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Andoo Comanche takes out Sydney to Hobart as supermaxi makes race history

Australian supermaxi Andoo Comanche secured a fourth line honours victory in the gruelling Sydney-Hobart ocean race Wednesday, but fell short of setting a new course record.

The 100-foot yacht, skippered by John Winning Jnr, triumphed in a nail-biting finish in the early hours of Wednesday after leading the blue water classic for much of the race.

It completed a quartet of line honours wins for the boat in the prestigious event since 2015 under a third different owner.

Andoo Comanche crossed with a time of one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds -- about 20 minutes in front of rival supermaxi Law Connect -- and just under three hours short of its own record.

The current race record of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds was set by the same Comanche boat under a different skipper in 2017.

Winning Jnr was part of the team that won the event in 2016, but said it was something special to skipper his own crew.

“To do it in a campaign that I was part of putting together is really quite exceptional,” he told national broadcaster ABC.

Last year’s defending champion Black Jack crossed third, followed by Wild Oats, which fell behind after tearing one of its sails earlier in the race.

The 109-strong racing fleet set off from a sun-splashed Sydney Harbour on Monday afternoon, charting their way through the 628-nautical mile course (1163km) to Hobart.

Favourable weather early in the race raised the prospect of toppling that mark, but the strong winds faded as the boats barrelled towards the finish line in Hobart.

The Bass Strait, which separates Tasmania from the mainland, can unleash perilous conditions.

A deep depression proved catastrophic for the fleet in 1998, when six sailors were killed and 55 more were rescued after five boats sank.

Race officials on Tuesday evening said only three of the starting fleet had been forced to retire so far.

One of them, 40-foot yacht Yeah Baby, withdrew less than four hours into the race after reportedly colliding with a massive sunfish.

Dozens of smaller yachts were still in the water Wednesday morning, competing for the handicap prize, which compensates for boat size.

READ BELOW FOR A FULL WRAP OF ALL THE ACTION FROM THE RACE!

Comanche held a consistent lead of 20 nautical miles throughout the afternoon as it moved towards the Derwent with LawConnect telling the Nine papers they expect to arrive at Constitution Dock in Hobart at around 2am AEDT.

As darkness neared, Wild Oats XI fell back into fourth having suffered sail damage overnight while reigning line honours winner Black Jack was third, some five nautical miles behind LawConnect.

FOLLOW THE LIVE RACE TRACKER HERE

Comanche led the fleet into Bass Strait in the early morning, but slipping well behind LDV Comanche’s race record from 2017. Three of the four supermaxis (100-plus-footers) ran well east of the rhumbline to take advantage of marginally stronger winds, before turning back towards the coast of Tasmania around midday.

There were two retirements on the first day, with two-hander Avalanche the first to pull back to shore with a damaged bowsprit after a collision with Llama II just outside the Sydney Heads. Llama II escaped with only superficial damage.

Yeah Baby then retired in the evening after sustaining rudder damage near Wollongong due to a collision with a sunfish, but returned safely to Sydney.

Koa then became the third retirement after breaking her rudder, and is set to be towed to Eden on the NSW south coast, leaving 106 yachts still in the race. Enterprise Next Generation put in a request for redress after helping their stricken rival.

WILD OATS COPS DAMAGE OVERNIGHT

Hamilton Island Wild Oats came within 0.3 nautical miles of Black Jack around 2am overnight in the hunt for third position, before Black Jack surged in the early morning.

The pair traded positions throughout the day, with Wild Oats taking a line significantly closer to rhumbline.

It followed a wild start where both Comanche and Wild Oats were forced to take penalty turns following a series of near-misses in Sydney Harbour (more below).

Wild Oats - hunting a record tenth line honours win - then suffered damage to one of their two largest sails overnight.

Their veteran crewman Chris Links told NewsLocal a seam across one of their large downwind sails split, requiring running repairs on deck.

“It is not an easy job,’’ Links said.

“It has a cable in it and we had to do the repair on deck.

“It took around one and a half hours to repair.’’

LIVE STREAM

Watch live on-board action from LawConnect below.

WILD START CAUSES CHAOS

“Protest, get the flag up, that was f***ing bull***t,” someone yelled on Andoo Comanche in the first two minutes after being cut off by rival supermaxis LawConnect and Black Jack.

URM and LawConnect were also “inches” away from crashing into each other, according to URM skipper Ashley-Jones.

Less than a minute later, one of the crew was heard barking: “you’re asking for a clusterf***, we’re going to be in a collision,” and labelled one rival a “f***ing idiot”.

Comanche hit a turning mark as it exited the heads and was later spotted flying a protest flag of their own, after another boat protested them.

On Wild Oats, which took two penalty turns, skipper Mark Richards could be heard yelling “furl, furl, we are going to do a 720 (penalty turn)”.

Wild Oats famously lost the win in 2017 upon arrival in Hobart, after being handed a one-hour penalty for a rule breach over an incident with Comanche.

That race saw the record time set, with 2022’s Comanche roughly eight nautical miles behind the 2017 edition’s pace late on Monday night and falling further back overnight.

EARLY RACE UPDATES AND PREVIEW (via AFP)

More than 100 yachts set sail Monday on the Sydney-Hobart race as favourable winds raised hopes for a record time in one of the world’s most punishing ocean events.

Fans gathered at coastal vantage points and on spectator boats in a sun-splashed Sydney Harbour, which hours earlier had been shrouded in a thick fog that halted all ferry traffic.

The starting cannon fired to release 109 yachts on the 628-nautical mile (1,200-kilometre) blue water classic.

Crews dashed to get out of the city’s harbour on the first leg of the race down Australia’s eastern coast and across the treacherous Bass Strait towards the finish line in the Tasmanian state capital.

A final weather briefing on race day predicted “fresh to strong” north to northeasterly winds in the next day or so, giving the fastest, 100-foot supermaxi yachts a chance to challenge Comanche’s 2017 record of one day, 9 hours, 15min and 24sec.

Mark Richards, skipper of nine-time line honours-winning supermaxi Wild Oats, said his crew was buoyant after preparing for exactly these conditions.

“We put all our eggs in one basket and we put all our money on black for a downwind forecast and we have ended up getting it,” he told public broadcaster ABC.

“I think Wild Oats is going to be very fast,” Richards added. “The world is going to find out who is the fastest boat downwind.”

Wild Oats is competing for line honours against three rival supermaxis: Andoo Comanche, last year’s line honours winner Black Jack, and LawConnect.

Weather is a critical factor in the race, which was first held in 1945. Though the supermaxis are expected to be powered by northerly winds to a quick finish as early as Tuesday, slower mid- to small-sized boats will still be in the water in the following days facing possible gales and changes in wind direction.

In 1998, when a deep depression exploded over the fleet in the Bass Strait, six men died, five boats sank and 55 sailors were rescued.

Black Jack took line honours last year after a tight tussle with LawConnect, ending years of frustrating near misses to cross the finish line on the River Derwent after two days, 12 hours, 37min and 17sec.

Ichi Ban, which is not racing this year, was the 2021 winner of the overall handicap prize, which takes into account the yachts’ sizes. The boat pipped rival Celestial in a race where dangerous waves and weather conditions saw many withdraw.

International boats are making a return after the race was cancelled in 2020 for the first time due to the pandemic, and Covid hit the fleet last year.

Entrants come from Germany (Orione), Hong Kong (Antipodes), Hungary (Cassiopeia 68), New Caledonia (Eye Candy and Poulpito), New Zealand (Caro), Britain (Sunrise) and the United States (Warrior Won).

Sunrise is a proven ocean racer, winning the 2021 Fastnet Race in Britain, while Caro has been tipped to take out overall handicap honours, although skipper Max Klink played down his prospects ahead of the race saying: “I do not think we are the favourite.”

Sydney to Hobart yacht race, day one reports from the bluewater classic as it happened

Topic: Sport

SHK Scallywag led the fleet out of Sydney Harbour, but a problem with the sails has seen the Hong Kong entry slip back in the early going. ( Getty: Mark Evans )

One of the three main contenders for Sydney to Hobart line honours, SHK Scallywag, hits early trouble with a sail problem, but it's a close race with LawConnect ahead as the fleet heads south entering night one. Look back on all the action.

Live updates

Race tracker, a by andrew mcgarry.

Follow your favourite entry in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race tracker

Wrapping things up...

We've ticked past 6pm AEDT, and the latest positions remain the same.

