Tag: Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race

As of the 17th of September, at least 100 yachts have entered the main race for the 2026 Sydney Hobart while 14 yachts have entered the event’s Classic Regatta as of the 25th of September.

First held in 2019, the Classic Regatta will this year be held between the 11th & 13th of December inclusive. The format is the same as it has been since 2022. It begins at 1:55pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on Friday the 11th of December with an invitational non-spinnaker non-pointscore scratch race. Over the weekend, pointscore races will be held, each day starting at 11:55am AEDT with a Performance Handicap System pursuit race on Saturday the 12th of December & another scratch race on Sunday the 13th of December. All races will be held within Sydney Harbour & the pointscore races are divided into 2 divisions: Spinnaker & Non-Spinnaker, both also each subdivided into 2 other divisions. Yachts entered so far include:

Spinnaker Division 1

• Love & War (3-time George Adams Tattersall Cup winner)
• Bimblegumbie (participated in Non-Spinnaker Division 1 last year)
• King Billy
• Syonara
• Titoki

Spinnaker Division 2

• Anitra V (1957 George Adams Tattersall Cup winner)
• Nike
• Mister Christian
• Western Morning
• Akala

Non-Spinnaker Division 1

• Archina
• Caprice Of Huon

Non-Spinnaker Division 2

• Maris
• Valhalla

If you haven’t entered yet, the Classic Regatta is open to any yacht that launched before 1996 & has participated in the main race to Hobart before.

Entries for the main race to Hobart, which can be made here, close on Friday the 23rd of October at 5pm AEDT while entries for the Classic Regatta, which can be made here, close at 12pm AEDT, Monday the 7th of December.

On the final day of the Classic Regatta, a prizegiving of trophies for the top 3 in each division will be held at about 3:30pm AEDT at the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia.

The 2026 Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will begin at 1pm on Boxing Day, Saturday the 26th of December with tickets to watch the start from the Official Spectator Vessel, The Jackson, still available here while the Classic Regatta will be held from 1:55pm, Friday the 11th of December to 3:30pm, Sunday the 13th of December.

All times below are in Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT)

They didn’t make “the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs” this year…

The last competing boat in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025, Millennium Falcon, a Sparkman & Stephens 39, finished at 10:22:42am on January the 1st (New Year’s Day) in 93rd position on line honours bringing the 80th edition of The Great Race South to a close.

Prime Example Penalised 1 Hour

Meanwhile, Prime Example has been penalised 1 hour by the International Jury.

A boat shall not receive help from any outside source, except
(a) help for a crew member who is ill, injured or in danger;
(b) after a collision, help from the crew of the other vessel to get
clear;
(c) help in the form of information freely available to all boats;
(d) unsolicited information from a disinterested source, which may be another boat in the same race.

Racing Rule Of Sailing (RRS) 41

Crew intending to continue to race may go ashore solely for the purpose of making fast & thereafter shall immediately reembark. No outside assistance shall be accepted by the boat or the crew other than as permitted in RRS 41.

Sailing Instruction (SI) 16.3

At 11am on New Year’s Eve, the Race Committee brought forward a protest against Prime Example, who finished 66th on line honours, to the International Jury, who heard it 15 minutes later. The skipper of the yacht, Rob Fisher, attended the hearing via phone while the Race Committee didn’t attend at all.

At 12:10pm, the International Jury announced they had decided to add a discretionary elapsed time penalty of 1 hour to Prime Example‘s elapsed time. In assessing the penalty, the Jury accepted that there were no performance gains but that a proportionate rule breach penalty will also be applied. This assessment was done after deciding to apply a discretionary elapsed time penalty instead of a disqualification or discretionary scoring to the yacht as they were satisfied that Prime Example did not deliberately break the rules.

During the race, Prime Example temporarily suspended racing to make electrical repairs. While making the electrical repairs, they misunderstood that breaking RRS 41 or SI 16.3 as only occurring if someone from off Prime Example came onboard & helped them rectify their problem. As a result, they received & used a replacement multi-meter from off the yacht as a 2nd confirmation that their issue was rectified. Prime Example self-declared the circumstances in its declaration post-race, which prompted the Race Committee’s protest that the International Jury heard & upheld.

