sydney hobart yacht race history

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

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Over the past 78 years, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has become an icon of Australia's summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open tennis and the Boxing Day cricket test. No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage than does the start on Sydney Harbour.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia have had a marked influence on international ocean yacht racing. The Club has influenced the world in race communications and sea safety, maintaining the highest standards for race entry.  The Club's members have also fared well in major ocean racing events overseas, with victories in the Admiral's Cup, Kenwood Cup, One Ton Cup, Fastnet Race, Clipper Race and BOC Challenge solo race around the word, not to mention the America's Cup.

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History & Archives

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) was formed in 1944 and, despite its name, quickly became the leading exponent of ocean racing in Australia, at that time a little-known sport both here and elsewhere.

The CYCA began when some keen sailors started meeting informally in a photographic studio in Sydney. They soon acquired a boatshed in Rushcutters Bay and the rest, as they say, is history.

In 1945 a planned cruise to Hobart quickly turned into a race and the famous Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was born.

The race captured the imagination of the Australian public and it soon developed into an international yachting classic, attracting competitors from around the world.

With the CYCA conducting ocean races such as the Sydney Hobart Race since 1944, it has given the Club an expertise in race organisation and sea safety which is internationally acclaimed and widely emulated, some techniques being adapted world-wide following CYCA development.

These days, the CYCA is the ‘Club of choice’ for its more than 3,100 members, sailors and non-sailors, who enjoy the world-class facilities, the extensive sailing calendar and the social programme of member’s nights, prize giving and just relaxing in the Sydney Hobart Bar after a hard-fought race.

The full Club history can be found in the book “Ratbags to Respectability” which can be purchased online or at the CYCA reception.

CYCA has made every effort to locate the owners of material published on its websites that may be subject to copyright or moral rights in Australia.

Should anyone become aware that material has been used without permission or appropriate attribution, please contact [email protected] .

CYCA Principal Sponsor

Cyca official sponsors, helly hansen, club marine, sydney brewery, lgt crestone, the luxury collection, winnings appliances, roads and maritime services, cyca youth sailing academy sponsors and supporters, helly hansen, forecasts.global, vibe hotels, network marine, sun foundation.

Sydney to Hobart tragedy leaves lasting legacy for sailors and those who raced to help

Topic: Sailing

When this year's Sydney to Hobart fleet sets sail, it will do so bearing the memory of those who lost their lives doing so 20 years ago.

Key points:

• Sailor John Saul recalls waves 25 metres high
• Eden volunteer heard "screaming", desperation on radio
• Tragedy resulted in changes in race weather information

Six sailors died during the 1998 race as a result of some the worst weather conditions seen in the history of the Bluewater Classic.

Hobart-based sailor John Saul was there. He skippered Computerland that year and recalls when the race morphed from sport to survival, and adrenaline took over.

"It's a bit like skidding a car; you don't think about it when the car's skidding, you think about it when the car stops," he said.

John Saul pointed his yacht towards New Zealand to escape the storm that was tearing his boat apart. ( ABC News: Jack Tegg )

Saul recalls his boat being battered by the huge southerly buster which struck the fleet the day after Boxing Day.

Wind gusts reached 90 knots and there were reports of waves 25 metres high.

"We knocked the wind gear off the top of the mast in a wave with a knockdown, broke the safety fence around the side of the boat. A fair few things were falling off," Saul said.

"We were just getting knocked down too much pointing it at Hobart, so we pointed it at New Zealand and she held together."

Computerland managed to navigate to calmer waters and make it to Hobart relatively unscathed.

"We had good people on board. We made good decisions, and we were bloody lucky. Simple as that," he said.

The Business Post Naiad, on which two crew died, being cut up for disposal. ( Supplied: Chris Timms )

Others were not so fortunate. Tasmanian yacht Business Post Naiad was hammered, and two of its crew would perish.

Another entry, the Winston Churchill, was claimed by the Southern Ocean, taking with it three men. Glyn Charles on Sword of Orion also died.

During the mayhem, 55 sailors were winched to safety, in what remains the largest search and rescue effort in Australian peacetime history.