LawConnect sits 13 nautical miles east of Kiama, leading by 2.9 nautical miles from Black Jack.

Scallywag is a further 0.9 nautical miles behind, with Stefan Racing in fourth, 7.9 nautical miles behind LawConnect.

However the third and fourth place boats are going faster than their rivals, with Scallywag at 14.9 knots and Stefan Racing at 15.1 knots, compared to 12.9 for LawConnect and 13.3 for Black Jack.

These are small margins, but it suggests Scallywag is back making the most of the wind. If the crew can keep that going for the rest of the evening, they might be a lot closer to the lead by the end of the night.  

Hmmm ... some weather approaching!

As we speak, LawConnect and the leading boats are just passing Kiama on the NSW Coast.

So far things have been relatively straightforward, aside from Scallywag's sail issues.

However ...

A quick scan of the BOM radar shows there is some heavy weather (well some heavy rain at least) heading the way of the fleet (see attached map):

Tracking individual boats

can you explain how on the tracker i can monitor a yacht i bet on ive got ichi ban -Scott

Scott, I have been having the odd-bit of trouble with the tracker this afternoon, trying to isolate particular boats has proved interesting.. 

However, if you go to the standings page on the website, and click the tab saying "Fully Crewed IRC", that should give you the updated placings on handicap, and the estimated finishing times.for whichever boat you want.

For example, Ichi Ban on the latest standings is 15th for line honours, 17.9 nautical miles behind LawConnect.

On IRC, Ichi Ban is 53rd - at this point the estimated race time is three days, 19 hours six minutes and 51 seconds, giving an arrival time of Dec 30 at 8:06.51am. On corrected time, (the right hand column), the overall time would be five days, seven hours, 55 minutes 27 seconds.

In comparison, the leader on IRC (for now) is LawConnect , estimated to finish at 6:51pm on Dec 28, for a time of two days, five hours, 51 minutes 46 seconds.

On corrected time, this gives LawConnect an overall time of four days, 10 hours, 38 minutes 54 seconds.

As the winds and circumstances change, so will the overall standings. But for now, Ichi Ban has a LOT of room to make up.   

So far, so good ...

At this point of the race, a quick update.

Officially we had 88 boats to start with - 71 eligible for line honours and 17 two-handed boats, allowed in the race for the first time.

As of the latest figures, all 88 are still in the race, which means no one has had a significant problem or damage to the boat. That's good to hear!

There was some talk with the forecasted southerly winds this afternoon and tonight that there might be some retirements in the fleet.

Who's to know? At this stage it may be that the winds aren't quite as strong as expected, but there is plenty of time for that to change. Also, for smaller boats particularly, it may be the accumulated wear and tear of hitting bigger waves that causes problems overnight.

We shall see.

First updated standings as of 4pm AEDT:

Here is the top 12 on line honours, with LawConnect having a DTG (distance to go) of 596.3 nautical miles, ahead of Black Jack , with a DTG of 597.8 nautical miles. So LawConnect as of 4pm AEDT had a lead of 1.5 nautical miles. That appears to have changed since, but this gives a snapshot of where the leading boats were 20-odd minutes ago:

The hours into the race, the leaders are a solid distance offshore, halfway between Helensburgh and Wollongong.

LawConnect still leads, and has extended the margin over Black Jack to 1.4 nautical miles. It's relatively middling going for the leaders, with LawConnect's speed at 13 knots, ahead of Black Jack's 12.5 knots.

Behind them, Scallywag is clear again in third, 2.6 nautical miles astern of LawConnect - it is moving at 12.3 knots but does not seem to be able to get too close to the leaders. There is no more word on the state of their sails and whether they have been able to get the main headsail going again.

Stefan Racing is in fourth, a further one nautical mile back from Scallywag.  

Coasters Retreat and the origins of the Sydney to Hobart

Michael Troy has written a great feature on the small community of Coasters Retreat, near Pittwater in Sydney.

In the 1940s Coasters was home to several sailors - some famous, some not so but all with interesting stories.

The home of Selwyn “Dicko” Dickinson was the meeting place for the sailors, and where the idea that turned into the Sydney to Hobart we know today was conceived.

This group broke free of the Royal Prince Alfred Club and began sailing at Broken Bay and elsewhere as a rebel club. This turned into the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and an original nine boats who “raced” to Hobart as a cruise, with the big prize on offer of a dozen bottles of beer and a jam tin mounted on a wooden block.

You can find out more about the sailors from Coasters Retreat in Michael Troy’s feature here.

Flashback to the start...

As it stands, there are 10 boats - including race leader LawConnect - within 4.5 nautical miles or thereabouts at the front of the race.

Always happy for a shoutout

Hi Andrew 🙂 -Natty

Hello Natty, glad to see you on the blog - hope you can stick around for a while, as the further we get down the coast this afternoon, the more likely it is that we will start to sort out the relative strengths of the leading contenders.

Let's hope that the expected "bash and crash" of stronger winds that are pushing against the fleet doesn't lead to too many problems on board boats.

As we've seen already with Scallywag, problems can occur even in relatively light winds, and when the windspeed gets turned up, things can go really wrong.

A quick snapshot from the tracker shows where things stand at this point. 

You can see Scallywag two back from the leader - Stefan Racing is just to its left, although the name isn't registering.

The orange boat icon on the left is the pace for the race record of Comanche in 2017.

We've got an early challenger from outside the supermaxis!

We have focused so far mostly on the three supermaxis - with good reason, since the last time a supermaxi did not win line honours was in 2004.

But as things stand, we have another boat in the mix.

Race leader LawConnect is travelling at 17.6 knots, followed 1.8 nautical miles back by Black Jack (11.8 knots).

While Scallywag is going a little faster at 12.6 knots, it has been overtaken for third place, at least for the moment.

Stefan Racing, the Botin 80 boat skippered by Grant 'Wharo" Wharington , is going nicely at 11.5 knots, a little over 1.8 nautical miles behind the leader, Stefan Racing is - to use a racing analogy - saving ground a little closer to the coast.

The question of how the leading boats will handle the winds this afternoon and evening will tell us a lot about who is in prime position to win the race.

The small orange sail you can see in the previous pic tweet from SHK Scallywag is the storm jib.

With far less surface area on the sail to work with, it means the boat cannot take full advantage of the wind available.

This is why things are going to be difficult ...

This colour-coded map shows the wind speed and wind direction in the waters off the NSW coast right now.

The arrows show that the wind is coming from the south directly north, so the fleet is heading into the teeth of what wind there is.

The green colour marks around 15 to 20 knots (27.8 to 37 kmh).

The orange colour shows winds that are between 25 and 30 knots (46.3 to 55.5kmh).

So the area the fleet is heading into is mostly orange, which means it will be more difficult to make headway into the wind.

This map shows why there will be not the slightest chance of a race record, and indeed the likelihood is that the leaders will not reach Hobart inside two days. 

The official standings will not kick in for another couple of hours, but at this stage is appears that LawConnect is a decent way in front, travelling at a tick over 14 knots.

Most of the boats are heading out to sea to get the best of the wind, rather than hugging the coast. The only entry that is keeping closer in is No Limit in about ninth spot right now.

Black Jack is moving at 13.3 knots, with Scallywag still suffering from the lack of its preferred sail, going at 11.3 knots.

The wind is not that strong at this point - we are expecting things to shift reasonably soon, with strong southeasterlies making life tough for everyone.

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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: 70 Years

One of Australia’s most popular and enduring sporting events is the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. The race starts on Boxing Day and the passage down the east coast grabs national attention over the Christmas and New Year break, giving ocean racing an annual moment in the spotlight. It is internationally recognised as one of the three classic blue-water ocean races, along with the Fastnet Race in the UK and Bermuda Race on the east coast of the USA.

Rolex Sydney to Hobart

The 2014 race will be the 70th in the series. In a sign of the times the race has a contemporary sponsor, Rolex, but the heritage of the race is now strongly recognised by all who have taken part in the past as well as those involved in this year’s event, and it’s a much bigger story than just a three-to-four-day race down the coast.

Ocean racing is just that—racing yachts out on the open sea. It takes place in a natural environment and the crews and yachts have no control over what conditions the sea may provide. There are flat calms through to storm-strength gales, currents and tides, variable wave and swell patterns, and the ever-shifting wind, over day and night—the only constant is change. A race report from the first event describes it well: ‘those two irresponsibles—wind and wave’.

