All times are in Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)
A record 36 yachts will race in the 2025 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race‘s Classic Yacht Regatta.
The Regatta features previous Sydney-Hobart race entrants that launched their yacht over 29 years ago & features 2 events:
Invitational non-spinnaker scratch race, held on Friday 12th December, 2pm, starting off Point Piper &
2-race pointscore series, held in divisions, beginning on Saturday 13th December, 12pm, off Point Piper, with a handicapped pursuit race
Headline entries include:
Margaret Rintoul (1948) – Line Honours winner 1950 & 1951 & set a race record in 1951
Solveig (1950) – 1953 Line Honours winner
Fidelis (1964) – 1966 Line Honours winner
Other notable entries are Love & War (1973) & Tradition (1984), who are also competing in the main race of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race this year.
Kingtail, Wraith of Odin & Maris will also be on display at the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA)’s pond (opposite their newly rebuilt Lower Deck) on the 13th & 14th of December outside of Regatta racing hours.
The Sunday 14th December Pointscore SeriesScratch Race Schedule
12pm – Non-Spinnaker Division 2
12:05pm – Non-Spinnaker Division 1
12:10pm – Spinnaker Division 2
12:15pm – Spinnaker Division 1
All the above pointscore series scratch races will begin off Cannae Point. The water in the 183 metres to the west of Cannae Point is the original starting line of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race from back in 1945 when it was called Flagstaff Point.
All Classic Yacht Regatta races are held in the iconic stretch of waterway that features the start of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race & all finish in Rushcutters Bay.
First held in 2019, this will be the 7th edition of the Classic Yacht Regatta, having been held in 2020, unlike the main race which was cancelled that year due to COVID-19 pandemic border restrictions for entering Tasmania. The opening invitational non-spinnaker scratch race was introduced in 2021.
People have lovingly restored these old boats & they’re now in immaculate condition and ready to race.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race is the jewel in the crown for the CYCA. The race contains so much history & this regatta cements that history.
These boats hold some of the greatest stories in Australian yachting. The level of care owners put into restoring & racing them keeps the history of the Sydney-Hobart alive. They are spectacular to watch under sail.
David Champtaloup, CYCA Classic Yacht Committee Chair
Other News
In other news, Comanche won line honours in the Cabbage Tree Island Race, which had a record fleet of 74 yachts, with URM leading the Bass & Flinders Series of the Blue Water Pointscore series after 5 races with 4 points.
Comanche also won line honours in the Australian Maxi Championship including the Big Boat Challenge.
This announcement was made on December 11.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race‘s Classic Yacht Regatta 2025 begins at 2pm AEDT on Friday the 12th of December off Point Piper & ends on Sunday the 14th of December at around 3pm AEDT in Rushcutters Bay. The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm AEDT on Friday the 26th of December, Boxing Day, on Sydney Harbour.
All eventualities are being prepared for at the 80th Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race from a 9-times line honours winner going onto a record-breaking 10th line honours victory to a race record being broken for the 1st time since 2017 or the return of rough conditions to the 2nd most important thing after finishing, having your yacht win & of course, the race starting.
Scenario 1: XI Reaches X
For the 1st time since the COVID-19 pandemic, 9-times line honours winner, XI, a Reichel Pugh 30, returns to the Great Race South, aiming for a record-breaking 10th line honours victory. Asked at the race’s media launch how much XI‘s return poses a threat, the skipper of current & 2-time line honours winner, LawConnect, Christian Beck, said:
It’s much harder for us with them there because the problem we’ve got is Comanche is better than us in every way & the same type of boat as us so therefore, if it’s good for us, it’s great for them so what we’d hoped from the last couple of years is conditions that were sort of good for neither of us which means that we’re kind of slower but we’re more competitive than Comanche & that’s sort of happening a little bit with the really rough conditions the last couple of years.
The trouble with, often when it’s, it’s slower, is that it’s good for Wild Oats (XI), right, so the odds of us being able to beat Comanche & Wild Oats (XI) are not very high, um & I think that, you know, like, I’d love to say it’s a better story but the reality is that those 2 teams & I think, obviously, Comanche lost to us twice there. They’re not going to be happy about that situation. The determination there is going to be pretty high. Wild Oats (XI) back with their modifications. They’re probably very good modifications. It’s a very challenging situation.
Christian Beck, ‘LawConnect’ skipper
Christian Beck doesn’t sound confident in beating XI or 3-times line honours winner, Comanche, on line honours, despite beating XI in 2019 for 2nd place by 58 minutes & Comanche after that unforgettable finish in 2023, where he overtook them in the final hundred metres to win line honours by 51 seconds – the 2nd closest finish ever. Last year, Comanche, who are still the current line honours race record holder & could break it again, retired after damaging their mainsail. Regarding XI however, as Christian points out, the Silver Bullet is returning with “modifications”, including a new deeper keel fin and bulb, advanced upwind daggerboards & radical C-foils.
Christian Beck, answering questions, at the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 Media Launch Photograph: Andrea Francolini/Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
Despite his 3 victories (even if 1 was for runner-up) over his 2 competitors in previous editions, he was asked whether he considers LawConnect as an ‘underdog’ for the 3rd straight edition, in response he said:
(laughs) Well, I think it’s true. I mean, it’s not just me. If you look at the betting odds, no one ever gives us a chance of winning.
Christian Beck, ‘LawConnect’ skipper
As of 26 November, betting odds for the 80th edition of the Blue Water Classic were not available. Nevertheless, asked what it would mean to complete only the 3rd hat-trick Line Honours win, he said:
Oh, look, it’d be exceptional like we do feel lucky to win the 2 so, to win 3 would be incredible & I think it’s not impossible.