Prime Example, a Davidson 52, was therefore penalised 1 hour, swapping places with Flying Fish Arctos, a McIntyre 55 & one of the yachts that befell tragedy last edition, on line honours to be the 67th yacht officially across the finish line.

Prime Example initially ‘finished’ at 4:22:26pm on the 30th of December while Flying Fish Arctos finished the same day at 4:57:14 pm. Prime Example has now ‘finished’ at 5:22:26pm. Both yachts raced at a speed of about 11.7 kilometres per hour (km/h) (6.3 knots).

Flying Fish Arctos doesn’t focus on results & was skippered by Drew Hulton-Smith and navigated by Timo Kairi. Their 10-person crew included Mathew Ackroyd, Jenny O’Donoghue, Sarah Jane Pell, Paul Harvell, Heidi King, Tristan Kusel, Ben Lam, Kam Foo Loke, James O’Neill & Iain Wilcock.

Prime Example was skippered by Rob Fisher & navigated by Bruce Perry. Their 10-person crew included John Davis, Ian Campbell, Ramandeep Kaur, Danny Johnson, Jenna Cook, Brandon Fisher, Morgan Prince, William Davison, Grant Skingle & Charlie Webb.

Comanche, a VPLP Verdier 100, won line honours in the 80th edition of the Blue Water Classic at 6:03:36pm on the 28th of December at a speed of 21.9km/h (11.8 knots).

The International Jury of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has declared Min River, a JPK 1030, to be the winner of the International Rating Certificate (IRC) handicap category overall & thus, the winner of the George Adams Tattersall Cup in 2025. It follows Comanche, a VPLP Verdier 100, taking its 4th line honours victory & John H Illingworth Challenge Cup a couple of days earlier.

Min River is the 1st double-handed yacht to win the main handicap category of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.

One of her co-skippers, Jiang Lin, became the 1st woman to win the main handicap category as a skipper, though as she was sharing duties, she won’t be the 1st woman to win that title as the sole skipper.

It is special for me definitely, so I am very happy. It hasn’t sunk in yet. Maybe I wake up & say ‘Oh, that was a dream’.

Jiang Lin, ‘Min River’ co-skipper

Their win follows a discretionary elapsed time penalty of 1 hour & 5 minutes being imposed by the International Jury on the initial IRC winner, BNC, an international double-handed entry from France.

BNC, a JPK 1080, initially ‘finished’ at 10:40:05am yesterday, 33rd on line honours, at a speed of 6.7 knots (12.4km/h). With a handicap of 1.036 giving an initial corrected finishing date, time & speed of 2:02:24pm the same day at 6.5 knots (12km/h), BNC was IRC clubhouse leader before later being declared the initial IRC winner while Min River‘s corrected finish date, time & speed was the 30st of December at 2:56:09pm at 6.4 knots (11.9km/h), having a handicap of 1.024 & finishing 41st on line honours at 12:38:26pm on the 30th of December at 6.6 knots (12.2km/h).

In assessing the penalty, the Jury has ensured that any possible performance gains are accounted for & a proportionate rule breach penalty is also applied.

This assessment was done after deciding to apply a discretionary elapsed time penalty instead of a disqualification or discretionary scoring to the yacht as they were satisfied that BNC did not deliberately break Australian Sailing Racing Rule Of Sailing 55.3 (see below) based on the report made and the evidence presented & re-enforced by the fact that the crew did this in full knowledge that spectators would be watching. They were satisfied of this after having heard & upheld a protest from the Race Committee.

55.3    Sheeting Sails

No sail shall be sheeted over or through any device that exerts
outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from
which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck, except:
(a) a headsail clew may be connected (as defined in The
Equipment Rules of Sailing) to a whisker pole, provided
that a spinnaker is not set;
(b) any sail may be sheeted to or led above a boom that is
regularly used for a sail and is permanently attached to the
mast from which the head of the sail is set;
(c) a headsail may be sheeted to its own boom that requires
no adjustment when tacking; &
(d) the boom of a sail may be sheeted to a bumkin.