And there are no lanes, signposts or field markings to show the way. The boundaries of the course are the coastline and the landmarks that tick off milestones on the course. These days you can rely on GPS to pinpoint where you are, but in the past precise navigation depended on how accurate you were with sun, moon and star observations. This was a time when your direction and destiny very much relied on human-powered calculations and then, when the weather closed in, your best estimation.

'Ichi Ban' soon after the start of the 2002 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. © Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

There is no pit lane to pull over into for repairs, changes of personnel and refuelling—once you start, you have to be self-sufficient to the end. You are always working the yacht and can change the configuration while you are sailing—different sail trim and combinations allow the crew to adjust the boat to the conditions, and the winners monitor and optimise the boat constantly to keep it sailing at its full potential. But you’re working with very expensive and sometimes fragile gear and sail changes have to be done with care, especially in challenging conditions.

The backup to gear failure is how you react to incidents on board, making running repairs where possible or having something spare in reserve or a margin of safety that allows you to carry on despite damage.

Navigator Bill Lieberman on Wayfarer in the 1945 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Courtesy Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

The safety net as such is waiting off to one side, hopefully not needing to be initiated. Communications, flares, a life raft, EPIRBs, survival suits, even pre-race training and simulations—this is all secondary gear rigorously monitored and enforced, yet marking time until things go seriously wrong. Onshore emergency services are there to respond, but they too have their controls and limits, and self-help among the competing yachts is a code of practice that comes into play to help avoid a catastrophe. The risk of this is always there, and there have been notable times when it has played out in public view.

Teamwork and leadership are intrinsic qualities needed throughout to keep harmony among crew, to maintain their enthusiasm and ability to push on, and to keep it all under control and operating at a high level.

It’s a race full of intriguing contrasts: how the amateurs and Corinthian sailors mix with the professional sportspeople and Olympic representatives in the crews; the high-tech races against those of the previous generation; even down to the historic—how many other sports have such a diverse range of participants and equipment, all sent off at the same time, aiming for the same goal, on the same course? The top boats were all high-tech in their time, but those of today seem even more so—hugely expensive racing machines built with advanced materials to fine tolerances, carrying only what is needed to support the crew so they can operate efficiently, forcing them to live and work around the yacht and its gear.

Participants will experience a huge range of emotions over the journey, and require stamina to see it through. The extraordinary scenery along the way seems a contradiction to the serious racing intent, but the atmosphere can be uplifting and this feeling becomes part of the reason crews return to race in the open sea time after time.

Experience is a factor that helps enormously and only comes with time and determination, but come it does for the many sailors who feel the addiction of this sport and return each year to take on the Hobart race.

The crew of Ilina during the 1960s, with a young Rupert Murdoch third from the left leaning on the boom. Courtesy Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

The history of the race

The Sydney to Hobart race began in an off-the-cuff fashion. In the latter part of World War II, sailors on Sydney Harbour formed the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) to promote cruising and casual races in lieu of those suspended during the previous war years. Their first official event was in October 1944. During 1945 three of the members—Jack Earl, Peter Luke and Bert Walker—planned a cruise to Hobart in their respective yachts after Christmas. One evening Captain John Illingworth RN gave a talk to the club members, and afterwards Peter Luke suggested Illingworth might like to join the cruise. Illingworth’s reply was ‘I will, if you make a race of it’.

And so it was. The Sydney Morning Herald on 16 June 1945 noted that ‘Plans for a race from Sydney to Hobart, early in January 1946 are being made by the Cruising Yacht Club … five possible entries had already been received’.

Later, in the Australian Power Boat and Yachting Monthly of 10 October 1945, there is a more formal notice.

Yacht Race to Tasmania: It is expected that an Ocean Yacht Race may take place from Sydney to Hobart, probably starting on December 26, 1945. Yachtsmen desirous of competing should contact Vice President Mr P Luke … Entries close December 1 1945.

From these small beginnings the cruise became a race and Captain Illingworth helped with the arrangements, showing the club how to measure the boats and handicap the event. The plans, expectations, the probables and possibles of earlier reports—they all turned into reality at the entrance to Sydney Harbour just inside North Head on Boxing Day in 1945, when nine yachts set forth, including Illingworth in his recently purchased yacht Rani . Illingworth had previous experience of ocean racing from his homeland in England and in the USA, where he was a respected competitor, and he prepared Rani to race to Hobart, and not just sail there. The other sailors had a more relaxed attitude.

The crew of Wayfarer in the 1945 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race: (Left to right) Geoff Ruggles, Len Willsford, Brigadier A.G. Mills, Peter Luke (at rear), Bill Lieberman, Fred Harris. Courtesy Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

That first race encapsulated many features now associated with the event, and in hindsight was a warning of things to come. A strong southerly gale hit the fleet on the first day, and many were unprepared for the rough seas that scattered the fleet. Some boats hove to, one retired and the others sought shelter. Wayfarer ’s crew went ashore twice to phone home before resuming the race, including a stop at Port Arthur. According to Seacraft magazine of March 1946, ‘Licensee of the Hotel Arthur put on a barrel of beer specially for Wayfarer ’s crew, and they enjoyed their first drink of draught beer since they left Sydney on Boxing Day. A local resident treated the ship’s company to a crayfish supper, which was the gastronomic highlight of the voyage’.

Meanwhile the experienced Illingworth, who had prepared Rani and his crew well, had continued to race his yacht throughout. Before the race it was reported that the RAAF would put planes on patrol to keep the yachts under observation, but the weather had made that very difficult. When the gale eased and an aircraft was dispatched to look for the fleet,  Rani was so far ahead that it was not located and was presumed missing. The press had the event as their headline article, and later the sudden reappearance of Rani off Tasman Island was a sensation. Rani won easily and the remaining seven boats gradually crossed the line in Hobart, bringing more stories of the race ashore for the public to enjoy.

This impressive coverage for the period ensured the race would continue, and by March 1946 media reports noted that the club secretary, A C Cooper, had said it would be an annual event starting on Boxing Day. As it went ahead in its second year the race included tighter regulations based on those used by the Royal Ocean Racing Club of Britain.

Spectators watching the start of the 2006 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. © Rolex/Carlo Borlenghi

It has been run every year since, and the fortunes of the event have varied. There has been consistent strong public interest, and crowds line the harbour and its foreshores to watch the Boxing Day start, a tradition in parallel with the Melbourne Boxing Day Test match.

Media interest is not confined to the east coast; the race is followed throughout the country and the results are reported internationally. The attention is often on who will finish first, and the focus on this line honours contest has been encouraged to maintain the media interest. Vessels from overseas have raced regularly with the local fleet since the early 1960s, and the race has been won on handicap and line honours by a modest number of craft from outside Australia.

It quickly became recognised as one of the major offshore races, along with the famous Fastnet race in the UK and the Bermuda race starting in the USA, due to the tough and demanding conditions the fleet usually has to overcome. In response to this, the CYCA established good safety precautions quite early on, which for many years it updated in line with the evolution of the participating craft. It often established precautions or limits not enforced in other events. From 1951 onwards there has been a radio relay vessel accompanying the fleet, and safety items carried by the boats and crew remain a priority in the organisation of the race.

Start of the 1986 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Courtesy Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Archives

The 1998 race captured world attention when the most extreme conditions in the race’s history were encountered. A strong southerly-flowing current was mixed with a south-west gale caused by an almost cyclonic depression travelling east across Bass Strait. This had developed soon after the race began and was predicted by many weather forecasters. Winds of more than 80 knots were recorded, but the opposing wind and current directions produced difficult seas with an unusual number of enormous waves which caused the most damage. Yachts were knocked down beyond 90 degrees, and some rolled completely. Numerous yachts were unable to withstand the continuous battering and were forced to heave to or otherwise adopt survival techniques before retiring with damage. A small number were abandoned and later sunk, and six lives were lost off three boats in different circumstances.

The rescue effort was chaotic for a period as there were too many calls to respond to, but the heroic efforts by the civilian and service rescue helicopter crews, filmed by press helicopters working in the same extreme conditions, along with help provided by racing yachts standing by stricken competitors, combined to save many sailors and avoided a total catastrophe.

In the reviews and enquiries that followed a number of factors emerged that had contributed to the disaster. The race organisers then moved quickly to address the deficiencies in the equipment and experience which had been highlighted by the race conditions and the fleet’s inability to cope with them.

