what channel is sydney to hobart yacht race on

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

• Yacht racing

Showcases one of the sporting calendar's most thrilling moments as the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts on Sydney Harbour with 2023's field of entrants jostling to be first out of the Heads.

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How to watch Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Boxing Day test match Live

The Rolex Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race ranks alongside the Melbourne Cup and Boxing Day Test Match as one the biggest sporting events on the Australian sporting calendar, and the 2023 edition will be no different.

Here in 2023 there’s a number of yachts jostling for favouritism, so it’s shaping up to be a thrilling race, and you can watch every key moment of this prestigious event as well as other popular Boxing Day sport live from the comfort of your home using the information below.

Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

The first Sydney To Hobart Yacht Race, also known as the Bluewater Classic, took place in 1945 and had just nine starters. The winner of the race was Rani, who covered the course in just a tick over six and a half days.

Fast forward to 2005 and Wild Oats Xl took just 42 hours. That number has been even further reduced since – in 2016, Perpetual LOYAL broke the previous record by close to five hours only to have that record beaten by four hours the following year by LDV Comanche, who completed the race in just 33 hours.

Here in 2023 the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, the race organizers, celebrated the admission of 10 foreign yachts—including 18 two-handed entries—into this year’s fleet of 103 vessels on Friday. The ten come from New Zealand, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, and New Caledonia.

When is the the Sydney to Hobart race live on TV today?

An historic agreement between the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) and the Seven Network ensures the famous Boxing Day broadcast of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race will remain an Australian tradition for years to come.

Under the new agreement, channel Seven will remain the exclusive broadcaster of the race start across the country until 2023, which is good news for a peak audience of more than 1.5 million viewers that tuned into last year’s event.

One of the largest fields in the event’s history will take to Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day for the start of the historic 78th edition. Channel Seven’s 2023 coverage of the race will be hosted by Mark Beretta who is a veteran of 32 Sydney Hobart races, and Comanche’s 2017 winning skipper Jimmy Spithill.

To help bring viewers an up close look at the excitement of this iconic moment, Seven will have cameras on-board previous line-honours winners Wild Oats XI and Comanche.

ABC TV will also be following the fleet down the eastern coastal and provide all the in-race update footage that is used by the various Australian and International news networks.

Sydney To Hobart Race Live TV Times

When is the Boxing Day Test live on TV today in Australia?

The Summer of Cricket is fully underway and there is nothing quite like the Boxing Day Cricket Match at the MCG. Close to 100,000 people will flock to the iconic sports ground for the first day of one of the great events of Australian sport.

Traditionally Australia have an outstanding record in this game, regardless of the opponent or their form leading-up, but the South African side head into this series in good form and will provide a stern Test for the home team.

How to watch 2023 Boxing Day sport live in Australia

Boxing day is a traditional day for sport in Australia, with the annual Test Match and Sydney to Hobart yacht race leading an exciting all day line-up. While you can watch both of these features on free to air Channel Seven, the majority of the remaining sport fixtures for the day are available exclusively on Foxtel, Foxtel from Telstra and Kayo Sports streaming.

Fortunately, in addition to having live coverage of the key Boxing Day sport, both Foxtel Now and Kayo Sports currently offers new subscribers a free trial.

Foxtel Now’s free trial is good for 10 days, and is available to use with a plethora of devices, while the sports streaming service Kayo’s free trial offering is good for a full 7 days.

Additional Live Boxing Day Sport on Australian TV

Watch live sport online with Foxtel Now

One option to watch all the available sport on Boxing Day is with Foxtel or Foxtel Now. The Foxtel Now streaming service offers access to all the sport on Foxtel via their Sports Pack.

That means that you get access to all the live and on-demand sports Foxtel has to offer, including the other leagues, matches and events taking place for that month.

To start you can check it out with a 10-day free trial , after which you will need to pay for both the Sports Pack and the Essentials Pack, as the two products come as a team. In addition to being internet-connected, Foxtel Now also includes the option to stream live sports using the Foxtel Go app when you’re away from home

Get Foxtel Now 10-Day FREE Trial

Watch sports, premium drama, and movies with Foxtel Now’s special bundle at only $58/mth for 12 months. Plus, new customers can stream for 10 days FREE!