Australian Sailing Racing Rule Of Sailing 55.3(a)

The International Jury found that in the last 4 kilometres (2 nautical miles) of the race, BNC set & used its A1.5 asymmetric spinnaker, with a spar connected to the sheet at one end and the mast at the other end. The spar exerted outward pressure on the sheet at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck. You can see the way the sail was set here:

The journey to this protest has been an interesting one over the past 24 hours. After BNC and Min River crossed the finish line & the latter watching the official broadcast of the former’s finish, an initial protest was brought to the International Jury’s attention by Min River, claiming BNC had breached Australian Sailing Racing Rule Of Sailing 55.3(a).

BNC this morning declared they had, in fact, breached that rule on the last 4 kilometres (2 nautical miles) downwind towards the finishing line, which initialised a 2nd protest, this time by the Race Committee, who promptly informed BNC of their intention. This latter protest has been resolved, as you can read above, while the former protest was withdrawn when the latter was resolved.

The International Jury noted in the previous 4 kilometres (2 nautical miles) before the rule breach that BNC gained a maximum of 5 minutes. Therefore, an extra 5 minutes was imposed in addition to the 1-hour penalty.

Min River was also co-skippered by Alexis Loison while BNC was sailed by Frenchmen, Yann Rigal & 1987 and 1990 Windsurfing World Champion, Michel Quintin.

It’s crazy to win. We are proud of ourselves.

Alexis Loison, ‘Min River’ co-skipper

The International Jury consists of Jamie Sutherland of New Zealand, Philippe Mazard of France, Russell Green of New Zealand & Richard Slater and David Tillett of Australia, the latter who is the Jury’s chair.

An informal trophy giving ceremony was held at the Hobart Race Village after the result of the protest was announced, where the crew of Min River were given the George Adams Tattersall Cup & a Rolex timepiece.

Line Honours

The IRC penalty comes after Comanche, a VPLP Verdier 100, took its 4th line honours victory & John H Illingworth Challenge Cup a couple of days earlier at 06:03:36pm AEDT on December the 28th, beating LawConnect, a custom Juan K 100, by 47 minutes and 4 seconds & 9 nautical miles (17 kilometres).

It was the 31-metre yacht’s 4th ever victory. She didn’t break the race record this year, which they currently hold & is a finishing date/time of December 27th at 10:15:24pm AEDT.

All but 4 of the 19-person crew of Comanche in 2024 were the same this year plus they had 2 additional crew members.

This was about redemption. You can’t achieve something like this without an incredible team & that’s what we have.

The run up the Derwent was the best I’ve had in 33 races. The sailing was superb & the welcome in Hobart was unbelievable.

Tasmania embraced us. That’s something I’ll never forget.

James Mayo, ‘Comanche’ co-skipper

For his co-skipper, Matt Allen, the triumph was defined by composure under pressure.

An informal trophy giving ceremony was held at the Hobart Race Village when Comanche docked, where they were given the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup & a Rolex timepiece.

Meanwhile, the formal Prizegiving will be held at 3pm at the Hotel Grand Chancellor.

There are still 5 yachts racing.

Virtual Race

Also, in the e-race on Virtual Regatta, French user, EdY-PVe/SERVTEC/D-ICE finished on the 29th of December at 7:47:29pm AEDT to win out of a field of 12,234 skippers, winning in front of 2nd place user, MC kele / INC-BUREAU VALLEE of Italy, by 6 seconds.

UPDATED as of 8:26am, 26 December

At the compulsory fleet briefing, it was announced that 15 yachts, including Comanche & Celestial V70, will pause their race off Bondi to spread petals, supplied by Mr Roses, in tribute to the victims of the massacre and Jewish genocide terrorism in the suburb of Bondi Beach 10 days ago while the ocean current will become slower as the race goes on.

It remains at about 2.8-3.7 kilometres per hour (1.5-2 knots) on the 27th of December. However, combining with a southerly swell, will result in a “confused” sea state along the south coast of New South Wales (NSW).

Heading into the 28th of December, about 111 kilometres (60 nautical miles) off the Tasmanian coast or 65 kilometres (35 nautical miles) east of the race’s rhumb line, the current slows to between 1.9 & 2.6 kilometres per hour (1-1.4 knots).

Both current speeds are associated with eddies, of which more details were forecast. The Ulladulla eddy will have temperatures of 24 degrees Celsius & rotate at speeds of 2.8-3.7 kilometres per hour (1.5-2 knots) before curving away at Montague Island south-southeast towards the race’s rhumb line. The east Tasmanian eddy will have warm temperatures. The Sydney eddy was not mentioned & is presumed no longer forecast.