The race has had highlights in many areas, in particular the dash for line honours. Perfect conditions with a northeast breeze have helped establish race records. In 1973 the reinforced cement-hulled Helsal —referred to by some as the ‘floating footpath’—caught people by surprise to set a record, but it did not last long. In 1975, the world-beating maxi yacht Kialoa III came across from the USA, and owner Jim Kilroy steered it to a new record, well under three days. The 1999 the water-ballasted Volvo 60 class yacht Nokia was able to take maximum advantage of the strong north-east wind pattern. Nokia set a new race record of 1 day 19 hours and 48 minutes at an average speed of 14.39 knots. This was nine hours faster than Kialoa III ’s longstanding record from 1975, on which Morning Glory had briefly improved by 30 minutes in 1996, 21 years after Kialoa ’s triumph.

A curious line honours winner was Nocturne in 1953, a 10.66-metre (35-foot) long sloop designed by Alan Payne, which mastered unusually light and fickle conditions to beat much larger craft in a slow race with no retirements.

Wild Oats XI about to finish the 2011 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Taken from Sandy Bay, Hobart. Wikimedia Commons/JJ Harrison

The record now stands at 1 day, 18 hours and 23 minutes, set by Wild Oats XI in 2012.  Wild Oats XI has twice taken line honours, set the record and won on handicap (2005 and 2012). Rule changes since 1999 permitted vessels up to 30.48 metres (100 feet) in length, and with favourable conditions the new super-maxis built to this limit easily had the potential to improve on the record.

When Huey Long from the USA brought his aluminium yacht Ondine in 1962, one of the closest finishes occurred when  Ondine narrowly beat the Fife-designed schooner Astor and the steel Solo across the line, but Solo won on handicap.

The handicap winner is the true winner of the race, a fact sometimes obscured to the public as the bigger boats dominate the headlines. A small number of boats have ‘done the double’ and won both, including  Wild Oats XI in 2005, which scored a treble with the race record as well. However quite often the trophy has gone to a well-sailed yacht towards the middle of the finishing order, and sometimes the changeable weather patterns favour the smaller yachts towards the tail end. The most notable handicap winner is the Halvorsen brothers’ Freya , which achieved the remarkable feat of winning three races in succession, from 1963 to 1965. Love & War has also won the race three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2006. Screw Loose , at 9.1 metres LOA, won in 1979 and is the smallest yacht to have won the race.

The end of the race is marked with celebrations by all the crews, and the area around Hobart’s Constitution Dock is packed with spectators, crews and their families who have come down to join them. In the same tradition as at the start, the people from Hobart turn out to see the finish, and even when this occurs overnight there is still a strong contingent on and off the water waiting for the gun to go off.

For many yachtspeople the Sydney to Hobart race is the highpoint of their season and their sport. Some aspire to do it just once, while others come back year after year. The challenging conditions might appear to be the primary drawcard in many instances, but the attractions of blue-water sailing have seduced many competitors in the long run. The moods and atmosphere of the wind and ocean, and the satisfaction of sailing a yacht in these elements, are truly felt and understood by the great majority of the crews.

The combination of strong public interest and the enduring attraction of the race for the competitors would seem to ensure that the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will remain a regular event, and continue to contribute to Australia’s maritime heritage.

The first yacht to finish receives a royal welcome in Hobart for the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. © Rolex/Daniel Forster

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David Payne

David Payne is Curator of Historic Vessels at Australian National Maritime Museum, and through the Australian Register of Historic Vessels he works closely with heritage boat owners throughout Australia researching and advising on their craft and their social connections. David has also been a yacht designer and documented many of the museum’s vessels with extensive drawings. He has had a wide sailing experience, from Lasers and 12-foot skiffs through to long ocean passages. Since 2012 he has been able to work closely with Aboriginal communities on a number of Indigenous canoe building and watercraft projects.

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE: DEFINED BY AN INTREPID SPIRIT AND CAMARADERIE

Geneva, 23 December 2021 - The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race holds a towering status in the world of sailing. It captures the attention of a nation and enjoys a glowing international reputation that has long transcended the traditional boundaries of the sport. Rolex has partnered this legendary competition and its organizers, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), since 2002.

Over its three-quarters of a century history, the race has provided a platform for human achievement and endeavour, qualities that align with Rolex's core philosophy and which underpin the Swiss watchmaker's more than 60-year involvement in yachting. The 76th edition is scheduled for the traditional lunchtime start on 26 December, with a fleet of more than 90 yachts expected to take on the famous 628-nautical mile (1,010 kilometres) course.

Some 60,000 sailors and 7,000 yachts have taken part in the race since its inception in 1945. From its beginnings, competitors have been drawn to the scale and unpredictability of the challenge, and to the demands on their skills in both preparing and handling their yacht.

After a spectacular departure from Sydney Harbour, the fleet heads south along the New South Wales coast of the Tasman Sea before crossing Bass Strait to tackle the east coast of Tasmania, Storm Bay and the final 12-nm (22 km) stretch in the often decisive, and sometimes cruel, Derwent River, before finishing in Hobart. Most entrants spend four to five days at sea. Watch systems and resources need to be managed assiduously. To negotiate the testing conditions requires willpower, experience and intuition.

Sir Ben Ainslie, a Rolex Testimonee, four-time Olympic gold medallist and helm of the Great Britain SailGP Team, is a past competitor and says: The experience gave me a real appreciation of the sailing prowess and camaraderie inherent in offshore racing, especially within the Corinthian boats taking two or three times as long and being not quite as comfortable as the maxis. A neat part of these races is the fact that handicap means, whatever the size of boat, everyone has a chance to win. The weather plays a part but smaller amateur-sailed boats often win against the professionals.

Winning the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race overall after time correction and securing the coveted Tattersall Cup guarantees a place in yachting folklore. Matt Allen's Ichi Ban has won two of the past three editions, in 2017 and 2019. Should the Australian boat emerge victorious again, she will join two of the race's most celebrated names, Freya (1963, 1964, 1965) and Love & War (1974, 1978, 2006), on three victories.

Beyond the competition to win overall, the consistent presence of some of the world's most impressive 100-foot (30.5 metre) Maxi yachts has produced epic contests in the battle to be first across the finish line. The race record currently stands at 33 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set by  Comanche  in 2017. Arriving in Hobart inside two days, a marker first set in 1999, has been achieved in each of the past four editions.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart attracts both professional and Corinthian sailors. Leaders from the political, business and entertainment worlds, as well as stars from other sports, have been drawn to participate. This all adds to the race’s appeal, which is already bolstered by a distinctive position in the sailing calendar and the pioneering feats of those who have confronted its many obstacles over the years. Matt Allen, a former Commodore of the CYCA, spent decades trying to win the event as a skipper. His story is one of persistence, of the time it can take to acquire the experience and knowledge to succeed. Having completed his 30th race to Hobart in 2019, he remarked:

“Over the years, I’ve seen amazing boats participate but it’s actually the people that  make this race and ocean racing what they are.”

Intrepid human spirit lies at the heart of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race’s creation and remains its foundation today. Rolex is proud to support a sporting contest that mirrors the brand’s own Perpetual spirit: humbly adapting to the elements, constantly seeking to improve and summoning one’s deepest resources.