Christian Beck, ‘LawConnect’ skipper
As Christian Beck said, his yacht will again be more competitive against Comanche at least if rough conditions slowed them down. This leads to our next scenario…
Scenario 2: Rough Conditions Slows The Fleet
Katwinchar returns as, once again, the oldest yacht to enter the race ever. It was built in 1904 – 121 years ago & Michael Spies will co-skipper her once again, after retiring her in last year’s race after damaging her hull but this time, he will sail with a full crew instead of just double-handed. The yacht won the International Rating Certificate (IRC) Grand Veterans division in 2019, which returns this year for the 80th anniversary. Asked if a 10 metre (33-footer) yacht, of which Katwinchar is one, could do the “fairytale” of winning the IRC handicap overall trophy, the George Adams Tattersall Cup, he said:
Well I think (Doctor) Sam’s (Haynes), you know, pointed out, um, no boat has ever won Hobart without winning it’s division 1st so um, I’d like to think that we’re 1 of the better smaller boats here & if it’s a small boat race & they seem to be getting fewer and far & long and between, um – I think the last real small boat was Zeus back in about 81 – but if the planets align & it is a small boat race, well, I’d like to think that our name could come out the hat.
Michael Spies, ‘Katwinchar’ skipper
Michael Spies on board Katwinchar Photograph: Ashley Dart/Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA)
Asked what conditions are needed for a “small boat race”, he said:
Well, we need a longer race. I mean, if Christian (Beck) & his will break the race record. It means that, uh, we are owed, they owe us a lot less time. It’s time on time. Um, we need the race to slow down in the middle for the fleet ahead of us at some stage & hopefully we can compress it & you know, I’ve got a theory that to win the Hobart you need 1 sked or a period of the race where you need to at least do as many miles, if not more miles, than the division ahead of you & if that happens, as happened with us in 2003, um, who knows, it might be a fairytale.
Michael Spies, ‘Katwinchar’ skipper
A sked is colloquial for ‘schedule’ referring to the schedule of short message service reports made by the competing yachts of their position, which during the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race is every 12 hours, once from 6:35am-7:35am & the other from 6:35pm-7:35pm. Micheal Spies won the George Adams Tattersall Cup as co-skipper on First National in 2003, though under the International Measurement System handicap. Last year, Katwinchar was in Division 5 of the IRC handicap category but having won a division in 2019, as you can see, Micheal is looking to history for him to win the IRC handicap for the 1st time & the George Adams Tattersall Cup for a 2nd time, which brings up to our 3rd scenario…
Scenario 3: Winning IRC Handicap
Celestial V70 is the current holder of the George Adams Tattersall Cup & therefore, the current winner of the IRC handicap category overall. It is once again being skippered by Doctor (Dr) Sam Haynes. Asked what “the formula for a successful campaign” is, Dr Sam replied:
Yeah, that’s, um, a question that’s, uh, is kind of easy to answer & hard to answer but we try to, you know, spend a lot of time on our preparation for all areas, um, particularly looking at, uh, crew and where they’re going to be positioned on the boat & selecting the crew & um & I’ve been lucky to have a very good crew for a long, for a long time now, um, but getting them into the positions where we can share the workload & everyone can perform at their best.
Um, we do scenario planning. Things like, uh, you know, extreme weather conditions & being able to manage those. Um, we do, uh, quite a lot of safety planning as well so, um, we do some dedicated sessions on that, um & just the general experience of racing the boat. Being able to, uh, get time on the water for the boat is extremely important, um & then, you know, down to the smaller details even down to what kind of food we have on board so that we can just make sure things that we can control we do control as well as possible, um & reduce the amount of unexpected, unexpected and unexpected events but we will end up with a, um, we will end up with, you know, things that will challenge us in every race as you do, um & um, those sort of things that you should but can’t control as well, you should be prepared as we can be for those unexpected events.
Dr Sam Haynes, ‘Celestial V70’ skipper
Dr Sam Haynes sitting next to Adrienne Cahalan with the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup (right), the George Adams Tattersall Cup (left) & a Rolex watch, all in front, at the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 Media Launch Photograph: Andrea Francolini/Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
So to win the IRC handicap category requires getting your crew “into the positions where we can share the workload & everyone can perform at their best” & prepare and try to reduce unexpected events, which is advice Elizabeth Tucker, skipper of 1st Light, a Class 40 yacht, is taking to heart, bringing us to our penultimate scenario…
Scenario 4: Murphy’s Law
In 2027/28, Elizabeth Tucker is competing in the Global Solo Challenge but before taking up ocean racing, she was an accountant for start-ups. Asked whether there is a synergy between accounting & ocean racing, she said:
It’s really challenging to try & work with just the resources that you’ve got to deal with the problems that come up which could be anything that you just have to deal with the unexpected, um, & that’s quite similar to work.
Elizabeth Tucker, ‘1st Light‘ skipper
Asked whether this will also apply to her all-female crew, the only one in this year’s Great Race South, she said:
Um, yes so, I do like to do things a bit differently. I guess trying to sail around the world solo is kind of a bit different, um, but I decided to use the opportunity for my goals to create more sort of a pathway for women in sailing to learn every aspect of the boat, to step out of the normal limited crew role, role that people are often given so, um, every, um, crew member on the boat, I consider a co-skipper, so, they helm, they look at some of the navigation – We do have a dedicated, dedicated navigator – but they really do everything on the boat, more like the double-handed.
Elizabeth Tucker, ‘1st Light’ skipper
Elizabeth Tucker & Maddie Lyons, a fellow crew member, on board 1st Light in the CYCA pond. Photograph: Ashley Dart/CYCA
Asked how an all-female crew changes the dynamics on 1st Light, she replied:
Um, I’m not sure if it’s the all-female but it might be that we’re all approaching it with a shared purpose, so we just want to learn as much as possible, um, not take ourselves too seriously but, um, definitely we’re, we’re in it to compete & we’re in it to get there, um & I think that creates a really nice atmosphere. Um, everybody’s very collaboratively & um, has a voice & so that’s what makes it different, I think, to quite a lot of crews that, um, are perhaps a bit more competitively & are more refined in their – Yeah, they’ve got their pros on board that know exactly what they’re doing whereas we’re all working it out together.