Outside the Heads, the swells are now more south to south-southwesterly & at a length of 2 to 3 metres.

Winds

At the race start, the winds are now forecast to be an 10-minute average of 48 to 61 kilometres per hour (km/h) (26-33 knot) southerly winds, making it an even more tactical battle once out of the Heads. These winds are driven by the high-pressure system that will now be west of Sydney & Tasmania before moving slowly over Tasmania to its eastern coastline as well as that of NSW at 5am on the 27th of December. 12 hours later, the eastern side of the high will produce far offshore & along Bass Strait, 19 to 28 km/h (10-15 knots) winds. During that night, the high will then go over the racing fleet, who if they are close to shore, will receive similar winds but up to 37 km/h (20 knots) & are south to south-southwesterlies. On the 28th, the high moves to the southern Tasman Sea as the winds turn easterly at 9 to 19 km/h (5-10 knots) & at 5pm, to Bass Strait back under the fleet where the winds will go south to southeasterly.

To the start of the race is looking like it is going to be strong winds as we are on the eastern side of that high pressure system, um, looking like they are coming from the due south, which is going to bring some swells also from that direction so the 1st thing to note is that it could be a, a bit hairy as that as soon as you come out of the Heads you’ll see some, um, pretty big swells coming from the south as well as strong winds, um, which warnings would be issued, most likely.

Edward Townsend-Medlock, Bureau Of Meteorology meteorologist

On the 29th of December, 48 to 61 km/h (26-33 knot) easterlies will funnel along the mouth into Bass Strait before turning as well to northeasterly slowing to 28 to 37 km/h (15-20 knots) at 5pm (The wind will be weaker the further east the yacht is) before overnight, turning light & more northerly in Bass Strait & along the Tasmanian coast where the high returns as well as along the NSW coast. At 5pm on the 30th of December, the winds will strengthen to a maximum of 46km/h (25 knots) in Bass Strait. Late on New Year’s Eve (NYE), winds of 63 to 87 km/h (34-47 knots) are forecast to funnel through Bass Strait.

Bureau Of Meteorology meteorologist, Edward Townsend-Medlock, noted gusts could be 40% higher than the forecasted average speeds. On NYE in Bass Strait, this could mean gusts of up to 121km/h (65 knots).

This forecast update is only for the race up until 2026.

The competitors were also all briefed on the updated BOM website, which has proven controversial since its update on the 22nd of October.

Line Honours Contenders’ Skippers’ Reactions

Never mind the forecast, LawConnect skipper, Christian Beck, echoed his comments at the media launch, saying mistakes by the other line honours contenders will help his yacht:

Our problem is that if it’s good for us, it’s also good for them (other Line Honours contenders) so we really just need our mates to keep stuffing up.

Christian Beck, ‘LawConnect’ skipper

Christian likes to play the underdog but upwind, LawConnect is a really good boat & in the really light stuff later on, probably a better boat than us. I think it’s going to be a really intriguing battle.

This year, it’s really the weather at play. There’s no race record on the table. That’s for sure. The conditions just don’t support that. It’s going to come down to who manages the transitions best.

Matt Allen, ‘Comanche’ co-skipper

Matt Allen quickly pointed out that conditions could throw up unexpected contenders including Scallywag, which has shown impressive upwind speed before. However, Scallywag‘s skipper, David Witt, thinks it could be a close bunch finish:

I could definitely see everyone coming in pretty tight

David Witt, ‘Scallywag’ skipper

However, the skipper of Wild Thing 100, David Wharington, thinks he might not be in that bunch, ironically, because he improved his yacht since last edition:

I’d actually be happier going back to the B rig for this race. The full rig makes us more competitive downwind but that’s probably not going to help us this year.

In the bump, it’s hard for us. We don’t have the mass these guys (other Line Honours contenders) have. Light air later could be good but whether we’ve got enough time to catch up remains to be seen.

Grant Wharington, ‘Wild Thing 100’ skipper

While Grant Wharington is worried about his yacht’s mass being a disadvantage in “bumpy” conditions, Mark Richards, XI‘s skipper points out width is irrelevant in that scenario:

When it gets really rough and bumpy, narrow boats aren’t that bad either.

