The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has announced 107 yachts will compete in the 2026 edition of the event, including 4 30.48 metre long (100 foot) maxis & 5 TP-52s.
It comes after entries closed on Friday at 5pm.
The Rolex Sydney Hobart is an iconic event that showcases the very best of offshore sailing & the unique spirit of our sport. From the spectacle of the Boxing Day start on Sydney Harbour to the extraordinary scenes at Constitution Dock in Hobart, the Race captures the imagination of people across Australia & around the world.
What makes this Race so special is the connection between the competitors & the communities that support them. Thousands of spectators line the Harbour to farewell the fleet & in Hobart, sailors are welcomed like heroes after taking on one of the world’s great ocean racing challenges.
We are proud to deliver an event with such a rich history and international standing & look forward to welcoming competitors and for another memorable edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
David Jacobs, Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA) Commodore
There are 8 international entries including from New Zealand (3), Austria, China, France, Poland & the United States Of America.
Out of the 99 yachts from Australia, there are:
- 67 from New South Wales
- 10 from Tasmania
- 9 from Queensland
- 8 from Victoria
- 3 from South Australia &
- 2 from Western Australia
There are 18 double-handed entries.
Newly confirmed entries include Love & War, Mistral, Disko Trooper, Ichi Ban (formerly Celestial V70), Islero (a TP-52 formerly named Caro), First Light (now a double-handed crew), Loyal (a 30.48m/100 foot maxi) & Min River. The latter 2 yachts are completely new – the former no longer a Juan K but a Van Peteghem Lauriot-Prévost/Verdier & the latter, crewed by the same history-making International Rating Certificate (IRC) champions as last year, being upgraded from a 10.30 to a 10.50.
Just because we won last year, doesn’t mean we’ll win it again. It’s a new race & anything can happen.
Alexis and I had such a great time sailing together last year & we made some wonderful memories together. That’s the feeling I want to recreate this year.
The opportunity to purchase a JPK 10.50 came up while I was in France & I couldn’t resist the temptation. This will be my 6th Rolex Sydney Hobart & having been a CYCA member for almost 10 years, this race means a lot to me.
Jiang Lin, ‘Min River’ Skipper
In other news, the broadcast of the start was also confirmed to be once again streamed globally on the event’s website & the CYCATV YouTube channel, in addition to the already-confirmed television coverage in Australia via Channel 9 & 9Now.
The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2026 begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