'You could hear the desperation'

When it became apparent the race was no longer one to Hobart, but one for survival, crews retreated to the New South Wales town of Eden.

Barry Griffiths was working as the divisional commander of the Eden volunteer coastal patrol.

He pulled a 32-hour shift that year, manning radios and helping to coordinate the rescue effort.

Barry Griffiths recalled the desperation in some of the voices over the radio. ( ABC News: Vanessa Milton )

"There was a terrible lot of screaming. You could hear the desperation in some of the voices," he said.

"Sometimes their radios went dead, and there could have been a multitude of reasons; [they] were dismasted, some lost power or had too much moisture getting into the radio."

"I reckon looking out the window there that the top of the waves was nearly as high as this window. It was mountainous seas."

Griffiths would be one of a multitude of townspeople whose lives would be changed by the events of '98, as Eden became the centre of the sailing universe.

Kari Esplin is another. She took 16 stricken sailors into her home, providing them with food and shelter.

Kari Esplin had the crew of two yachts sleeping on her family room floor. ( ABC News: Vanessa Milton )

They slept on the floor of the Esplin family room, and some ended up staying for weeks.

"We couldn't help with the rescue, but we knew people would need warm drinks, dry clothes and a bed to sleep in," she said.

"Sailors were coming in drenched and desperate, and just needed a refuge.

"They were tying their boats down and trying to get everything back together, and at about 3:00am we were back picking up people to bring home so they could get a good night's sleep.

"We are a seafaring town, and we take care of seafarers. It's part of our history, and I've known that since I was a child."

'A sad job'

Crane operator Chris Timms broke up one of the boats and returned money and children's gifts to family in Tasmania. ( ABC News: Vanessa Milton )

The events of '98 continue to ripple through the life of crane operator Chris Timms.

After the tragedy, he was given the grisly task of breaking up Business Post Naiad when the insurer declared it unsellable.

It would be a job that would stick with him two decades on.

"Some of the yachts had been out at sea for three or four days, most of them were dismasted," he said.

"I remember B52 was almost broken in half, we had to make a special cradle to lift her out.

"Business Post Naiad was the saddest one.

"It was a sad job, all their personal belongings were on board. I found a wallet belonging to Bruce Guy with a lot of money in it, which we made sure his wife received.

"And Phil Skeggs had bought two nice keyrings with his children's names … I sent them off to Tassie to his family."

'Something we'll never forget'

Solo Globe Challenger had to be lifted from the water by crane at Eden. ( Supplied: Chris Timms )

Out of the tragedy came an inquest which saw a Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) race director resign, and the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) increase the depth of its forecasting.

It has become known as the legacy of those who lost their lives in 1998, and has ensured experienced sailors like Skeggs and Guy did not die in vain.

"We've put a lot of work into making sure we've improved on what was already a pretty safe race," CYCA past commodore David Kellett said.

"But if you get those extreme conditions, you have to be ready to face it.

"It's something we think about every time we go through Bass Strait, it's something we will never forget.

"But we've learnt from it and we're much better prepared for it."

On the second day of the race, a minute's silence will be observed by those at sea — remembering those who never made it to port two decades ago.

Dismasted yacht Stand Aside tows a liferaft while stranded in the Bass Strait. ( AP: Ian Mainsbridge )

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Rolex Sydney Hobart Race winner decided by 51 seconds

• Helen Fretter
• December 27, 2023

The 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race line honours battle is settled in the final gybe after one of the closest finishes in the race’s history, with Law Connect winning ahead of long-time leader Andoo Comanche.

Law Connect has won the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race line honours, after the closest finish in over 40 years, which ended in a gybe-for-gybe battle up the Derwent River against long-time leader Andoo Comanche .

Andoo Comanche held the advantage going into the Derwent with a two-mile lead, John Winning Jr’s crew crowded onto the bow in the light early morning winds to try and lift Comanche’s 8m beamy transom, which gives the yacht the nickname the ‘aircraft carrier’.  