Mark Richards, ‘XI’ skipper

XI Ditches New C-Foils

Meanwhile, at the Line Honours Contenders press conference, Mark Richards, while talking about his yacht’s changes, revealed XI has decided to ditch their new radical C-foils for the upcoming race:

We’ve even developed new C-foils, but we’ve decided not to take them because we’re just not quite ready.

Mark Richards, ‘XI’ skipper

Hobart Race Village Update

The Hobart Race Village will close every day at 10:30pm, except if the 1st yacht is due to arrive that night, when the yacht arrives, on 27 December, when it closes at 1:15am the next day, on NYE, when it closes at 12:30am the next day & January 1, when it closes at 5pm. It will open every day at 9am except the 27th of December, when it opens at 12pm.

Also, kids face painting will now be held during all hours until 30th December inclusive.

Other News

In other news, it was announced there are more women than ever before racing in the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race with over 170 taking part this edition in nearly half the fleet.

Also, the 5 minutes to go cannon will be fired by Chris Oxenbould, who earlier this year chaired the review committee for last year’s tragic events, while the 10 minutes to go cannon will be fired by John Kirkjian. He was a Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race International Jury member from 1987 to 2011, having chaired them since 2003, all resulting in him getting a Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race Meritorious Service Award Citation in 2012.

About 35 NSW Maritime, Water Police & Marine Rescue vessels patrolling the no passive craft/anchoring area from 11am on 26 December with all competing yachts within the exclusion zone by 12pm. The exclusion zone will also be in effect until 2:20pm or when the last competing yacht has left the Harbour, which, according to the sailing instructions, can start no later than 5pm.

Lee Goddard is the volunteer On-Water Race Director. However, as a member of the Cruising Yacht Club Of Australia’s Race Committees, is, therefore, not independent as he claimed. Once in Hobart, he is 1 of about 261 volunteers in the city, contributing 2309 service hours to the race there.

Lastly, during the race, Australia’s Joint Rescue Coordination Centre will have 6 search & rescue officers on duty accompanied at night by 4 sail mission coordinators.

The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.

Parade Of Sail

In recognition of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race‘s founding fathers, a 1-hour Parade Of Sail will be held at 10:30am Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on the 26th December, Boxing Day.

Held every 10th edition since at least 2004, the Parade Of Sail will feature classic yachts of previous editions of the Great Race South all decorated in flags, beginning in Rose Bay before heading north past Steele Point then north-east to Sow & Pigs Reefs where they will turn northwest to finish in Obelisk Bay.

At Rose Bay, the Sail Training Ship (STS) Young Endeavour, in its final year as flagship of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, will start the Parade Of Sail before shortly after, heading to the rear of the Parade all the rest of the way to Obelisk Bay.

STS Young Endeavour is a Royal Australian Navy tall ship that trains young Australians to sail.

In addition to STS Young Endeavour, the Parade Of Sail will feature 17 yachts:

• Margaret Rintoul (Line honours winner, 1950 & 1951, race record holder, 1951-1957)
• Fidelis (Line honours winner, 1966, biggest winning margin ever – 17.45083 hours)
• Solveig (Line honours winner, 1953), helmed by Bob Allan
• Josephine (2nd on line honours, 1953)
• Defiance (3rd on line honours, 1946)
• Anitra V (Handicap winner, 1957)
• Sagacious V (International Offshore Rule handicap winner, 1990)
• Caprice of Huon (2nd on handicap, 1972)
• Bacardi (2nd on International Rating Certificate handicap, 2008)
• Vittoria (9-times entrant, 1970-1978)
• Lolita (7-times entrant, 1957-1972)
• Maris (7-times entrant, 1960-2008)
• Duet (6-times entrant, 1969-1975)
• Valhalla (6-times entrant, 1965-1997)
• Zara (entered in 2021)
• Delinquent
• Nirvana 1

Protest Against Bacardi Dismissed

As stated above, Bacardi is participating in the Parade Of Sail before starting its record 32nd Blue Water Classic. It’s best result in the International Rating Certificate handicap category of the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race was 2nd place in 2008.

A protest against Bacardi by the Technical Committee has been dismissed by the International Jury as there has been no breach by Bacardi of either the Notice Of Race (NOR) or the International Rating Certificate (IRC) rules at the time of Bacardi‘s IRC Rule inspection on 15 December.