A NATURAL AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNER Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand's enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events - from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world's most famous harbours. Rolex's partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

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Virginie Chevailler

Giles Pearman

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Published on December 27th, 2022 | by Editor

No elapsed record for Sydney Hobart

Published on December 27th, 2022 by Editor -->

(December 27, 2022) – The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet is revelling in the downwind run to Tasmania thanks to the prevailing north-to-north easterly winds from yesterday’s start.   By mid-afternoon today, the four maxis were continuing to make their charge across Bass Strait in their bid for Line Honours victory in the early hours of tomorrow morning and outside the race record of time of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds, set by LDV Comanche in 2017.   At 3:00 pm, Andoo Comanche (John Winning Jr) was still in the lead with 179 nautical miles to go to make the finish line in Hobart. It was 80 nautical miles east of St Helens Point and, like its main rivals, LawConnect, Black Jack, and Hamilton Island Wild Oats, was well east of the rhumb line.   Andoo Comanche was still in the box seat, but all four 100-footers were in contention to finish first in the 628 nautical mile race, organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.   Andoo Comanche’s navigator, Justin Shaffer, said it was hard to predict a finish time, but added that they might reach the Iron Pot at the mouth of the Derwent River at about 10:00 pm.   Reporting 150 nautical miles from Tasman Island, Shaffer said: “It depends on the pressure between here and Tasman Light. We can’t see any of the other boats, but we believe LawConnect is around 20 miles behind.   “We’ve had a great night, a dream run. The crew is holding up well and so is the boat. We are in a 13 knot nor-easterly.”   While Andoo Comanche was in the box seat 10 nautical miles ahead of her rivals, the other three were still well in the race. Only three nautical miles separates second, third, and fourth placed boats.   The top four had spent all morning sailing at mid-20 knot speeds, but by lunch time they were averaging 16 to 17 knots. However, winds are expected to increase late this afternoon.   Anticipation remains high that by early morning the four boats will all find themselves on the 11 nautical mile run up the Derwent River, each vying for Line Honours.   Christian Beck, the owner and skipper of LawConnect, was in high spirits early this morning. While crossing Bass Strait at about 22 knots of boat speed, he projected a finish time of midnight. But that will no longer be the case.   “We track the competition pretty well. We know what they are doing on the tracker. We follow it religiously,” he told Channel 7’s Sunrise.   Asked if he felt LawConnect could claim Line Honours, he said: “We are going to try. You never know when you get into the Derwent. All the boats have a chance at the moment.”   Earlier, LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter was equally positive as they sailed with the other maxis in sight.   “We had a pretty decent morning coming across Bass Strait,” he said.   Mutter was expecting the winds to strengthen later today, but was unsure if the crew would make any sail changes to optimize their chances.   “We’ll see what the timing is like,” Mutter said. “Obviously, if you do a sail change you have a bit of down time so you’ll need to make up your miles lost.   “So, we’ll try and judge how long the 30-plus knot weather is, or if we just ride it out with what we’ve got which is a bit marginal; or we change down a gear and approach it that way.”   Meanwhile, further back in the fleet, Steve Kemp, a veteran of 23 Sydney Hobarts and navigator on the David Gotze-owned and skippered Reichel Pugh 63, No Limit, was happy.   “Good running conditions this morning with low 20s now. Team had more freeze dried this morning – chicken is the favorite,” reported Kemp.   On the first day at sea, only two boats retired from the fleet. The two-handed Avalanche (James Murchison/James Francis) retired with a broken bowsprit and Louis and Marc Ryckman’s Yeah Baby with rudder damage from a sunfish strike.   This afternoon, the fleet was reduced to 106 boats with the retirement of the TP52 Koa, co-owned by Peter Wrigley and Andy Kearnan, after losing its rudder and calling for assistance.   The Anthony Kirke and Andrew Nuttman-owned Botin/Carkeek GP42, Enterprise Next Generation from Western Australia, went to stand by Koa to offer any help. Meanwhile, NSW Water Police were dispatched to help the yacht.   All crew on Koa were reported as safe and sound. The Race Committee of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has this afternoon lodged a Request for Redress for Enterprise Next Generation, which will be held at 1600 hours on December 29.

Race details – Tracker – Facebook

The 628 nm Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is the 77th edition in 2022 and had a fleet of 109 boats for the start on December 26. One hundred fifty seven teams set off in 2019, but since then the 2020 race was cancelled due to the pandemic with 88 entries in 2021.

From the start in Sydney Harbour, the fleet sails out into the Tasman Sea, down the south-east coast of mainland Australia, across Bass Strait (which divides the mainland from the island State of Tasmania), then down the east coast of Tasmania. At Tasman Island the fleet turns right into Storm Bay for the final sail up the Derwent River to the historic port city of Hobart.

Source: RSHYR

Tags: Sydney Hobart

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Race Updates - 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart

• 30 Dec, 2023 10:00:00 AM

Read a continuously updated race summary

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Saturday 0835hrs

At this morning, just 30 yachts from 103 starters had finished the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with 16 yachts retired from the race. MWF Kayle , the Lyons 54 owned by the Making Waves Foundation and Will Vicars’ pretty Hoek TC78, Oroton Drumfire , were among the morning arrivals at Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart.

The first two-handed entry, Mistral , sailed by Rupert Henry and Jack Bouttell crossed the finish line at 08:53:38 am and are currently placed an incredible sixth overall in the open fleet. Henry, Mistral ’s owner, is the defending two-handed champion from last year’s race when Greg O’Shea co-skippered the yacht. With new crew, Bouttell, Mistral is unlikely to be beaten for the top spot again. He described last night’s conditions in the race as, “Brutal. It was very cold and we had strong winds of up to 43 knots in Storm Bay – classic Storm Bay. Bass Strait was upwind. This race has thrown everything at us.”

It is gear-breaking weather and has resulted in some crews having to make repairs at sea, while news came of the retirement of Helsal 3 from the race. Rob Fisher and crew were unable to rectify damage. They will depart Port Arthur tonight with an ETA in Hobart of 0300 hours tomorrow morning. 

Among those still racing though, is Henry’s father, David Henry and his co-skipper Stephen Price. “Dad’s a legend,” Henry acknowledged at Constitution Dock this morning.  

Among those that finished last night was Geoff Hill’s Antipodes , among her crew was navigator Lindsay May, who sailed his 50 th successive Sydney Hobart.  Bruce Taylor’s Chutzpah (Vic) also finished, he and son Drew sailing their 30 th Sydney Hobart together. Taylor’s navigator, Kingsley Piesse, notched up a milestone of his own, sailing his 40 th consecutive Sydney Hobart. And once again, this well sailed crew has nabbed a divisional placing, with third in Division 2.

Bumblebee V, the 2001 winner of the race, now owned by Paul Blakeley, also finished last evening at 8:41:23 pm. 

Today and this evening will be busy, with the bulk of the fleet due to arrive. Spare a thought for those still at sea in what has been described by finishers as “one of the toughest races in years,” due to the wide and unexpected conditions from thunderstorms to lightning shows, no wind, light wind and up to 45 knots worth during the race so far

Malcolm Roe, owner of the elegant Swan 45, Amazingrace , said last evening: “We expect to be rounding Tasman Island after the westerly hits. Just enjoying a nice hot dinner before the big westerly hits…”

Credit: CYCA/Salty Dingo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Friday 0740hrs

Just six yachts have so far finished the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the varied and squally conditions making it difficult for the fleet to sail a simple and quick race, to the point where the next yacht due to cross the finish line is David Gotze’s No Limit (Vic), expected to cross the finish line around midday.

A text from Brad Kellett, reported from Geoff Hill’s Hong Kong entry Antipodes this morning, says it all about the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race, the first ‘traditional’ style race in some years. “Hi from Lindsay May’s 50th race,” Kellett said of navigator’s 50th consecutive Sydney Hobart. Well, he’s getting a real Hobart. We’ve had everything except hard running conditions. “We’ve had some down time on Antipodes (a Santa Cruz 72), with breeze holes that our competitors didn’t get. We’ve got a tear in the new mainsail to repair; we blew out our J2 headsail, which would be up right now in the 12-14 knot southerly. “We’re currently approaching Wineglass Bay sailing upwind. We should be rounding Tasman Island later this afternoon and hopefully should arrive in Howdown (Hobart) in the dark. Hopefully before the (Derwent) shutdown” said Kellett, who is a Lindsay May in waiting. Sailing his 31st consecutive Hobart he is the only one likely to outnumber May in the long run. Kellett ended, “Looking forward to seeing the Lindsay May cheer squad on the dock and enjoying the festivities in Hobart.”

Robbie Fisher, skipper of Helsal 3 , agreed with Kellett summation of the race so far. “We have a minor injury to a crew, a couple of broken ribs. Our navigator was on deck, slipped, and cracked a couple of ribs. That put us down a helmsman as well. We’ve injury to the boat too. A broken halyard, torn main and other little things. We’ve lost a bit of ground, but we’re pressing on. We’re hoping to finish tomorrow,” said Fisher, who is doing Hobart number 23. The Hobart sailor said they had spent six hours in one spot off Gabo Island. “The most we saw in the last hour of that time was 0.8 of a knot. It was so painful. Then we copped a beating across the Strait. We had over 30 knots and it was pretty bad. We broke a halyard and a few bits and pieces. We have persevered though... Right now the breeze is down to 5 knots (at 8.10am). It’s been an interesting trip to say the least.”