Stream sports live with Kayo

With Kayo you will have access to the same sports broadcasts as Foxtel, and can stream all the available sport to eligible devices and browsers. For fans who want to catch up on the late-night or early-morning action, Kayo Minis provide a condensed match recap after the play has concluded.

Other Kayo features include Interactive Graphics, SplitView, No Spoilers, and Key Moments, which provide highlights throughout the matches in real-time.

Best of all, if you’re a brand new prospective customer to Kayo Sports, you can take advantage of a 7-day free trial period , allowing you to watch your favourite events for free, as well as the rest of the content on their service.

Kayo doesn’t have a lock-in contract or equipment fees, which means you can cancel anytime if you’re no longer using it. If you want to check out Kayo after your trial is over simply choose between the Basic or Premium plans.

Sign up to Kayo today!

Stream over 50+ sports live and get access to almost 15,000+ hours of On-demand content with a Kayo Sports subscription. Try Kayo FREE for 7 days!

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• By Adam Page 24th Dec, 2023

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Best Places to Watch the Sydney to Hobart Race

Are you looking for the best place to watch the Sydney to Hobart race? I have three favourite ways to see all the action unfold that I would like to share with you, so let’s go… 

Over the years, watching the start of the Sydney to Hobart has become a Sydney holiday tradition. Thankfully, the race has a lunchtime start, so there is no need to crawl out of bed at dawn to be part of the action.

Updated: 14 December 2023

What is the Sydney to Hobart?

What time does the sydney to hobart race start, where does the race actually start, up close in the middle of the action on a harbour cruise, boxing day lunch cruise, boxing day byo picnic cruise, boxing day race to bondi cruise, from the north – mosman and middle head, from the south – the gap and south head.

This post contains affiliate links. Our full disclosure policy is here .

Every Boxing day since 1945, (other than 2020 because of Covid) Sydney Harbour has hosted the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. An arduous journey of 628 nautical miles south to Constitution Dock in Hobart. These yachts, from small vessels to super maxis, make an impressive sight as they leave the harbour and add the spectator craft, and it feels like a party out there.

The race attracts sailors with a variety of experience from weekend warriors to professionals. This year sees 120 boats registered , including 9 international boats.

Not being much of a sailor I had been content to watch it on TV for years however about 5 years ago I had a cousin visiting from Canada, and she was keen to see the race up close, so I was finally convinced to leave the comfort of the sofa and check it out. Even for a non-sailing enthusiast, it was damn impressive. I can see why it’s a favourite way to spend Boxing Day.

Some race basics

The starter’s gun will sound at 1 pm with a warning shot ten minutes earlier. However, boats will start getting into a position from much earlier, and the harbour is a pretty incredible site with all the competitors and spectator vessels filling this usually spacious waterway.

The official starting line is just off Nielsen Park, making this one of the most popular spots on the eastern shore to watch the action. Read more about how they manage the start of the race on the official Sydney to Hobart website.

Where are the best places to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart race 

That’s a good question and one with more than one correct answer, here are my three favourites.

I don’t think you can go past watching the start of the Sydney to Hobart from the water. Being out amongst the action as the boats head down the harbour and out of the heads is fantastic. You can see the sailors working furiously to get into position for the start and see all the little boats jostle for the best spots.

Tip : It can feel a bit more choppy with all the boats moving about, so if you are partial to seasickness, it might be an idea to grab some tablets.

Lots of boats on offer with a variety of price points and luxury. Some of my favourites are:

Captain Cook Cruises

One of the premium operators on the harbour Captain Cook will have three vessels out to get amount the Boxing Day action this year.

You can choose from the 3 hour BYO picnic cruise (on board bar), the popular lunch cruise and a special cruise that will travel outside the heads to Bondi!