The protest, received by the Race Committee on 16 December at 5:30pm, alleged that Bacardi‘s IRC specified “1 Aft Rigging (sets)” while upon inspection had 2 sets of aft rigging (a backstay & a set of checkstays).

The IRC rule defines Aft Rigging to be “the total number of stays and/or sets of stays connected to the mast above the boom… providing aft support and/or control”

Bacardi’s Person In Charge (PIC) failed to interpret the IRC rule correctly, relying in good faith on an old definition that only counted checkstays & didn’t include backstays, inadvertently understanding that “1 Aft Rigging (sets)”’ was correct. In response to receiving the protest, Bacardi‘s PIC applied to Australian Sailing for a new IRC to rectify the error, which was issued to the yacht. IRC Rule 8.2.2 states the issuing of any new IRC automatically invalidates the old one.

The International Jury found that:

• Bacardi had a current, endorsed IRC Certificate valid in Australia submitted before 7pm on 12 December 2025 (NOR 3.3(a)(i) & IRC Rule 8.2)
• No individual in relation to Bacardi intentionally supplied false information (IRC Rule 13.4)

Therefore, no NOR or IRC rules were breached.

NOR 4.1 states when a rating protest results in a change to a yacht’s IRC, the Race Committee will accept such a change after 7pm on 12 December. Therefore, Bacardi can still race.

80th Edition Tote Bags

80th edition tote bags are now on sale as part of the event merchandise, which can be bought for AUD$25 here, along with the already available clothing. It comes as international shipping for all Helly Henson merchandise has returned. Programs can also be bought from here.

Fleet Update

3 yachts have pulled out including Windrose in the last 48 hours reducing the overall fleet for the 80th edition of the Great Race South to 129 yachts, which is still the largest fleet since 2019, when the 75th edition was held.

Withdrawn yachts, including 1 double-handed entry, are from the following places:

• New South Wales (2)
• Tasmania (1)

Other News

In other news, seagoing commercial shipping will be suspended in Sydney Harbour from 8am to 4pm on Boxing Day for the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race.

The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025’s Parade Of Sail will begin at 10:30am Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day, lasting an hour before the main race – its 80th edition – starts at 1pm AEDT.

The Forecast

To contextualise this forecast, we are talking about something that is, uh, 7 or 8 or 9 days ahead of us at the moment. Um, as a result, the uncertainty is high so that contextualises things I’m about to tell you. Um, generally we are looking at similar sort of weather features that are forecast but the timing is a little bit uncertain at the moment.

Edward Townsend-Medlock, Bureau Of Meteorology Forecaster

On December 26, 3 eddies – 1 east of Sydney, Ulladulla & Tasmania respectively – associated with the East Australian Current breaking up well north of Sydney, are forecast to produce north-to-south flows of up to 2.8 to 3.2 kilometres per hour (1.5 to 1.7 knots) during the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race, which could play a role in tactics at the start.

The race start is forecast to feature light south-easterly winds in the 9 to 19 kilometre per hour (5 to 10 knot) range which, when combined with these sea flows, will favour tactics rather than a yacht’s designed speed. These winds are driven by a high-pressure system that will be over the Tasman Sea, whose exact position could vary the wind’s strength.

Generated far south-east are “mature” &, combined with the forecasted wind, ” quite organised” swells of 1 to 2 metres at periods of 10 to 13 seconds outside the Sydney Heads.

On the 27th of December, the high-pressure system will then move further east, shifting the winds northerly along the New South Wales coast & reaching 37 to 46 kilometres per hour (20 to 25 knots).

Asked about Bass Strait when the high-pressure system moves east, Edward Townsend-Medlock, Bureau Of Meteorology Forecaster said there the winds will be calm:

Yeah so at that time, the Bass Strait, they are looking at light & variable winds since there isn’t really a, a weather feature coming through that particular area, um, so you can imagine as that high moves to the east, the northerlies along the New South Wales coast but yeah, for the leaders, these, they’re in those light & variable conditions that are, you know, typical of the Bass Strait when there’s, there is no westerly there at that particular moment.

Edward Townsend-Medlock, Bureau Of Meteorology Forecaster

This long-range forecast is only for the 26th & 27th of December.