Elizabeth Tucker, ‘1st Light‘ skipper
1 crew, already facing a challenge with limited resources, is the crew of Aragon, a Marten 72 yacht, who are already facing an English-Dutch language barrier & only 1 crew member who is bilingual in both languages. Just like 1st Light & all other yachts, they will have a dedicated navigator, who for them will be Adrienne Cahalan, the most decorated female competitor in the race’s history with 32 race starts, the most by a woman, the most line-honours victories by a women, 6 & the most handicap overall victories, 3. She also co-authored the review into last edition’s tragic events. Her, the rest of Aragon‘s crew & just about everyone else, whether you are a competing crew member or not, are all preparing for 1 eventuality: the race start.
Adrienne Cahalan at the CYCA Marina Photograph: Ashley Dart/CYCA
Scenario 5: The Race Starts
For the race start, Aragon recently got refitted with a longer keel, heavier bulb & new standing rigging as well as a range of new sails. Talking about the crew of Aragon & the lead-up to this year’s Blue Water Classic, Adrienne Cahalan said:
It’s a Dutch crew so, uh, there is a sprinkling of, um, Australians on board & uhm, 1 of whom, is a Dutch that crosses the barrier for us, um, Carolijn Brouwer, who actually I sailed my 25th Hobart with so it’ll be great to sail with her again & she herself is, uh, an accomplished Olympian, uh, a raft sailor, not a yacht sailor, um & they, um, actually, I sailed against them in the Transpac this year from LA to Hawaii so it will be nice to be onboard with them & it’s a, it’s a cruiser-racer so, uh, it hopefully won’t, uh, have a little bit more comfort than I’ve had the last couple of years.
Adrienne Cahalan, ‘Aragon’ navigator
The race start is the 1st eventuality everyone is preparing for & with 98% chance it will happen (it got cancelled in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic), we now look forward to 1pm, Friday the 26th of December 2025, Boxing Day.
Fleet Update
9 yachts have pulled out since November 18 reducing the overall fleet for the 80th edition of the Great Race South to 132 yachts, which is still the largest fleet since 1994, when the 50th edition was held.
Withdrawn yachts, including 2 double-handed entries, are from the following places:
New South Wales (7)
Tasmania (1)
New Zealand (1)
Out of the 132 yachts still competing, 28 are debutants of which 9 are not from Australia.
Starting Cannon Firer
It was also revealed that the person firing the starting cannon this year is Scott McAllister, who was a crew member onboard Rampage when it won the handicap trophy, the George Adams Tattersall Cup, in 1975.
Other News
In other news, Comanche won line honours in the Bird Island Race with URM leading the Bass & Flinders Series of the Blue Water Pointscore series after 4 races with 3 points.
This whole announcement was from the media launch of the 2025 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, which was held on November 26.
The 2025 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race will begin at 1pm on Friday the 26th of December (Boxing Day) from Sydney Harbour. The Sydney Race Village, outside the CYCA, opens on Monday the 1st of December & closes around 10pm on the night of Boxing Day. The Classic Yacht Regatta will be held on Sydney Harbour between 1:55pm on Friday the 12th of December to 3pm on Sunday the 14th of December. The Hobart Race Village, at Constitution Dock, opens at 12pm on Saturday the 27th of December & closes on the night of the 1st of January 2026. The main race can finish as early as 10:15pm on Friday the 27th of December with the last yacht finishing as last as the 6th of January 2026.
Merchandise for the 80th Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race (SHYR) is now on sale as 1 yacht withdraws from the Great Race South. Meanwhile, the Race Village details have been confirmed as the event’s website is updated for the 1st time since the 2012 edition!
Merchandise
The official clothing for the event is on sale here. Whilst there is more expensive clothing than last time by AUD$20 (now AUD$320 maximum), there is also more affordable clothing than last time as well by AUD$30 (now AUD$40 minimum).
The program for the 2025 SHYR, the 80th edition, is also now available for pre-orders.
SHYR 2025 (80th) Program front cover Image: SHYR
Inside the 2025 program you’ll find:
Spectator guides
Viewing information
Detailed course maps
The fleet list
Fleet analysis
Yacht profiles
Crew interviews
Never before seen historic photography
Historical stories
Pre-orders will be sold at a discount & come with a free A3 80th Edition Commemorative Poster.
Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA) members & all competing skippers will receive a program & poster as part of their membership/entry.
The Sydney Race Village will open between the 1st & 26th December inclusive outside the CYCA on the Club’s hardstand on the shores of Rushcutters Bay on Sydney Harbour except on:
the 11th of December between 6pm & 10pm (selected Main Race sailors & their guests and acquaintances only)
the 12th of December (New CYCA members & their guests only)
the 14th of December between 3pm & 9pm (Classic Regatta competitors & their guests only)
the 20th of December between 6:30pm & 9:30pm (competing skippers & other invited very important persons only) &
the 22nd of December between 5pm & 11:30pm (Main Race competing crews, CYCA members & their guests only)
It is also only open to ticketholders on the 17th of December from 6pm to 10pm (Women In Sailing Night) & the 21st of December from 12pm to 4:30pm (Long Lunch). You can get tickets to those 2 events by clicking the previous links.