Law Connect followed up the Derwent River with a knot or two more breeze, and were able to close the gap some two miles from the finish line, but the waters outside Hobart were littered with glassy patches, and each boat repeatedly battled to maintain hull speed through windless holes.

After 628 miles of racing, the lead changed repeatedly in the final half hour, with Law Connect taking the advantage on the final gybe for the line to roll over the top of Andoo Comanche and cross the line ahead.  

Law Connect overtakes Andoo Comanche metres from the finish line of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

It was an exceptional display of light winds tactical match racing, with Law Connect helmsman Tony Mutter and tactician Chris Nicholson directing Christian Beck’s team to victory, after being 2nd on three previous years . Law Connect crossed the Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart at 08.03.58am local time after 1 day 19 hours 03 minutes 58 seconds of racing.

Beck gave a self-deprecating speech after, praising the crew for their efforts on a boat he admitted was not as fast or well-funded as their rivals. “I honestly can’t believe it. I rated it about a 25% chance we’d win, so to win was just amazing.

“An hour ago we were about 3 miles behind Comanche, so to win – I still can’t believe it.”

Law Connect (SYD 1000)a Juan K 100ft Custom design, on its way to winning the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Mixed 2023 Sydney Hobart Race

The 2023 edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart has so far seen truly mixed conditions. The Boxing Day start delivered its customary spectacle, as the three 100ft maxis led the fleet out of a packed Sydney Habour. Law Connect gave an impromptu demonstration of how to gybe a giant overlapping headsail after breaking a furling line that left them unable to tack around a turning mark, while Scallywag took penalty turns once in clear water after a port-starboard incident with Comanche shortly after the start.

Start of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race. Photo: Rolex/Andrea Francolini

Over the first two days of racing the fleet had to contend with electrical storms, squalls and severe sea states, as well as periods of light winds, and there have been 11 retirements so far. They included another line honours hopeful, the 100ft Scallywag , which had to retire after snapping the bowsprit in the first day of racing.

Other boats retired due to rigging damage, mainsail damage, and severe seasickness caused by the unpleasant sea state.  

Most dramatically the double-handed entry Rum Rebellion retired after being knocked down and having a Man Overboard, who was safely recovered.  

Co-skipper Shane Connelly reported that they were approximately 20 miles offshore on the first evening of the race, sailing under full main and spinnaker in 6-10 knots of wind, when the wind suddenly increased to over 16 knots with a ‘ferocious’ looking storm cloud approaching from behind.  

The duo prepared to drop the spinnaker, but a micro-burst of wind hit the yacht, causing a knockdown. Connelly, who had gone forwards during the spinnaker drop, was thrown overboard but tethered, and as the boat righted was lifted back onboard. He reported after: “The safety drills and systems all worked and we could sort ourselves out”

The stormy conditions caused issues across the fleet on the first night. Aboard the Santa Cruz 72 Antipodes crew member Geoff Cropley reported this morning: “We had lightning and thunder for hours. Then there was a major wind shift which auto gybed the boat.

“The spinnaker got wrapped in the drop, along with spinnaker staysail. All the team was up and trying to untwist and get that down. It took us about 40 minutes. We were heading north-east and sailing backwards for a period of time.

“We’re now hunkered down with a reef in the main. There’s little bit of blue sky. It’s quite nice out here.”

Azzuro, an S&S 34 owned by Jack Kliner, with crew including Jessica Watson, during the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Photo: Rolex/Andrea Francolini

Meanwhile the battle for IRC overall continues. IRC 1 contender Alive , a Reichel Pugh 66 with a talent-packed crew including Gavin Brady, Stu Bannatyne and legendary Australian navigator Adrienne Cahalan, a veteran of 30 Hobart races. Close behind them on the IRC rankings is Hobart grandee, Sean Langman on the Reichel Pugh 69 Moneypenny led IRC 0, while the  S&S 34 Azzurro raced by Jessica Watson  is fastest of the small boats on the current IRC rankings.  