Fisher has his family on board, the three doing their first Hobarts. Wife Kerrie, son Brandon and daughter Elizabeth. They also have the ashes of Fisher’s father, Tony, who took Sydney Hobart line honours and broke the race record in 1973 with a former Helsal, built of ferro cement and dubbed ‘The Flying Footpath’. “Dad could have said ‘You should have put more gear up. He’s the lucky one though, he’s lying down in his usual bunk, so he’s relaxed. I don’t think the family will come again (the race). They’ve had enough, but they’ve all done their watches, so I can’t complain. Doing this race with me, experiencing it for themselves, they all think I’m crazy, doing the race so many times.” Fisher continued, “The first night we saw the best lightning show. I’ve never seen anything like it. We were doing 13-14 knots in calm seas and it went on for three quarters of an hour. It was the most eerie experience. During the race we’ve had had everything except hard running conditions. I wanted to put the kite up just show the family what it looked like, but I thought better of it!” Fisher, whose Helsal 3 from Hobart is expected to finish late tomorrow evening, ended, “We saw LawConnect took line honours and everyone on board was cheering for them.”

More retirements during the night, as Salt Lines , She and Gunshot each retired with mainsail damage and going into Eden.

In a happy miscommunication, the New Zealand two-handed crew of husband and wife, Michael and Tracey Carter ( Allegresse ), have not retired from the race. Following a rest period, they resumed racing this morning.

The conditions have been particularly punishing on the two-handed crews. In all, 81 boats are yet to finish the race.

Credit: Antipodes Racing

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1900hrs

They said it couldn’t be done and that just drove Grant Wharington to prove the doubters wrong when he built the new 100 foot Wild Thing 100 in five months and made both the start and finish lines of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Wharington and crew, including son, Oli, on his third Sydney Hobart and 21-year-old daughter Georgia, doing her first, were as thrilled as everyone else when he moored at the King Street Pier late today after crossing the finish line at 06:09:06pm. Wild Thing 100 finished just short of an hour behind Sean Langman’s Moneypenny which had been in a battle royale with URM Group and Alive for the overall win. The pair were fifth and sixth boats to finish the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race.

Wharington said, “We wouldn’t have gone to the start line if we thought we would not have made the finish line. That would be foolhardy.” Wharington could not heap enough praise on his build team of Theo and Paddy and his main build team of Theo (Somssich) and Paddy (Lambourne). “They worked hard to get the boat done, even working on Christmas Day. I couldn’t have done it without them. We have fantastic people who are dedicated. This morning I saw a few friends had retired; Witty with Scallywag, Spiesy on Maritimo , so I was grateful we finished. Grateful. We knew we couldn’t win, but we are here with our heads held high. We are still starting at the bottom and I know we will get better from here.”

Wharington said having his kids involved in the race “has given me a new enthusiasm for the sport. I like designing and building, so to do this also with the new boat also gave me enthusiasm.”

Earlier, Sean Langman’s chances of winning the race evaporated when he decided to take a ‘short cut’, the most direct route to the finish. Moneypenny , a Reichel/Pugh 69, is currently placed third overall, a great result, but not what Langman was looking for.

The next boats due to finish are David Gotze’s No Limit and the first of the TP52s, Sebastien Bohm’s Smuggler , the Max Klink skippered Caro and Sam Haynes’ 2022 winner, Celestial . The four boats are not due till tomorrow from 9.30am.

In other news, more retirements today. Bacardi , Allegresse and Cyan Moon . Bacardi , which contested its 30th Sydney Hobart, the most by any boat, suffered damage, the New Zealand crew of two-handed entry Allegresse pulled out with fatigue, while Cyan Moon had rig damage.

Credit: ROLEX/Andrea Francolini

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1530hrs

The Line Honours podium n the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is now complete, with the RP72 URM Group becoming the third boat in this year’s fleet to cross the finish line this afternoon. URM Group finished the 628 nautical mile race organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) in a time of 2 days 02 hours 07 minutes 19 seconds.

Owned by Anthony Johnston, URM Group ’s third place behind line honours winner LawConnect and second placed Andoo Comanche signed off a brilliant race by the team. URM Group spent much of the race in a tight tussle with two other mini maxis, Philip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas) and Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny (NSW). However, today URM Group managed to jump away and beat them both to the finish line ending its campaign with a superb sail up the Derwent River into Hobart.

A longer news story will be upload onto the News section of the RSHYR website later today. 

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1100hrs

In what has been an epic race from start to finish, Christian Beck’s LawConnect has lost her bridesmaid tag of the last three years to claim line honours in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this morning, crossing the Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart at 08.03.58am this morning in the time of 1 day 19 hours 03 minutes 58 seconds

The John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche held the upper hand for most of the 628 nautical mile race, but LawConnect was always there and overtook her at one point. Early this morning there was little between the two and once again the Derwent sealed both boats fates, as a light, light breeze, teased and cajoled concentrating crews in an absolute thriller to the finish line. Christian Beck’s yacht finished well outside the race record of 1 day 9hrs 15min 24 sec, ironically set by the boat they beat today, which sailed as LDV Comanche to line honours victory in 2017 by her then owners, Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant. It did not matter though.

Only 51 seconds separated LawConnect and Andoo Comanche at the end, in the second closest finish in the history of the race. The closest was in 1982 when Condor beat Apollo over the line by seven seconds.

All 21 crew are celebrating their victory on board the yacht this morning at Kings Pier in Hobart.

An updated News story with interviews can be found here   on the RSHYR website.

Credit: ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Thursday 0400hrs

Whilst the attention today is understandably on the Maxi & Mini Maxi finishers, there are plenty of other battles going on elsewhere in the fleet which promise to continue over the next few days. Most divisions are wide open & we'll be focusing on these in upcoming Live Updates.

Current Divisional Standings:

IRC DIVISION 0 Moneypenny (Sean Langman) NSW. Reichel Pugh 69 Alive (Philip Turner) TAS. Reichel Pugh 66 URM Group (Anthony Johnston) NSW. Reichel Pugh 72

IRC DIVISION 1 Smuggler (Sebastian Bohm) NSW. TP52 Celestial (Sam Haynes) NSW. TP52 Caro (Max Klink) New Zealand. Botin 52

IRC DIVISION 2 Rush (John Paterson) VIC. Farr 45 Mayfair (James Irvine) QLD. Rogers 46 Amazingrace (Malcolm Roe) NSW. Swan 45

IRC DIVISION 3 Clockwork (Andrew Lloyd & Mary Ann Harvey) SA. Sydney 38 Patriot (Jason Close) VIC. J133 XS Moment BNMH (Ray Hudson) NSW. XP44

IRC DIVISION 4 Toecutter (Robert Hick & Brad Bult) VIC. Hick 10 Rockall 8 (Christopher Opielok) Germany. JPK 10.80 Supernova (Alex Seja & Felicity Nelson) NSW. Sydney 36

IRC DIVISION 5 Azzurro (Jack Kliner) QLD. S&S 34 Kraken III (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Disko Trooper_ Contender Sailcloth (Jules Hall) NSW. J/99

PHS Insomnia (Marcus Grimes) NSW. JV42 Salt Lines (Matthew Harvey) NSW. Shipwright 70 She's the Culprit (The Culprit Syndicate) NSW. Inglis Jones 39

CORINTHIAN IRC Kraken III (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Toecutter (Robert Hick & Brad Bult) VIC. Hick 10 Verite (TH) (Paul Beath) NSW. J/99

CORINTHIAN PHS Navy One (RAN) NSW. Beneteau First 40 Ragtime (Steve Watson) NSW. J/130 XS Moment BNMH (Ray Hudson) NSW. XP44

TWO-HANDED IRC Kraken III (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Verite (TH) (Paul Beath) NSW. J/99 Cinnamon Girl (Cian McCarthy) Ireland. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300

TWO-HANDED PHS Sylph VI (Robert Williams) NSW. Alan Payne Sloop Imalizard (Bruce Watson) NSW. Wellbourn 12

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 0300hrs

Today is shaping up to be an absolute cracker. With under 60nm now to the finish, the two maxis Andoo Comanche and LawConnect  only have 300 metres separating them in terms of distance to go and are in sight of each other.

Almost 75 miles behind, the three mini maxis, URM Group , Alive and Moneypenny have less than 2nm separating them, and the three are currently atop Overall standings. We'll bring you live coverage of both finishes later this morning & this afternoon.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1700hrs

The race for line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is poised to provide two thrilling finales in one as the leading boats continue their charge towards Tasmania.