The MV Sydney 2000 is a great ship with a full roof deck for the best views and commentary and TV coverage inside the boat to keep up to date with all the action.

One of the main reasons I like this cruise is the amount of space on the outdoor decks and the huge picture windows that are a feature of the boat.

They also have a fantastic spot to anchor at Parsley Bay between Watsons Bay and Nielson Park, which sees them perfectly positioned to watch the vessels race to the Heads.

Seating is at individual tables, and the huge windows mean everyone can see. Window seating is available too. This year they are offering two dining options across the ship’s three decks.

• Sky Deck – which is a 5-course premium menu with a beverage package that includes house spirits, superior wines, beers & soft drinks.
• Club Deck – a 3 course menu with a beverage package of superior house wines, beers & soft drinks.
• Ocean Deck – Shared platters, reserved seating and a welcome drink included – Sold out!

All levels have access to the outdoor open star deck

The Cruise departs 10.30am Darling Harbour, King St Wharf and returns at approx 3pm.

Board the John Cadman and make your way to the eastern corner of the harbour, dropping anchor at noon near Parsley Bay to watch the fleet make their way out of the heads.

The race begins at 1pm and the ship will stay put until 2pm when it will spend the next hour on a relaxed cruise returning to the wharf at 3pm.

Got the stomach for the open seas? Follow the action and the fleet out of the heads and down to Bondi on one of the Red Rocket Catamarans.

This 2.5-hour cruise is BYO everything , including drinks. There is indoor and outdoor seating and free wifi on board.

Vagabond’s MV Spirit

3 hour Boxing Day sail will be out on the water near the starting line for the big race. Along with great views of the Sydney to Hobart race, the captain will provide live race commentary. The price includes a 3-course seafood and carvery set menu. Beverages may be purchased on board. The cruise departs from Circular Quay at 11:30am and return approx 2:30pm.

The 2021 race celebrated 75 years of women in the race with excellent representation across the fleet

A harbourside picnic is a great way to use up some of the Christmas day leftovers and relax at the same time. Depending on how energetic you feel, you could combine a bit of a bushwalk to reach your chosen picnic spot.

One of my favourites is Georges Heights Lookout at Mosman. If Christmas festivities have you worn out, you might want to make the trip by bus otherwise you can easily walk from Taronga Wharf. Parking is at a premium so leave the car behind if you can.

Where: Georges Heights lookout along the Taronga to Balmoral Beach walk When: Front row positions fill quickly I suggest being in your spot by noon. How:  M30 or 178 buses from Wynyard Wheel-friendly: not really, prams with plenty of lifting may be possible Dog-friendly : No

Related: Check out more great picnic spots here

Many suggest that the trek up to the lighthouse is THE best Sydney to Hobart view. You can watch the yachts race up the harbour and view them as they move out of the heads and along the coast.

It certainly is popular here, so pack your picnic basket and nab your position early. I would say by 10 am to be safe. If you are coming from Circular Quay ferries will stop running at about 11.40am and start again at about 1.45pm. Do not attempt to drive here. There is no parking by just after sunrise!

With three great dining options, Watson’s bay is also my favourite choice if you prefer not to pack a picnic. Choose from a fish and chip take away from the wharf, a pub lunch from the Watson’s Bay hotel or fine dining at Doyle’s on the beachfront. All will be busy and require patience 🙂

Where:   Hornby Lighthouse  When:  Early – say 10 am to allow time to grab something to eat and walk up to the lighthouse  How: Early ferry from Circular Quay (they have stopped by 11 am in previous years) or bus 324, 325 or 380  from either Circular Quay or Edgecliff stations. Parking here is terrible on a good day, so try to avoid bringing your car if you can.  Cost: Meals from $10 takeaway to $$$ at Doyles

Looking for somewhere to stay near all the action? Check out the Watson’s Bay Hotel or Hotel Bondi

Where do you think is the best place to watch the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race? Do you have any insider tips to share?