The Women In Sailing Night, will have a panel of 4 women, moderated by Olivia Price, London 2012 Silver Medallist in the Women’s Elliott 6m Sailing, featuring:
Lisa Darmanin, Rio 2016 Silver Medallist in the Mixed Nacra 17 event
Carolijn Brouwer, Olympian & Aragon (2025 SHYR entrant) crew member
The Hobart Race Village is held waterside at Constitution Dock on the River Derwent, opening at 12pm on the 27th of December & closes on the evening of January 1st. There are some updates regarding the Hobart Race Village vendors. The following are not going to be there this year:
Daiquiri Isle PL
Robbie’s Woodfire Pizzas
Fried & Loaded Tasmania
They will be replaced by:
Bruny Island Oysters
Little Island Waffle Co.
Chillin Dory
In the Hobart Race Village bar, each day from 12pm-5pm, there also will be oyster & wine tastings, definitely from Devil’s Corner & likely from Bruny Island Oysters and Browns Brothers Family Winemakers. A 2-hour Happy Hour for competitors only will be held from 28-31 December at 5pm as well as on January 1 at 3pm.
Also, kids face painting will only be held at the Hobart Race Village until the 30 December inclusive.
There will be live music at the Hobart Race Village in 3-hour sets except on New Year’s Eve (extra 30 minutes after Midnight):
Tony Mak (27 December, 1pm)
The Kick On’s (27 December, 8:45pm)
Velvet Divan Trio (28 December, 7:15pm)
Montage (29 December, 7:15pm)
The Loudmouths (30 December, 7:15pm)
Sugartrain (31 December, 9pm)
There are also disc jockeys at the Hobart Race Village:
Johnny (27 December, 6:30pm-8:30pm & 31 December 3pm-6pm)
Track N Field (28 December, 5:30pm-7pm)
Retro (29 December, 5pm-7pm)
B-Rex (30 December, 5pm-7pm)
Randall Foxx (31 December, 6pm-8:30pm)
Lastly, there will also be replays of the Main Race start in the Hobart Race Village:
27 December 11:45pm-28 December 1:15am
30 & 31 December 11am-12:30pm
1 January 10am-11:30am
Website Update
The new SHYR website Image: SHYR
Meanwhile, the official event website has been updated for the 1st time since the 2012 edition. 1 new addition is an embedded What’s On webpage from the CYCA’s website for events at the Race Villages & the CYCA. The history sections (which can be accessed by scrolling down the homepage until you find & click on the 2024 edition ‘recap’ button & then choosing the relevant year or alternatively, clicking on ‘recap’ in each edition’s section) has also been expanded with more documents from more years, providing a more detailed look into the history of this iconic race. The Hobart & Beyond (Tasmania tourism) webpage has also been removed from the site.
Nordwind Withdraws
United States Of America entry, Nordwind, withdrew from the race less than 35 minutes after race entries closed.
This reduces the overall fleet for the 80th edition to 141 yachts, which is still the largest fleet since 1994, when the 50th edition was held
This announcement was made on November 12.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has announced 142 yachts will compete in the 80th edition of the event, including 6 30.48 metre long (100 foot) maxis, making this year’s Blue Water Classic one of the most competitive in years.
It is the largest fleet since 1994, when the 50th edition was held.
There are 18 international entries including from New Zealand (5), United States Of America (4), China (3), France (2), Germany, The Netherlands, Poland & the United Kingdom.
Out of the 124 yachts from Australia, currently there are:
74 from New South Wales
15 from Queensland
15 from Victoria
13 from Tasmania
4 from South Australia &
3 from Western Australia
There are 20 double-handed entries.
Newly confirmed entries include XI, 9-time line honours winner, Le Tiroflan, Back 2 Black, Wild Thing 100, Unicoin, Wild, Maritimo 100, Katwinchar, Windrose & Oroton Drumfire.
The current International Rating Certificate handicap class trophy, the Tattersall Cup, holder, Celestial V70, have also entered in order to win it for a 2nd time. Having also come 2nd in line honours last year, they have invested in an upgraded sail set for the Great Race South this year in order to claim that title too. Reflecting on the start of last year’s race, Celestial V70 skipper, Doctor (Dr) Sam Haynes, said:
1 of the things which happened at the very start was the A3, which is a spinnaker, a very vital spinnaker on a Volvo 70 as a type of sail which really powers that type of boat. It ripped & the sail gave way. It was an older sail.
It had delamination so we actually have a whole sail wardrobe coming for the boat, which is quite a significant upgrade on a Volvo 70. They’re big sails & it’s very important to have that.
Dr Sam Haynes, ‘Celestial V70’ skipper
Other News
In other news, sporting a new rig & sail wardrobe, URM won line honours in both the Flinders Islet & Tollgate Islands Races with Bacchanal leading the Bass & Flinders Series of the Blue Water Pointscore after 3 races with 20 points.
Also, the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia is looking for 1 or 2 people to join their Blue Water Race Website Team. You’ll gain access to their satellite tracking, race management & content systems with step-by-step guides & support from a 20+ year-experienced technical consultant. Working from home via the Internet is possible for these roles.
You just need confidence with technology, a steady approach & availability for 5-to-6-hour shifts during races.
To learn more or register your interest, contact fiona.cole@cyca.com.au
This whole announcement was made at 5pm, October 24.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
The Notice Of Race for the 2025 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has been amended to add an International Rating Certificate (IRC) Cruiser/Racer Handicap Category.
This category will be open to yachts:
if also entered in the main IRC category
with an IRC hull factor not larger than 10
with a hull length not less than 13.9 metres
fully fitted out for comfortable cruising
normally containing a full private cabin complement
normally containing a fully fitted out galley
normally containing heads (toilets)
normally containing onboard refrigeration
The Race Committee’s determination as to whether a yacht meets the above criteria shall not be subject to protest or grounds for a redress request.
Entries for the 80th Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race close at 5pm, Friday the 24th of October.
In other news, Wild Thing 100 won the Sydney-Gold Coast Yacht Race on line honours on July 27.
This announcement was made on August 11.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
Tickets are now on sale for the official Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race Spectator Vessel, which this year will once again be luxury superyacht, The Jackson.
