Da Nang-Vietnam team, the Vietnamese-sponsored Clipper Round the World Yacht Race entry, has clinched first place in the Clipper 70 class of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (RSHYR).

Da Nang-Vietnam, the Vietnamese-sponsored Clipper Round the World Yacht Race entry, has clinched first place in the Clipper 70 class of the famous Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Rac (Photo courtesy of Clipper World Race)

Skippered by Wendy Tuck, the first female Australian Skipper in the history of the Clipper Race, Da Nang-Vietnam managed to hold off 11 other Clipper 70 yachts in the close fight for first place.

The team crossed the finish line of the 628 nautical mile race in Hobart, Australia at 1601 Local Time (0501 UTC) December 30th.

At one point over the last 24 hours, the gap had narrowed to less than 3 nautical miles before Tuck opened up her lead to 10 nautical miles in the final few hours.

It is the first podium for Tuck and team in the Clipper 2015-16 Race global series. The race doubled as Race 5 of 14 of the global series and the RSHYR itself.

"This is my favourite Sydney Hobart ever," said Tuck who has now finished her ninth Sydney Hobart.

"It was so intense, it was horrible over the last few hours but we managed to avoid the wind holes and keep up good speed with the rest of the Clipper 70 fleet bearing down on us. We only lost speed momentarily. I was trying not to get excited, but the crew were so excited as we approached the finish.

"The crew have really performed and I am so impressed. In this race, I realised I can push them harder, and that is going to be key going forward from here. We know we can get the results," the skipper added.

Tuck also takes the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy for being the first female Skipper across the finish Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race finish line.

There won't be much time to celebrate or rest in Hobart for the Da Nang-Vietnam team and the rest of the Clipper Race fleet as the next test, the Henri Lloyd Hobart to Whitsundays Race starts on January 2.

From Abell Point Marina, Airlie Beach in the Whitsundays, the Clipper 70 fleet will race onto Da Nang, Vietnam, for the first time in the 19-year history of the Clipper Race. The fleet will arrive into Da Nang port in mid-February 2016.

VNA