Have questions about things to see and do in Sydney? Head over and join our Facebook Group and we will be happy to help

5 thoughts on “Best Places to Watch the Sydney to Hobart Race”

Living near San Diego harbor I know how thrilling a big race can be. Love the different choices you’ve outlined and wish I were going to be there to cheer the race on.

Wow, it must be some sight to see all the yachts making their way from the start. I’d love to take part, but I know that conditions can be really hairy on the Sydney-Hobart, so watching from the clifftops might be the best place to be.

Looks like a really fun event! Have never been to Sydney but we will be there in 2016 for a few months. Will try to catch this if possible, thanks for the tips on best places to watch it from!

The Sydney to Hobart race seems amazing. When I visited Sydney earlier this year, I remember seeing all of the stunning boats. I can barely imagine how exciting this will be.

Best place I watched it from was Sydney Tower. I became the unofficial commentator to all those around me and much cheaper than going by boat

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Race - on the water video of the final miles, plus dockside interviews

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race: How two days of sailing came down to just 51 seconds

T he skipper of the line honours-winning yacht in this year's Sydney to Hobart race says the victory is all the more remarkable because his boat, LawConnect, is a "shitbox" compared to second-place getter and race favourite Andoo Comanche.

"I know it looks good on TV but if you go up close to that boat, it's rough as anything and Comanche is a beautiful boat, it's better in every way, four tonnes lighter etc.," Christian Beck said.

"Shitbox" or not, LawConnect overtook Andoo Comanche in the River Derwent in the final moments of the 2023 race to take out its first line honours in a sensational daylight finish, just 51 seconds ahead of its rival.

"The lead changed several times, they took the lead pretty close to the line, we thought there's no way we can get it back," Beck said.

"There were guys [on board] that couldn't watch, it was very nerve-racking."

In a race that took the two leaders almost two days to finish, the turning point began just a couple of nautical miles from the finish line.

As Andoo Comanche tried to build speed off the Hobart suburb of Sandy Bay and seemed to stall in very little wind, Law Connect made its move.

'"They seem to be accelerating out of the jibes a lot quicker than Andoo Comanche, so I don't think Andoo have a lot of options here, I think they're going to get rolled … really aggressive moves by LawConnect," said Lisa Darmanin, a commentator for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. 

But, not long after Andoo Comanche snatched it back again.

Then, in the second-closest finish in race history, LawConnect came back about 100 metres from the finish line. 

After being runner-up three times in a row, the sweetest moment arrived for Christian Beck as LawConnect crossed the finish line in a time of 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

"I can't believe that result. Honestly it's a dream come true," he said.

How did they pull it off?

So just how did the "underdog" manage to snatch the win away from Andoo Comanche after it held the lead comfortably while rounding the Tasman Peninsula and entering the River Derwent?

As we've heard, a lack of wind was a big factor.

"Our boat is big and wide and heavy and it's fast offshore but it is terribly slow when it is bumpy and no wind," the disappointed skipper of Andoo Comanche, John Winning said. 

"[As the finish line neared] we sent a guy up the rig and he said 'There's no wind at the finish, zero wind at the finish.'" 

But sailors are used to dealing with changes in wind so strategy was obviously a major factor at play too.

As well as the "aggressive jibing" from LawConnect, the winners were focused on learning from Andoo's "mistakes".

"Broadly, the strategy is to watch them and if they get into a bad spot, we avoid that bad spot," Beck said.

Spectator craft another factor

Then there were all the spectator boats to contend with.

In the final moments, a catamaran passed closely to Andoo Comanche and the crew was seen yelling and gesturing.

"We had all the spectator boats and we're trying to clear them out and they were like 'You've won', and we were like 'No! We have not won yet. Stop making waves everything is going to make a difference,'" Winning said.

Tasmania Police said action would be taken against a 57-year-old man for "allegedly breaching" marine and safety regulations.

"The man was skippering a private vessel when it reportedly encroached into the exclusion zone set by Marine and Safety Tasmania," it said in a statement.

The offence carries a fine of up to $3,900.

Winning said he didn't blame spectators for the result.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, I wish there were 500 of them," he said.