It is the only spectator vessel to be allowed within the Sydney Harbour exclusion zone & to be precisely on the start line.
Public access on The Jackson is only to the main deck, which has 270-degree views, with the mid & top decks reserved for private functions. Apart from the race, The Jackson‘s main deck includes gourmet canapés, substantial snacks, premium beverages, a 5-meter light-emitting diode screen of the official television broadcast, tables & plush seating (the latter 2 are not at the front of the main deck). Official event merchandise will also be available for purchase on board.
New for 2025 is an optional complimentary transfer by Fast Ferry to the Sydney Race Village at Rushcutters Bay on return to King Street Wharf as well as a possible optional free ticket to the Hunter Rescue Helicopter Charity Ball.
The Jackson departs from King Street Wharf 2.75 hours before the race start, returning 2 hours after the race start. Boarding begins half an hour prior to departure from King Street Wharf.
Tickets are $399 per person (a $9 increase on 2024) & are available here.
If sold out, a waiting list will become available to join & tickets may also be offered for resale. Both can be accessed here.
So far, over 62 entries have been received for the 80th anniversary of the Great Race South including 1st Light & The Gaffer.
Also, Blue Water Pointscore entries have also opened!
This announcement was made on July 22.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
This post has been updated to include the Final Report’s addendum, which was published on the 13th of August.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has published, in full, a review into 3 incidents that happened during the previous race, which resulted in 2 fatalities & a man swept overboard.
The 2 fatalities occurred between 10:30pm on Boxing Day (26th December) & 2:16am on the 27th December on 2 separate yachts (Flying Fish Arctos & Bowline). The former, Roy Quadon, involved a head injury from a boom strike while the latter, Nick Smith, a 2-leg Clipper Round the World Yacht Race sailor’s chest was compressed against the port mainsail winch. The man swept overboard, at 3:07am, was Luke Watkins, the Boat Captain from Porco Rosso. Also, at 10:16pm last Boxing Day, Quetzalcoatl reported a boom striking a crew member causing a significant but non-fatal head injury. This earlier incident likely led to media reporting that both fatalities involved boom strikes to the head.
A 3-person Review Committee was set up to review the 2 fatalities & the man overboard (MOB) incident. On the Committee was Adrienne Cahalan, Dave Jordan & as chair, Chris Oxenbould. All 3 have raced at some point in their lives in the Sydney-Hobart.
Whilst it was claimed to be an independent review, the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA), the primary race organiser, provided resources to the Review Committee including data and stakeholder access, a budget & administrative support. During the Review Committee’s existence, the Chair was definitely a member of the CYCA but while Adrienne Cahalan definitely wasn’t, it couldn’t be determined with certainty whether Dave Jordan was a member of the CYCA or whether all were members of the Royal Yacht Club Of Tasmania, who are the other race organiser.
Of note, their report reveals 1 of the fatalities wasn’t due to a head injury from boom strikes & that there were no broken or dislocated shoulders as initially reported. All 3 yachts suffered a ‘crash gybe’ – an uncontrolled manoeuvre when the stern is passed through the wind (which in Flying Fish Arctos‘ case was, at the time, ~51km/h, while in the other 2, were in gales) & causing the mainsail to flick violently, with a great deal of force, from 1 side of the boat to the other. All 3 crash gybes happened around a change of watch, even though all 3 had staggered crew changes. In Flying Fish Arctos‘ case, the crash gybe caused the boom to fatally strike Roy Quadon, who was standing & who “must have been out of his normal position”. In Bowline‘s case, Nick Smith, who was on their knees, was caught in the mainsail’s bight (the curved section or slack part between 2 ends of a line when it is not under tension) & they were thrown with their chest fatally forced and compressed against the port mainsail winch. In Porco Rosso‘s case, the canting keel canted 80% to starboard, causing Luke Watkins to be underwater, held by a Spinlock Performance Safety Line 3 Clip Stretch DW-STR/03/C & other lifelines but wedged between the top lifeline, a stanchion & a safety rail protecting the front and side of the starboard steering wheel, restricting his movement except to the boat end of the Spinlock Performance Safety Line 3 Clip Stretch DW-STR/03/C, which, while feeling he was on his last breath, he used to pull himself up to the boat’s windward side to release the Spinlock custom clip from the jackstay & thus, the Spinlock Performance Safety Line 3 Clip Stretch DW-STR/03/C. His lifejacket had also automatically inflated, the buoyancy of which assisted in freeing him from the other lifelines & the safety rail, releasing himself from the boat & thus, saving his life. Porco Rosso‘s crew later identified that the deck jackstays might be better positioned closer to the yacht’s centreline (they were positioned at the hull’s top edge) & short tethers should be used whenever possible. After seeing the yacht sail into the distance, Luke Watkins activated his Personal Location Beacon (PLB) but against training, didn’t pause before activating his Automatic Identification System (AIS) beacon. While in the water, he put on his spray hood, but it fogged up after 30 seconds & so he removed it. After his rescue, Porco Rosso‘s crew identified that the MOB throw line should be incorporated with reflective tape or strands, that a combined white flashing masthead lantern should have been switched on & that intracrew communications could be improved by point-to-point communication between the helm and the navigation station. Whilst not formally stated in their recommendations, the Review Committee says individual crew members should taking into account their yacht & its situation peculiarity when deciding whether to use an in-built Harness Release System (HRS) mechanism.
At 6am, an announcement was made in the news that there had been 2 deaths on 2 separate yachts, 1 on each – 1 yacht of which was named as Bowline. However, it wasn’t until 8am that Bowline’s crew could make contact with their families. Whilst not formally stated in their recommendations, the Review Committee considers the major incident details public release protocols be reviewed with the New South Wales (NSW) Police in an attempt to ensure that the involved crews’ next of kin have been informed of the incident before any victims are named whenever possible. The crew of Bowline were also “hounded by the media” “unrelenting” & “it ‘stretched’ them”.