Further ahead, it’s very difficult to say. Usually a front or 2 will come through & bring some stronger winds through the Bass Strait but it’s far beyond like the forecast skill for the models at the moment so we can really give information on those 1st 2 days of the race.

Edward Townsend-Medlock, Bureau Of Meteorology Forecaster

A major update of the weather forecast will be made on the 24th of December (Christmas Eve) at 9am when a compulsory race briefing is held for all crew members of the non-virtual race.

Navigator Reaction

Alice Tarnawski, XI co-navigator, Chris Wild, Scallywag co-navigator & Adrienne Cahalan, Aragon navigator, all agreed the forecast was favourable for their yachts:

Yes, it’s favourable conditions f, for us. We’re, uh, long & skinny – um, a Marten 72, um, & so, yeah, it should be, should be great for our boat & um, you know, you, you, I, I think one of the great things about this race when you got a forecast like this, is the variety of conditions & uh, the way you handle the transition zone so, um, everybody will have to be on their toes.

 Adrienne Cahalan, ‘Aragon’ navigator

Yeah, well, I, I think in a forecast like this where it’s a bit more of a chess match than a, than a drag race, it’s, um, having 2 navigators helps, helps a lot so we divide & conquer.

We’ve had a great campaign in Europe where we’ve sailed the boat in lots of different conditions & had great success & so the team is well, um, well-versed &, & battle-hardened I guess, to, to deal with whatever the for, forecast throws at us so we, we like that.

Chris Wild, ‘Scallywag’ co-navigator

If I could add to that, I am also (a co-navigator) so Stan Honey is coming to join us. He’s our primary navigator & I am his offsider & uh, similar to you, I am really looking forward to having someone to go off and on watch with.

Alice Tarnawski, ‘XI‘ co-navigator

Scallywag will start the Great Race South with refined systems & a stronger yacht but 1 thing that hasn’t changed is its slimness. It’s co-navigator, Chris Wild, said that slimmer yachts like his & Aragon, which as a result of their design have less drag in the water, will benefit from the light winds at the start and in Bass Strait but Scallywag will like any forecast in the end:

We like that sort of scenario & also the design of the boat compared to some of the other super-maxis, um, you know, we’re, we’re a skinny boat as well compared to Comanche and LawConnect, um & that definitely will, will favour us in that, in those light wind conditions that we were talking about in, in Bass Strait.

At that point, when it’s really light & funky, the navigators’ not doing a whole lot. Um, the crew’s really trying to get the boat going so that we can be, you know, getting ready for the next, next part of the race. Yep, yep, it’s up to the sailors at that point.

Chris Wild, ‘Scallywag’ co-navigator

While Chris Wild will find light & “funky” conditions in Bass Strait boring to navigate, for Alice Tarnawski, she implies her XI crew may start to annoy her had she not have a senior navigator to share the duties with on the record-breaking yacht:

Um, you don’t normally get a lot of sleep as a navigator because everyone is always asking you questions or trying to working out where we are in a system & especially with a light, variable forecast like this, everyone’s poking you wanting to know what’s going on so I am really grateful there is going to be someone so experienced sitting beside me & we’ve had a lot of conversations in the last few weeks about how we are going to divide the role up & um, manage the communication between us, um, the sailing team, the tactician & of course, um, Mark Richards, the skipper, so yeah, it’s, it’s pretty cool to have that, um, ability on a, on a big boat to have more than 1 navigator.

Alice Tarnawski, ‘XI‘ co-navigator

Adrienne Cahalan, whose yacht, Aragon, recently got refitted with a longer keel, heavier bulb, new standing rigging & a new sail range, agrees with Alice in that the light wind of varying directions in Bass Strait will become “hard work” for a single navigator:

It’s nice to see some consistency so early in 2 of the models that, uh, we often use around here & um, f, for, uh, it having that light and variable wind in Bass Strait is going to make it very interesting. It’s going to, ah, be a lot of hard work for the nav, navigators I’d expect.

 Adrienne Cahalan, ‘Aragon’ navigator

Regarding the long-range forecast, she said:

It will be nice for many different sizes and types of boats & uh, 1 of the things we’ll be watching very closely is when that front comes through or if it comes through on the 28th because, um, our boat size is 72 foot (22 metres) & we got the 100 footers (31 meters) here so, uh, we will be watching carefully, the, uh, the timing of a front around Tasman Island which will be, you know, determine a lot about how, uh, all the boats go on handicap.