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2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Under 100 Days to Race Day

Main Photo : Caro powering through the waves 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race | Photo : ROLEX | Kurt Arrigo |

With now less than 99 days remaining until the start of the 79th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, this year’s field of competitors is shaping up to be one of the most exciting in recent memory. A total of 75 yachts have already registered, ranging from seasoned campaigners to first-time entrants – all gearing up for the 628 nautical-mile challenge. 

Yachts will descend on Sydney Harbour from all states. At this stage:

• 40 are from New South Wales
• 11 from Victoria
• 8 from Tasmania
• 7 from Queensland
• 3 from South Australia, and
• 2 from Western Australia

As the countdown continues and entries remain open until Friday 25 October, more competitors are expected to join, eager to test themselves against the elements in one of the world’s most prestigious ocean races.

Maxis and Mini-Maxis

The race will once again see the fierce rivalry between some of the largest and fastest yachts in the world, with a strong fleet of Maxis and Mini-Maxis already confirmed. Among the headline entries are several 100-foot giants, each with their sights set on the coveted Line Honours title. These ocean racing powerhouses will be racing not just against the weather, but also against each other, as they push their boats to the limit in pursuit of the fastest time to Hobart.

Last year’s Line Honours winner,  LawConnect , is once again firmly focused on defending its title, while  Comanche  aims to reaffirm its dominance in the offshore fleet. Joining the biggest of the fleet is the luxury cruiser  Maritimo 100 , the recently-arrived Oyster 100 owned by Billy Barry-Cotter, which will be making its debut in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Alongside these giants are  URM Group ,  Moneypenny ,  No Limit ,  Whisper , and  Willow , forming a highly competitive lineup among the largest boats in this year’s race. With such a formidable field, the stage is set for an intense battle as each team vies for victory.

Last year’s overall winner,  Alive , is yet to officially enter but is eagerly anticipating defending its Overall title.

International Entrants

The global appeal of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race remains strong, with many international entrants finding their way to Sydney ahead of Boxing Day. Yachts from countries including the USA, New Zealand, France and Hong Kong have already registered, adding to the event’s reputation as one of the premier ocean races on the international calendar. These crews, many of whom have extensive offshore racing experience, are preparing to take on the unique challenges of Australia’s east coast and the treacherous conditions of the Bass Strait.

Among the five international entrants is  Caro , returning for its third journey south. A new contender on the scene is  Bacchanal , a new, locally-built JPK 11.80 to be based in the United States, making its Rolex Sydney Hobart debut. Another JPK 11.80,  Cocody  from France, is currently sailing towards Sydney in preparation for the race. Owner Richard Fromentin, buoyed by  Cocody ’s success in the RORC Transatlantic Race—where it finished first in IRC One and second under IRC Overall—has decided it’s time to take on the challenge of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Double Handed Entrants

The growing popularity of Double Handed sailing is again reflected in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet, with a strong contingent taking on the race with only two crew members. Double Handed entrants are set to compete not only for the Overall race prize but also to demonstrate their endurance and sailing skills in this increasingly competitive and exciting division.

Currently, there are 16 Double Handed entrants, just two fewer than in the 2023 race. Among this year’s entrants is  Fika , co-skippered by the mother-daughter team, Sophie and Annette Hesselmans. For this duo, their offshore journey does not stop in Hobart as this race doubles as a qualifier for the upcoming Melbourne Osaka Cup.

The Oldest of the Fleet

The oldest competing yacht of the fleet is  Katwinchar , the Double Handed entrant Skippered by Michael Spies. Built in 1904 by the Watney Brewery in England,  Katwinchar  was designed for the now-defunct Rater Rule and enjoyed considerable success sailing around England. 

The restored  Katwinchar  made a notable appearance in the 75th Rolex Sydney Hobart race in 2019, where it won its division and led the race overall for a time. With its recent transition to Double Handed racing, the boat has been adapted to a more streamlined setup, including the removal of the mizzenmast and a switch to tiller steering. While the expectations are set high, they are focused on maximizing the boat’s performance and enjoying the challenge ahead.

With 99 days to go, anticipation is steadily building for the 79th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. From the powerful maxis to the intrepid double-handed entrants, and with strong inter-state and international representation, this year’s fleet is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in recent history. 

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