The report also found that crews were not comforted by the lack of weather forecasts broadcast as part of the radio schedule routine (sked), as done in previous editions. After the sked, a Comma-Separated Values (CSV) file with all boat positions accompanied by Bureau Of Meteorology (BOM) weather reports was sent, which yachts with low bandwidth satellite phones didn’t always receive.
The Race Operations Centre & Control Room logbooks made it clear that “communications were not perfect & that there were quite a few cases where contact could not be made with a boat” “by satellite phone voice calls & messages had to be left” instead. The report found a “lack” of experience, confidence or understanding of satellite phones & their application in the rules by the racing fleet, which resulted in “unease” in the competitors. This was evident in the need by the Sailing Manager to clarify that Starlink could be used 3 days prior to the race start. The Review Committee noted the intention of the Race Committee to review available evolving satellite phone systems & the Communications Plan, with the latter being refined.
In the Flying Fish Arctos fatality, important messages were not able to be passed on Very High Frequency (VHF) radio channel 16 (reserved for distress calls) due to a traffic jam including contact being made by a medical expert on another competing yacht (Flying Fish Arctos was in contact though with at least 5 medical experts including 3 which were their own crew members). However, the Review Committee found that both deaths were instantaneous. Bowline‘s fatality revealed that the satellite phone & charging station would have been better installed in a more central place like the navigation station (Both were installed in the aft (back) cabin as the charging station couldn’t operate in the navigation station when the satellite phone was being used). Whilst not formally stated in their recommendations, the Review Committee considered that the Race Committee should review the practical performance of low bandwidth satellite phones to confirm they have sufficient capability to meet competitor’s requirements, in particular, whether the data transfer capability provides a yacht with the ability to receive the files emailed by the Race Committee after each sked (such as the CSV boat position file & the BOM weather reports) with Australian Sailing specifying (precisely by bandwidth & data transfer rate) a minimum acceptable data transfer capability level in the Special Regulations, which the Race Committee can included in the Notice Of Race (NOR) & Sailing Instructions (SIs).
Also, up until 7am on the 27th of December, PLBs were also set off accidentally 9 times, 2 of which took 2 hours to resolve. Porco Rosso made an error, which they later identified, in not numbering off when trying to account for everyone, leading to the wrong assumption that everyone was on board & that an activated PLB as well as a MOB alarm was accidental. However, these mistakes didn’t add any delay to recovering Luke Watkins. The mistakes were realised when the PLB was associated with the sailor’s name, which the report found was “vital”. Luke Watkins was recovered 53 minutes after he released his tether. The crew of Porco Rosso also identified poor rehearsing of numbering offs prior to the race start & that luminous numbers on foul weather gears’ arms/back could be used as well as an investigation into a better interface between the AIS beacon and the boat’s receiver, which the Review Committee recommended for consideration as a subject for a widely shared webinar as part of Australian Sailing’s Sea Safety & Survival Course (SSSC).
On Porco Rosso, their Spinlock Deckvest Vito Lifejackets accidentally inflated 5 times since the race start, despite being advertised by the manufacturer as being resistant to such occurrences. The crew of Porco Rosso later identified a high level of accidentally inflated lifejackets in the wider racing fleet, which they considered should be reviewed to see if the current Special Regulations Of Australian Sailing (ASSR) requirements for lifejacket spares & lifejacket re-arming kits should be increased to 2.
Also, competitors found the race’s entry process repetitive, cumbersome, time-consuming & lacking automation and monitoring. The report found that Race Management is aware of the issue & that the CYCA Board has already approved an entry process system update. The Review Committee also said the qualifying race/ocean passage added little value given the qualification was for the yacht & not the crew.
Whilst not formally stated in their recommendations, the Review Committeesays everything Porco Rosso identified should be reviewed for inclusion as appropriate in race documentation (but was recommended for forwarding to Australian Sailing by the CYCA as stated below) & they suggested that it might also be a suitable time to review SSSC content including an expansion to include heavy weather downwind sailing. The Review Committee also said the CYCA’s recently announced Offshore Sailing Academy could expand racing education & training, possibly with endorsement by Australian Sailing & further dissemination among other offshore sailors, similar to other international race organising committee offerings, with seamanship and performance treated in the context of a major ocean race & crash gybe risk and consequences understanding furthered through formal structured sailing and sharing of real-life experiences. Whilst not formally stated in their recommendations, the Review Committee found that each yacht deserves a Downwind Sailing Risk Assessment. The Review Committee also said the practical application of boom brakes/preventers, the sail settings & the True Wind Angle selection should be left to the person in charge (PIC).
The report also found wearing a helmet would have been “very limited help” & “unlikely to have saved” Roy Quadon’s life.
The Review Committee made 13 formal recommendations:
the existing recommendation in the ASSR (5.01.1(b)) should be mandated so that an AIS MOB beacon & PLB should be carried by or attached to each crew member on deck with the CYCA introducing the change in the Notices Of Races from the next race & approaching Australian Sailing to make the mandate
a more automated & user-friendly race entry procedure (starting with a simple online accessible electronic checklist on what has (not) been accepted)
the lessons learnt from the MOB incident be provided to Australian Sailing for dissemination to SSSC instructors & used in the training of MOB recovery
boom brake & preventer awareness & understanding should continue in training courses but their use should be a personal choice that does not need to be regulated
the major incident details public release protocols be reviewed with the NSW Police in an attempt to ensure that the involved crews’ next of kin have been informed of the incident before any naming of the involved boats whenever practicable
an improved minimum satellite phone capability requirement definition
a list of acceptable satellite phone systems be provided
the wording associated with the passage or qualifying race in the NOR be amended to link the crew (50% including the PIC) with the entered fully crewed yacht, subject to a Race Committee special exemption application determination discretion.