Up front in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race for first place over the line, Andoo Comanche was still leading LawConnect at 1620hrs, but only 5 nautical miles separated the two maxis.

The lead pair were 101 and 107 nautical miles east of Helen’s Point respectively.

In the race for third place only 7.6nm separated URM Group , Moneypenny and Alive .

Anthony Johnston’s URM Group , an RP72, was third on line, followed by Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny which had steadily moved up all day from fifth, followed by Phillip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas) which was in third position earlier. They were south of Gabo Island.

Meanwhile, Kathy Veel, owner and co-skipper with Bridget Canham of the Currawong 30, Currawong , which retired earlier this morning, is expected to arrive back at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, at around 7pm this evening.

Currawong , a two-handed entry, was the sixth of 11 boats that have retired from the race to-date.

There are now 92 boats still racing, including 14 two-handed entries. Veel said they had retired due to “various issues with the boat that could not be resolved.” She added that she and Canham were OK.

“We're doing fine,” Veel said from aboard the yacht off Bondi Beach.

“Last night was quite difficult and there was a lot more of that ahead of us in a long race.”

Told that Currawong supporters were disappointed for their retirement after their popular finish as the last to reach Hobart last year, Veel said: “We are too … but we made the right call.”

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1500hrs

The fight for third place on Line Honours in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is unravelling into a thriller, with URM Group looking ahead and behind at their rivals. While buoyed after taking third place on line honours from the RP66 Alive (Tas) shortly before midday, the URM Group , an RP72, is also wary about the danger of Moneypenny . URM Group and Alive had been in a close fight for third place all morning, but looming behind them and closer to shore in fifth place was Moneypenny , a RP69.

At 1430hrs, URM Group , Alive and Moneypenny were 124, 127 and 111 nautical miles south east of Gabo Island respectively. Eleven nautical miles separated the three boats.

Meanwhile, Andoo Comanche and LawConnect were continuing their close tussle in first and second place, positioned 115 and 130 nautical miles east of Eddystone Point.

URM Group navigator, Alice Parker, was in high spirits, despite her own struggle with some sea sickness in the tough conditions that have seen rain, thunder and lightning. “I had a good few moments with a bucket between my legs, but otherwise, everyone is in good spirits,” she said. “We're all a bit wet, sliding around a bit, but the boat's in really good shape.” As she spoke, URM Group , owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones, was 105nm behind Andoo Comanche , sailing at 15 knots with the wind from the east.

While happy with their race against Alive , owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, Parker said Moneypenny , owned by Sean Langman was also a danger. “Over the last couple of hours, we've been sailing quite well … we’re now matching them [ Alive ], or slightly in front, with Moneypenny at our stern. “We’re a bit nervous about some of the 52s on the ‘beach,’ [referring to sailing close to the coast] or closer to the south-east corner of Victoria. They've been ripping along in what looks like a pretty good ‘sou-easterly. But things are looking good for us now. The big boats are doing really well. LawConnect and Comanche have just had the perfect conditions really with strong reaching conditions. I think we'll just miss out on getting that all the way to the finish. I suspect we'll end up in a bit of a front that is meant to come through the early hours of tomorrow.”

Parker said that based on the current indicators, URM Group could possibly reach the finish in Hobart “sometime around lunchtime, or just after that,” tomorrow.

In other news, two more boats have retired. Tumbleweed , the two-handed entry of Graham Biehl and Nigel Nattrass, who cite seasickness and fatigue, while David Watson’s Luna Blue has damaged equipment. Both boats are likely to head back to Sydney.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1300hrs

LawConnect threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion, Andoo Comanche this morning.  The fight for Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is turning into a veritable arm wrestle with the two front runners swapping the lead twice this morning. At 12.45pm, Andoo Comanche was back in front and 2.6 nautical miles ahead of LawConnect that had only taken the lead from Andoo Comanche a few hours earlier. AndooComanche and LawConnect were respectively 134 and 144 nautical miles east of Flinders Island in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia race. Both were sailing in Bass Strait, east of the rhumb line - Andoo Comanche at 28.7 knots and LawConnect at 26.8 knots. The tussle between the two maxis has been a thrilling one in conditions that have pitted them and the remaining fleet of 95 against rain, thunderstorms, lightning and squalls.

Behind Andoo Comanche and LawConnect , the race for third place had also seen a change in positions. Moving into third, from fourth place, was URM Group ,the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. Whereas, Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine had fallen from third to fourth. They were 91.3nm and 94nm respectively behind Andoo Comanche at the time of this update.

Credit: CYCA/Ashley Dart Photo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1100hrs

LawConnect threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion, Andoo Comanche this morning.  After stalking the John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche all night and early this morning, the Christian Beck owned LawConnect passed their rivals at about 10am today. At 10.20 am, the margin was still tight between two race leaders in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia event. Less than one nautical mile separated them.  LawConnect and Andoo Comanche were respectively 137 and 135 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island and sailing east of the rhumb line. 

Still in third was Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, while in fourth was URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. They were 68nm and 69nm respectively behind LawConnect. 

Meanwhile, the fleet also dropped to 95 boats, including 15 two-handed entries following the withdrawal of Mumm 36 Georgia Express (NSW) with rigging issues. 

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0900hrs

LawConnect continues to stalk Andoo Comanche in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, but squalls of 30 knots-plus are hampering the crew’s ability to keep their rivals in sight. At 9am, the margin was still tight between the two race leaders of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia event with nine nautical miles separating them. But LawConnect boat captain Ty Oxley said after a close battle with Andoo Comanche overnight, the tough conditions this morning had limited their ability to see the race leaders. "We are pretty close after we were neck and neck overnight,” said Oxley at 8.20am on Wednesday. “They would take a couple of miles on us, and then we would take them back.”

Asked if the LawConnect crew could see Andoo Comanche ahead of them, Oxley replied: ”No … because it’s raining and there are squalls everywhere, clouds on the horizon … “It’s hard to see the bow of the boat at times. We can’t actually see them.” Asked about the sea state as they headed into Bass Strait, Oxley said: “The sea state is not too bad. On Bass Strait it’s only a couple of metres. “The squalls are pretty full on. The last one that came through would have been 40-plus knots. But they have generally been 30-plus.” “But we’re doing ok. We have put a couple of reefs in … chugging along.”

At 9am, the John Winning Jr skippered Andoo Comanche and Christian Beck’s LawConnect were respectively 125 and 129 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island.

Still in third place was Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. The two yachts were 69nm and 72nm respectively behind LawConnect .

Meanwhile, the race fleet now numbers 96, including 15 two-handed entries, following the withdrawal of two more boats this morning. They were the two-handed entries, the Currawong 30, Currawong (NSW) due to various issues, and the Young 11 Pacman (Qld) with runner chainplate problems. The crews on both boats are okay.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0700hrs

The margin between Andoo Comanche and LawConnect remains tight with seven nautical miles now separating the two maxis that lead the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet.

Meanwhile, in the fleet that now numbers 98 after two more overnight withdrawals ( Maritimo 52 and Sticky ), the first night was hectic for the Geoff Hill owned Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes . At 7am, Antipodes crewmember Geoff Cropley reported: “We had lightning and thunder for hours. Then there was a major shift which auto gybed the boat. “The spinnaker got wrapped in the drop along with spinnaker staysail. All the team were up and trying to untwist and get that down. It took us about 40 minutes. We were heading NE, sailing backwards, for a period of time. “We’re now hunkered down with a reef in. There’s little bit of blue sky. It’s quite nice out here. We’ve got about 100nm to go to Green Cape.” Cropley added that crewmate Lindsay May is also “enjoying his 50th Sydney Hobart so far.”

At the front of the fleet at 7.45am, the John Winning Jr skippered Andoo Comanche and Christian Beck’s LawConnect were respectively 117 and 120 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island.

Still in third place was the 2018 winner, Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and race favourite, URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. The two yachts were 42nm and 57nm respectively behind LawConnect .

Current standings:

MRV, Smuggler, Chutzpah, Highly Sprung, Mayfair

Helsal 3, Insomnia, MWF Kayle, Oroton Drumfire

Two-handed IRC

Mistral, Kraken III, Cinnamon Girl - Eden Capital

Corinthian IRC

Mayfair, Pretty Woman, Calibre 12

Corinthian PHS

Pretty Woman, Calibre 12, Ragtime

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0500hrs

After 16 hours of racing, Andoo Comanche is going toe-to-toe with LawConnect around 90nm SE of Green Cape. She is doing 17.2kts, having averaged 12kts for the journey and has only a half mile lead over her rival.