"It's even, everyone gets the same thing if they were ahead of us they would have had the wash but unfortunately we got the wash.

"Makes a little difference but that didn't cost us the race, we cost us the race."

And as the bubbly flows for the LawConnect crew, Beck is joking about now being able to offload the "shitbox".

"It's probably a good afternoon to sell it, the afternoon it beats Comanche, probably its highlight of its career, I'm sure."

Local news:

Prominent sports journalist killed in Melbourne crash

Watch: near collision and early retirement in sensational start to rolex sydney hobart yacht race.

Protests, twists and drama galore at start of Rolex Sydney Hobart

There’s been a dramatic start to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race with a near collision, shouting, swearing and calls for a protest.

In spectacular and crazy scenes, two race favourites were forced into penalty turns in a wild opening to the 77th race.

WATCH IN THE VIDEO ABOVE: Protests, twists and drama galore at start of Rolex Sydney Hobart

The overwhelming race favourites were the big four supermaxis - LawConnect, Black Jack, Andoo Comanche, and Wild Oats - and they were all vying for the early lead as the boats headed up Sydney Harbour.

But Andoo Comanche was involved in a very close call with Wild Oats and both supermaxis did penalty turns amid shouts of ‘protest’.

Andoo Comanche did a penalty turn after bumping a turning mark while Wild Oats decided to do one after great confusion and debate.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race begins

“Furl, furl, we are going to do a 720 (penalty turn),’’ Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards shouted.

‘“I honestly think we’re in trouble.”

During all the chaos, there was also an early retirement after Avalanche damaged its bowsprit and made the call to pull the pin.

Wild Oats XI has returned to the race this year and is looking for a ridiculous tenth line-honours title.

Earlier, Andoo Comanche’s skipper John Winning Jr had opened up on what what to expect and avoid based on his previous experiences.

Finishing the Sydney to Hobart is one challenge, but surviving the post-race celebrations involving alcohol-fuelled, sweaty and unwashed sailors can be another ordeal, according Willing Jr.

He didn’t hold back when fronting the media a few hours before the race’s start about what awaited those intrepid enough to venture into Hobart’s Customs House, the traditional post-race meeting place.

“Will McCarthy off Black Jack has already announced that he is in charge,” Winning said.

“Last time at Customs house when I was there, I think he got me into a headlock and brought me back into the bar and said ‘you’re not going anywhere whippersnapper’.

“He’s a veteran of Customs House and he says we’ve got to follow his lead and I’ll be doing my best to try and avoid him.

“It will celebrating, just be good spirits and having fun and hugging our loved ones and seeing the family and hopefully some sleep and praying for a shower.

“It stinks when you’re down in Customs House when you’re in there with all those sailors that are getting off straight off the boat.

“If you ever go down there to Customs House, if you are there, put some sort of nose plug on.

“There’s a lot of sweaty sailors that have been at sea with no deodorant and no showers for days and it just gets worse and worse

“We grow with the smell from here to there so it doesn’t really matter to us too much. But I remember one day when I was on Loyal I went away and had a shower and came back in clean clothes and ‘phooor, what is that?’ it was like walking into a pig farm.”

Winning said it seemed less likely that his boat’s 2017 race record of one day nine hours 15 minutes 24 seconds would be broken.

“The conditions are just a bit lighter than it was yesterday and we’re going to be early to the transition down the bottom, which is going to hurt us a little bit, we might not see as much wind the whole way down as we thought,” Winning said.

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

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Twin brothers Louis and Marc Ryckmans' Voltstar Yeah Baby is the Overall Winner of the Peter Rysdyk Memorial Trophy for the 2024 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. URM Group has claimed Line Honours.

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

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Official rolex sydney hobart merchandise.

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.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

These Australians have chosen city life and walked away from the family farm, for their mental and physical wellbeing

Topic: Lifestyle

Former farmers James and Tahnee McShane enjoy life after trading the farm for the city.  ( ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke )

Walking off the farm was a difficult decision, but for these farming families, it was time.

Physical and mental health played a big part in their choice to sell up.