the in-built HRS mechanism availability & effectiveness should be widely promulgated but the choice of incorporating an HRS lifejacket harness & tether should be left with the individual crew member
helmets should remain optional & dependent on an individual’s personal choice or boat requirement
a Heavy Weather Downwind SailingForum be convened (possibly by the CYCA with their most experienced sailors & also recorded) before the next Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race
a recorded & widely disseminated communications seminar be convened before the next Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race (Among other things, to teach about the satellite communications-based framework, available weather and emergency service sourcing & that 1 uninvolved boat with a good high-quality signal VHF system and experienced disciplined operator is needed to take control of an emergency situation and that the other boats comply with their instructions including to shift to a working channel)
whenever feasible, media assistance (such as a mobile media club representative) be provided to crews when a significant incident has involved a boat
The full report can be read here, which was published on the 15th of May with the addendum published on the 13th of August.
The CYCA board considered the full findings & will implement all recommendations, as they stated they would at the time of the tragedy.
The CYCA also extended its sincere thanks to the Review Committee for their comprehensive and thoughtful work & in particular acknowledged the Chair for his leadership and commitment to improving sailing safety outcomes.
The report also noted that the Race Committee Chair plans to review in the coming months:
Roles & responsibilities
Scenario planning for the full emergency/incident range
The race start
The overarching Race Management Plan, NOR & SIs
So far, over 60 entries have been received for the 80th anniversary of the Blue Water Classic including Comanche, 4-time line honours winner, LawConnect, 2-time & current line honours winner, URM, Smuggler, Love And War, Borderline, Moneypenny & Scarlet Runner. Among these 60 entries are 8 international entries from France (2), the United States Of America, Poland, Germany, New Zealand & China including Scallywag, Bacchanal, Callisto, BNC & Poulpito.
In other news, after receiving 30 expressions of interest, entries opened on May 22 for the new Southern Cross Series with entries closing at 12pm, 1st of December. Also, 50 entries had been received for the Sydney-Gold Coast Yacht Race.
This announcement was made on June 13.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race organisers have announced the return of the Southern Cross Cup as a prize. As since 2019, the Southern Cross Cup will be rewarded to the best team of 3 yachts who have combined their efforts to enter the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race as either a club, state or country.
Entries Open 2 Weeks Late
Entries for the 80th Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race have also opened, 2 weeks later than expected, with the Notice Of Race (NOR) also being published.
A fleet of over 120 yachts are expected to compete across multiple divisions for the 80th anniversary race as well as a record contingent of double-handed entries.
Doctor Sam Haynes, Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA) Commodore & 2-time Overall Winner of the Great Race South including last year’s on Celestial V70, looks forward to welcoming entries for the historic anniversary:
The CYCA is immensely proud to have organised the Sydney-Hobart for 80 years alongside our finishing partner, the Royal Yacht Club Of Tasmania. We encourage sailors from all over the world to join us in December to participate in this race of a lifetime.
The Rolex Sydney-Hobart has it all. It’s a destination race which provides some of the world’s most competitive racing in some of the most challenging sailing conditions, located in a stunning part of the world & it’s also a display of comradeship at its finest.
Everyone has a chance to win Overall from 100-foot maxis to 30-foot double-handed yachts. It’s a race you don’t want to miss.
Doctor Sam Haynes, CYCA Commodore & 2-time ‘Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race’ Overall Winner
IRC Veterans Divisions
The NOR reveals that, for the 80th anniversary, additional International Rating Certificate divisions for Veterans & Grand Veterans will be conducted. The Grand Veterans division will be open to yachts with a launch date prior to 1976 while Veterans will be open to yachts with a launch date between 1976 & 1995.
Tragedy Review Update
An update has also been provided in the NOR by the CYCA regarding the review into last year’s tragedy, saying a report is expected to be provided to the CYCA’s board in May:
This review is still ongoing with a report expected to be provided to the Board in May this year.
Doctor Sam Haynes, CYCA Commodore & 2-time ‘Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race’ Overall Winner
Southern Cross Series
The CYCA have also announced a new biennial Southern Cross Series. The series will feature 3 already-announced sailing races:
Cabbage Tree Island Race (Saturday the 5th of December-Monday the 7th of December 2025 – also part of the Australian Maxi Championship)
Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race (Friday the 26th of December 2025 to Saturday the 3rd of January 2026)
Trans-Tasman Yacht Race (Friday the 26th-Sunday the 29th of February 2026 – biennial race)
The NOR for this new series will be released shortly.
Entries for the 2025 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race have been announced to open on the 26th of February this year – 4 months earlier than usual due to a crowded global yachting calendar – while a Tales From The Rails dinner will be held at the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia on the 20th of February.
The 2025 edition of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race will also celebrate its 80th anniversary.
Tales From The Rails
On the 20th February at 7pm at the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia (CYCA), will be the Tales From The Rails 3-hour 2-course dinner with drinks included. A panel of Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2024 sailors will be in attendance including:
George Adams Tattersall Cup winner, Celestial V70‘s sailing master, Jack Macartney,
Plum Crazy Trophy winner, Sean Langman, from Kismet,
Accomplished local navigator, Clare Costanzo, from Whisper &
Debut competitor, Emmanuella Noble, from Chancellor.
