 Sydney Hobart has sensationally been changed due to a protest after the famous race ended.

New Caledonian boat BNC / Leon had initially claimed the overall victory after crossing the finish line in Hobart in a time of four days, one hour and two minutes.

But the boat that finished second overall - Min River - lodged a protest due to an alleged sail breach, which was reviewed and upheld by the race committee at a hearing on Wednesday morning.

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Min River - which initially finished 54 minutes behind in second - is now the overall winner of the 80th Sydney Hobart and will claim the Tattersall Cup after the committee imposed a one hour and five minute time penalty on BNC / Leon.

Min River makes history as the first boat skippered by a woman to win the race.

Lin Jiang is the skipper of the two-handed boat and sails it alongside French sailor Alexis Loison, who will now celebrate a historic victory.

The line honours win was claimed by Master Lock Comanche on Sunday.

"A rule is a rule," Lin said before the hearing on Wednesday.

"People started sending over a video of the finish, so we thought, 'Oh, that's interesting'.

"[We] just wanted to do, in my personal view, the right thing."

It will be heartbreak for BNC / Leon sailors Yann Rigal and Michel Quintin, who were found to have breached the rules in the final two nautical miles of the 628nm race.

"Leon set and used its A1.5 asymmetric spinnaker, with the tack connected to the boat's bowsprit and a spar connected to the sheet at one end and the mast at the other end," the committee ruling said.

The committee judged the boat to have gained an illegal advantage due to the error.