What's next?

One former farming couple are staying active with a new nursery venture, while another couple are retaining some connections to rural life, while indulging creative pursuits.

The precarious balance of farm and family life can be tricky for a lot of families.

Thrown in at the deep end 10 years ago, this young family gave it their all, before making the difficult decision to swap farm life for city life.

"You only live once, you've got to be happy," second-generation farmer James McShane said.

"I have been a happy farmer for a couple of decades, but I was just ready for a change."

And while the move is fresh and they're still living out of suitcases, the young family haven't looked back.

James McShane says he is "quite happy not to be covered in dirt and faeces". ( ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke )

James and Tahnee McShane ran the ruggedly beautiful wool property of Rotherwood in Tasmania's Southern Midlands for 10 years before making the hardest decision of their lives.

"We thought about it off and on for five years at least," Tahnee said.

"It was sad when we finally did decide but it had been a long time in the making."

Ten years before, they'd taken it on at a relatively young age when James's father and mentor died unexpectedly.

"It happened a little bit sooner than we would have liked," James said.

James McShane shows off his wool-throwing skills. ( Alex Blucher )

With 5,000 sheep on the 3,000-hectare property, the young couple had a toddler and another child on the way, when they had to jump in, boots and all.

"It's been a pretty tumultuous 10 years since that happened," Tahnee said.

Through good times and bad, drought and a drop in lamb and beef prices, the pair managed the farm commitments.

It got tricker, particularly when the kids started attending school and Tahnee returned to work.

"Managing my work off the farm and children with different school needs and extracurricular activities when your partner is an hour and a half away is complicated," she said.

Farming takes physical toll on bodies

About 100 kilometres up the road, on 1,000 hectares of undulating farmland nestled between Oatlands and Campbelltown, Lindsay and Rae Young decided to "move on while we were physically able to pursue other interests".

Rae and Lindsay Young have taken ownership of the Plants of Tasmania nursery in Ridgeway, Hobart.  ( ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke )

"One of our daughters did have a crack at farming, but farming is not for everyone," Lindsay said.

"It's quite a different lifestyle and you have to be really dedicated and absorbed in it, I think to make it work.

"While they decided they didn't want to necessarily live in the country, it was a great experience for everyone," he added.

The couple loved running the farm and spent a lifetime regenerating the landscape with native trees and grasses.

Rae Young says working with animals takes a physical toll. ( ABC Rural: Luke Radford  )

"At the end of the day, I've got one back and two hips and two knees and they've got to last me forever," Lindsay said.

"We decided to stop all that physical work … working with animals is difficult," Rae Young said.

They may have moved to a house with all the conveniences of inner-city life, but they've not given up physical activity.

The Youngs have a new nursery business to keep them occupied. ( ABC News: Ebony ten Broeke )

The couple have taken over a well-known Hobart nursery and are busily propagating native Tasmanian plants.

"This is probably a little bit bigger than we envisaged, but it's really exciting to be to pick something up like this and put it back on its feet again," Lindsay said.

"I just felt like it would be a terrible shame to live that close and lose all the stock that's here, there's a lot of stock plants here that are pretty precious, so we bought it," Rae, a botanist, added.

'Happy not to be covered in dirt and faeces'

For the McShanes, the sale of the farm goes through soon, but life away from isolated farm life is already different.

They're both working in city-based jobs with strong links to agriculture.

James works with State Agriculture Minister Jane Howlett, while Tahnee works in agricultural consulting.

"I do actually like spending my days with people [in an office] … what's so much fun about this change is that I actually get to be the person that I am," James said.

"I'm also quite happy not to be covered in dirt and faeces," he added.

James McShane's handiwork on show out front of the Oatlands pool. ( By: Tahnee McShane )

In the meantime, James and Tahnee are hoping to spend more time on their artistic passions as well.

James has recently finished a life-size sculpture of a woman swimming, which now sits outside the Oatlands pool in the Southern Midlands.

Tahnee, a classical violinist, is hoping to join a chamber orchestra in the near future.