The dinner will be served alternately with the main meal either:
Barbeque beef short rib with hoisin glaze & shredded vegetable salad with sesame and wasabi dressing (dairy & gluten free)
Baked Ocean Trout with brown butter, capers & snow peas (gluten free)
The Trans-Tasman Yacht Race is a new race with a 3-day staggered start, organised in cooperation with the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, beginning in Sydney & finishing in Auckland, New Zealand, via the North Island’s North Cape. The Australian Maxi Championship will, as usual, conclude with the Big Boat Challenge while the Blue Water Pointscore 2025/2026 will feature:
Sydney-Gold Coast Yacht Race (Saturday the 26th-Wednesday 30th of July 2025)
Flinders Islet Race (Saturday the 20th-Sunday the 21st of September 2025)
Tollgate Islands Race (Saturday the 17th-Monday the 20th of October 2025)
Bird Island Race (Saturday the 15th-Sunday the 16th of November 2025)
Cabbage Tree Island Race (Saturday the 5th of December-Monday the 7th of December 2025 – also part of Australian Maxi Championship)
Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race (Friday the 26th of December 2025 to Saturday the 3rd of January 2026)
All these races begin on Sydney Harbour.
More Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 Entry Details
With a packedyachtingcalendar this year, not just here in Oceania but globally, the early opening date for entries in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race will allow international entrants to plan their logistics & ensure their yachts are in Sydney in time for the start on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
On the 26th of February, entries will open & the Notice Of Race will be published with entries being made online via TopYacht.
Entries will close at 5pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on Friday the 24th of October with paperwork & payment due at 5pm AEDT on Wednesday the 26th of November.
Boats with a primary launch date between 1987 & 1st July 2010 need to confirm via an American Bureau Of Shipping (ABS) Certificate or letter from the designer and builder that the proposed design and current build is to the ABS Guide For Building & Classing Offshore Yachts. Boats with an age or series date after the 1st of July 2010 need a World Sailing Offshore Special Regulations Plan Approval Certificate.
If a boat has an Offshore Racing Congress International (ORCi) Stability Index of 115 degrees minimum, the ORCi Certificate has to apply to any modifications made in the past 5 years & needs to be signed by the owner confirming all measurements are correct.
Other
Also, the Hobart Village Bar will return in 2025 with it being run by Dark Lab with suppliers, Devil’s Corner & Brown Brothers Family Winemakers. Each afternoon there will be a Happy Hour for competitors.
The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm AEDT on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.
The last competing boat in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2024, Salt Lines, a Shipwright 70, finished at 10:04:13am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on January the 1st (New Year’s Day) in 74th position bringing the 79th edition of The Great Race South to a close after LawConnect, a custom Juan K 100, took its 3rd line honours victory at 02:35:13am AEDT on December the 28th last year, beating Celestial V70, a Volvo Open 70, by 2 hours, 35 minutes and 13 seconds & 20 nautical miles (37 kilometres).
It was the 31-metre yacht’s 2nd consecutive victory& 3rd ever with her maiden record-breaking victory under the name Perpetual LOYAL. She didn’t break the race record this year, which is currently a finishing date/time of December 27th at 10:15:24pm AEDT & held by Comanche, a VPLP Verdier 100, since 2017, who had to retire on the 1st night of the 2024 race due to mainsail damage.
All but 5 of the 21-person crew of LawConnect in 2023 were the same last year plus they had an additional crew member.
Due to the tragedy on the opening night, the informal trophy giving ceremony held when the winning line honours-yacht docks was dispensed with, with just the handing over, by the Vice-Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia, David Jacobs, of a banner declaring LawConnect as line honours winners taking place instead. Skipper, Christian Beck, was unable to attend, having rushed off the yacht immediately upon docking due to a strong bout of food poisoning, so the banner was received by the yacht’s sailing master, Tony Mutter, who presented it to the rest of the crew. The banner was then unfurled before being hoisted on the stern of LawConnect.
LawConnect: 2024 Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race Line Honours Winner (crew pictured except skipper, Christian Beck) Photograph: Salty Dingo
The trophy was formally given at the Prizegiving at the Hotel Grand Chancellor’s Federation Concert Hall on the afternoon of the 31st of December by the Tasmanian Governor, Her Excellency The Honourable Barbara Baker. Christian Beck was again unable to attend, being represented by Dylan Clarke, his pit man. He was presented with the John H. Illingworth Challenge Cup & Cannon, a Rolex Yacht Master Timepiece & a replica of the Cup.
Meanwhile, in the e-race on Virtual Regatta, French user, PassTaga-PredictWind.com [ALTA] finished on the 28th of December at 10:10:53pm AEDT to win out of a field of 55,896 skippers, winning in front of 2nd place user, Jelavoile – TORC/YWCN, also of France, by 14 seconds.
Other Race News
The below news is from 4:12pm AEDT 31st of December 2024 to the end of the race at 10:04:13am AEDT on January the 1st.
Fika, a Najad 1490, was declared winner of the double-handed handicap category of Performance Handicap System (PHS) after fellow competitor, Blue Moon, an Adams 16.4, crossed the finish line at 11:23:01pm on the 31st of December (New Year’s Eve) in 72nd on line honours at a speed of 4.5 knots (8.3km/h).
With a handicap of 0.9983, Blue Moon was ranked 3rd on the double-handed PHS category with a corrected finish time & speed of 11:09:43pm at 4.8 knots (8.9km/h) while Fika‘s corrected finish date, time & speed was the 31st of December at 3:45:40pm at 5.1 knots (9.5km/h) having a handicap of 1.15 & finishing 68th on line honours at 11:44:56pm on the 30th of December at 5.9 knots (10.9km/h).
Blue Moon was sailed by Tasmanian father and son, Ken and Tristan Gourlay while Fika was sailed by Queensland mother and daughter, Annette Hesselmans & Sophie Snijders.
In 2nd place in the double-handed PHS category was Rumchaser, a J122e. With a handicap of 0.9925, they received a corrected time of 05:24:11pm, having finished 69th on line honours at 6:20:35pm on the 31st of December at 5 knots (9km/h).
The 3 other yachts in the double-handed PHS category retired. They were a Northshore 370 named Sailor Moon (auto pilot issues), a Nautor Swan 38 named Celeste (running rigging damage) & a Class 40 named Lord Jiminy (injured crew member).
Sydney Spectaculars 
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