URM Group  and  Alive have overtaken the other maxi Wild Thing 100  and are alongside each other 7 miles back in another tight battle.

Caro currently sits in 7th place on standings, with the two TP52s Smuggler  and  Highly Sprung on her tail. No Limit , Whisper , Celestial , Teasing Machine  and Denali lead the rest.

The fleet is strung back to Wollongong where Currawong , Sylph VI and Silver Fern are presently doing 7.5 knots.

There have been two more retirements overnight. All are well.  Richard Harris' Cookson 50 Sticky (RPAYC) suffered a lightning strike and electrical damage.

Bill Barry Cotter's TP52 Maritimo 52 (Southport Yacht Club) has had rigging damage to a forestay fitting.

Alive, Highly Sprung, URM Group, Smuggler, Chutzpah

Helsal 3, Insomnia, Mako, MWF Kayle, Gunshot

Mayfair, Denali, Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman, Calibre 12, Supernova

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0000hrs

After a clean start at 1300hrs following a passing shower, the fleet of 103 boats made their way out the Harbour from their four respective start lines in a 9kt SE breeze with messy 1.4m E swell.

LawConnect started strongly but had issue with a furling line during a sail change after the first mark and was soon overtaken by SHK Scallywag  and Andoo Comanche who were the the first two out the Heads. John 'Herman' Winning Jr was quick to protest David Witt when he tacked close in front of him forcing him to alter course, but the Hong-Kong based entry expunged the possible infraction by doing a 720-degree turn before Bondi.

Breeze continued to build through the afternoon and swing into the east and by 1630hrs, Andoo Comanche was doing 26kts in a comfortable seaway and had just overtaken SHK Scallywag .

SHK Scallywag was later forced to retire from the race when she blew up her bowsprit, leaving Andoo Comanche  and  Law Connect to battle it out doing 20 kts in 18kts of breeze.

Arcadia (torn mainsail) and Rum Rebellion were the other afternoon retirements - both now safe in port.

At midnight, the lead boats were 60 miles east of Green Cape jumping off into the open expanse of 'Bass Strait'. Andoo Comanche has a 5.5nm lead and is not far off her record pace set back in 2017.

They have put a gap on the shorter rigged Wild Thing 100 a further 35nm astern, with the pack of mini maxis around 10 miles back - URM Group , Alive , Moneypenny , Whisper  and No Limit - the Botin 52 Rolex Fastnet winner Caro splitting them. Celestial leads the rest in close proximity.

Smuggler, LawConnect, Caro, Sticky, Highly Sprung

Helsal 3, Insomnia, Enigma, Gunshot, MWF Kayle

TWO-HANDED IRC

Mistral, Cinnamon Girl - Eden Capital, Kraken III

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

PHOTOS | Day 5 Morning - Tasman Island and Storm Bay

PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 9

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 8

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 7

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

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Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race

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Sydney Harbour and boat races have gone together for a long time. One writer, referring to 'what may fairly be termed the national sport of the colony, boat-racing', has left us with a lyrical description of a typical race day on the harbour:

… the glancing waters, fresh with the breeze that prevailed throughout the day, were studded by a thousand boats of every description, all freighted with life and gaiety; and round the harbour, from every point commanding a view of the course prescribed for the contesting boats, gay parties were assembled. [1]

This was 26 January, Foundation Day (also known as Anniversary Day, now called Australia Day) in 1848, and it showed the sense of adventure and exhilaration associated with yachting that has continued to be felt on Sydney Harbour.

The most famous race that has emerged is the Sydney to Hobart, as it is locally known. The race covers 628 nautical miles, starting from Sydney Harbour at 1 pm on Boxing Day (26 December), as it has done for over six decades. It has been held every year since 1945, with the inaugural fleet of nine yachts growing to a record 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 – the largest fleet in the world for a Category 1 Ocean Race. In 2007, 82 yachts took part.

Postwar celebration

It all began in 1945, when a group of Sydney yachtsmen started planning for a post-World War II cruise to Hobart. Captain John Illingworth, who was a British Royal Navy officer stationed in Sydney at the time, had been a keen racing yachtsman in Britain before the war. He bought the 39-foot (11.8-metre) Rani , and joined them.

Because of weather conditions, the race is rarely without incident: in the first, several of the boats were briefly 'lost' during the race, among them Rani , although it did complete the course to take both 'line' (first over the line) and 'handicap' (corrected time for type of yacht) honours.

In 1984, a fleet of 150 yachts started, but 104 retired in the face of 'strong to gale force' southerly winds that battered the fleet. In 1993, there were 110 starters, but only 38 finished: crews abandoned two yachts as they sank, while the skipper of another was washed overboard and spent five hours in high seas. Luckily he was spotted by a search vessel and picked up by another yacht.

Stormy weather

In 1998 the race became a major disaster, when wild storms took their toll. The 115-yacht fleet sailed into the worst weather in the Sydney to Hobart's history. Six sailors died and just 44 yachts survived the gale-force winds and mountainous seas to finish the race. Two crew members died on the Launceston yacht Business Post Naiad , one by drowning, the other from a heart attack at the height of the storm. Several yachts were sent to the bottom and the biggest maritime rescue operation in Australia's history was mounted to pluck about 50 sailors from the sea. The storm highlighted some of the more foolhardy aspects of the race and led to a major review of race procedures. The ensuing enquiry made several recommendations for raising safety standards and requirements for competitors.

Despite such risks, the Sydney to Hobart is one of the great ocean races of the globe. No other annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage and popular attention.

The weather risks are not the only source of controversy. In 1990, a spokesman for the NSW Cancer Council ruffled a few cravats by claiming that the name and logo of the British yacht Rothmans breached the NSW voluntary advertising code – which stated that any vehicles propelled by petrol, diesel, gas, solar or wind power were banned from advertising cigarettes. This was in the midst of a war between tobacco companies – who were denying any adverse effects of smoking – and doctors and public health advocates, so it saw much heated debate. Gin-and-tonics were spilt at the bar.

While many of the same yachts compete around the world, and their focus is on the longer campaign to be best in Category 1, for many locals the Sydney to Hobart race is itself the point of it all. In its early years, the race was dominated by 'amateurs', many of whom were Wednesday and Saturday sailors for their local clubs. But over the years, the race has attracted the rich and famous, and many such Australians have been competitors: Alan Bond, and Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch among them. The race has also attracted well-known sailors from overseas: Ted Turner, the founder of CNN cable network in the USA, for one, while Sir Edward Heath skippered Morning Cloud to victory in 1969, a year before he became Prime Minister of Britain.

Nowadays, major corporations sponsor both yachts and the race itself. Many yachts now have names like Alfa Romeo, Nokia, Skandia, Porsche, Hugo Boss, and Credit Index Leopard , while the race itself was, in 2008, the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, after the race's organiser, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, negotiated a multi-year sponsorship deal with the prominent international company Rolex.

The 2007 winner of line honours, Wild Oats XI, is only the second boat to win in three consecutive years; the first was Morna , in 1948. There have been several repeat winners, like 1975 and 1977 line honours winner Kialoa III.

Names can linger on, even though the boat itself has changed. There have been various famous Gretel s and Helsal s: the original Helsal took line honours in 1973 and set a race record, while Helsal IV competed in 2007.

On the other hand, some boats like Ragamuffin keep starting year after year: her placings in the Sydney to Hobart include a second in 1986 and two thirds, in 1985 and 1989 respectively. Among the fleet in 1994 were two yachts that had started in the inaugural race – Archina and Winston Churchill . Among the crews that year were two yachtsmen, Peter Luke and 'Boy' Messenger, by then in their 70s, who had sailed in 1945. Probably the 'grand old man' of the race is Syd Fischer, now in his eighties, who in 2008 competed in his fortieth Sydney to Hobart race.

Sail-world.com website, 'Rolex Sydney Hobart Milstone Race, Overall Winners Announced', http://www.sail-world.com/Australia/Rolex-Sydney-Hobart-Milestone-Race,-Overall-Winners-Announced/52428, viewed 20 February 2009

Official Site of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/default.asp, viewed 20 February 2009

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia website, http://www.cyca.com.au/, viewed 20 February 2009

[1] BC Peck, Recollections of Sydney, John Mortimer, London, 1850, pp 150–1