 Adrienne Cahalan, ‘Aragon’ navigator

However, Clare Costanzo, navigator for Ambition, isn’t focusing on the 28th of December until at least after the race start:

You can’t really be paying too much attention to the last bit of the race because for us it’s potentially, you know, 2 to 3 days away so a lot of that will be while we are out there, um, on the water watching the other guys for the last bit of the race.

Clare Costanzo, ‘Ambition’ navigator

In the end, David Turton, Wild Thing 100 navigator, whose yacht now has a full-sized 31 metre (100 foot) rig, said regarding why the leaders lead & the winners win:

Always looking at the barometer & the sky & the sat (satellite) pics. That’s, that’s, they’re my 3 go-tos. If all else fails, work it out for yourself.

David Turton, ‘Wild Thing 100‘ navigator

Meanwhile, XI‘s “modifications”, as earlier reported, is an appendage remodelling along with new sails & software:

We’ve got a new processor on the boat. Um, we’ve got new systems. We’ve got a whole bunch of new technology on board & we’re, we’re learning how to sail this boat that’s – amazing so yeah, it’s been a cool process.

Alice Tarnawski, ‘XI‘ co-navigator

Spectator Boating

Also, the official spectator boating map has been published by the New South Wales (NSW) Government:

The main special spectator boating rules/schedule for the event are:

• If you’re only watching the start & won’t follow the fleet, position yourself on the western side.
• From 11:30am, in the regulated area between Garden Island/Bradley’s Head to the Heads, a maximum speed of 11 kilometres per hour (6 knots) with no wash allowed & all non-competing vessels in the regulated area unhoisting their sails immediately. Competing vessels are exempt from the speed/wash limits inside the regulated area from 12:50pm.
• At 12pm, the exclusion zone, which is the race start area, is activated, within which and surrounding it can be no passive craft (see examples below) or anchoring. The only spectator vessel allowed in the exclusion zone is The Jackson, which will have the starting cannon on board at the rear for firing & starting the race.
• For safety after the race start (scheduled 1pm), it is advised that small vessels should avoid Sydney Heads or going towards or out of them.
• At 2:20pm, normal Harbour operations resume.

Passive craft includes canoes, kayaks, surf skis, paddleboards, sailing dinghies & inflatable rafts and boats.

This announcement was made on December 18.

The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 – its 80th anniversary – begins at 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December, Boxing Day.

All online on your smartphone, join thousands of other virtual racers, alongside the data from the real-life racing fleet, in their attempt to win the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race!

It is free to enter & begins at the same time as the real race – 1pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time on the 26th of December!

The virtual Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race has been held since 2017. It is the only e-sport Sydney Spectacular & as you may tell from above, has more participants than the real race (though notably less spectators!)

To enter, click here for the web browser version or download the Virtual Regatta smartphone application:

Android

1. Tap the multi-coloured ‘Play Store’ icon.
2. At the top, in the search bar, type “Virtual Regatta Offshore”.
3. Tap ‘Install’.
4. Wait for the application to download.
5. Once installed, tap ‘Open’ to start the app.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts.
7. Look for the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race event.
8. Register your ‘boat’.
9. Set up your boat.
10. Plan your strategy.
11. Get ready for the start on the 26th of December!

iPhone

1. Tap the blue ‘App Store’ icon.
2. At the top, in the search bar, type “Virtual Regatta Offshore”.
3. Tap the download icon (cloud with a downward arrow) or ‘Get’.
4. Enter your Apple ID password or use Face/Touch ID if prompted.
5. Once the app is installed, tap ‘Open’ to launch it.
6. Follow the on-screen prompts.
7. Look for the Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race event.
8. Register your ‘boat’.
9. Set up your boat.
10. Plan your strategy.
11. Get ready for the start on the 26th of December!

This whole announcement was made on December 16.

The Sydney-Hobart Yacht Race 2025 begins at 1pm AEDT on Friday the 26th of December, Boxing Day.

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 Series Scratch 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.

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

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

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

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 woman, 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.

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 2019, when the 75th 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.