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How to follow the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

• Toby Heppell
• December 19, 2022

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is due to set off on boxing day once again in 2022, with an impressive 111 boats due to take to the startline

Sydney sailors are counting down the days – not until December 25, but the 26, for the much-anticipated Rolex Sydney Hobart Race .

The blue riband offshore classic was cancelled for the first time in its 76 years in 2020, but bounced back in 2021 and will go ahead one more this year with an impressive fleet of 111 boats entered for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1pm Monday 26 December.

As is often the case in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, the bulk of the fleet is made up of Australian boats and teams, but there are 8 international boats participating this year, including entrants from Germany ( Orione ), Hong Kong ( Antipodes ), Hungary ( Cassiopeia 68 ), New Caledonia ( Eye Candy and Poulpito ), New Zealand ( Caro ), the United Kingdom ( Sunrise ) and the United States of America ( Warrior Won ).

At the sharp end of the fleet, four 100-foot maxis will lead the charge for Line Honours – Andoo Comanche , Black Jack , Hamilton Island Wild Oats and LawConnect . On current form, Andoo Comanche is likely to be favourite to cross the finish line first.

The start of the Sydney Hobart Race means a congested Sydney Harbour. Photo: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

Black Jack won Line Honours in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, while Andoo Comanche holds the race record (1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds) and Hamilton Island Wild Oats (formerly Wild Oats XI ) has the most Line Honours wins in race history, with nine.

Two-handed entrants will for the first time be eligible to win the Tattersall Cup (the prize given to the winner of the race on handicap). A total of 21 two-handed boats are preparing to race, including those that finished second and third respectively in the race’s inaugural Two-Handed Division last year – Crux (Carlos Aydos/Peter Grayson) and Speedwell (Campbell Geeves/Wendy Tuck).

How to follow the 2022 Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race

• In Australia Sydney is expected to send off the fleet in style when the race starts at 1300hrs (local time) on Saturday, 26 December.

Spectator boats can watch the start from the eastern channel and follow the fleet down the Harbour to the Heads. Spectator boats wanting to remain in the Harbour may remain in the western side. Exclusion zones will be in place from 1200-1400.

• On television The race start will be broadcast live via the Seven Network, through 7Mate around Australia.

Live coverage will also be webcast on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website, with replays available shortly after. See  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/

• On social Follow the event on twitter for race updates and via  Facebook

• On race tracker The live race tracker will be viewable at  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker

• Play along on Virtual Regatta

There is also a Virtual Regatta edition for the race, allowing you to virtually pit yourself against thousands over the same course, see  https://www.virtualregatta.com/en/offshore-game/

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE: DEFINED BY AN INTREPID SPIRIT AND CAMARADERIE

Geneva, 23 December 2021 - The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race holds a towering status in the world of sailing. It captures the attention of a nation and enjoys a glowing international reputation that has long transcended the traditional boundaries of the sport. Rolex has partnered this legendary competition and its organizers, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), since 2002.

Over its three-quarters of a century history, the race has provided a platform for human achievement and endeavour, qualities that align with Rolex's core philosophy and which underpin the Swiss watchmaker's more than 60-year involvement in yachting. The 76th edition is scheduled for the traditional lunchtime start on 26 December, with a fleet of more than 90 yachts expected to take on the famous 628-nautical mile (1,010 kilometres) course.

Some 60,000 sailors and 7,000 yachts have taken part in the race since its inception in 1945. From its beginnings, competitors have been drawn to the scale and unpredictability of the challenge, and to the demands on their skills in both preparing and handling their yacht.

After a spectacular departure from Sydney Harbour, the fleet heads south along the New South Wales coast of the Tasman Sea before crossing Bass Strait to tackle the east coast of Tasmania, Storm Bay and the final 12-nm (22 km) stretch in the often decisive, and sometimes cruel, Derwent River, before finishing in Hobart. Most entrants spend four to five days at sea. Watch systems and resources need to be managed assiduously. To negotiate the testing conditions requires willpower, experience and intuition.

Sir Ben Ainslie, a Rolex Testimonee, four-time Olympic gold medallist and helm of the Great Britain SailGP Team, is a past competitor and says: The experience gave me a real appreciation of the sailing prowess and camaraderie inherent in offshore racing, especially within the Corinthian boats taking two or three times as long and being not quite as comfortable as the maxis. A neat part of these races is the fact that handicap means, whatever the size of boat, everyone has a chance to win. The weather plays a part but smaller amateur-sailed boats often win against the professionals.

Winning the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race overall after time correction and securing the coveted Tattersall Cup guarantees a place in yachting folklore. Matt Allen's Ichi Ban has won two of the past three editions, in 2017 and 2019. Should the Australian boat emerge victorious again, she will join two of the race's most celebrated names, Freya (1963, 1964, 1965) and Love & War (1974, 1978, 2006), on three victories.

Beyond the competition to win overall, the consistent presence of some of the world's most impressive 100-foot (30.5 metre) Maxi yachts has produced epic contests in the battle to be first across the finish line. The race record currently stands at 33 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set by  Comanche  in 2017. Arriving in Hobart inside two days, a marker first set in 1999, has been achieved in each of the past four editions.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart attracts both professional and Corinthian sailors. Leaders from the political, business and entertainment worlds, as well as stars from other sports, have been drawn to participate. This all adds to the race’s appeal, which is already bolstered by a distinctive position in the sailing calendar and the pioneering feats of those who have confronted its many obstacles over the years. Matt Allen, a former Commodore of the CYCA, spent decades trying to win the event as a skipper. His story is one of persistence, of the time it can take to acquire the experience and knowledge to succeed. Having completed his 30th race to Hobart in 2019, he remarked:

“Over the years, I’ve seen amazing boats participate but it’s actually the people that  make this race and ocean racing what they are.”

Intrepid human spirit lies at the heart of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race’s creation and remains its foundation today. Rolex is proud to support a sporting contest that mirrors the brand’s own Perpetual spirit: humbly adapting to the elements, constantly seeking to improve and summoning one’s deepest resources.

A NATURAL AND SUPPORTIVE PARTNER Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand's enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events - from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world's most famous harbours. Rolex's partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

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88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart. Photo: ROLEX/Andrea Francolini

2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: 100 entrants locked in!

More than 100 yachts are set to compete in the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with just over two weeks still to go until entries close.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, organiser of the race, has welcomed entrants from around Australia and across the world, with a high calibre and diverse fleet assembling for the historic race.

Boats range from the smallest boat in the line-up, Sean Langman’s 9-metre Ranger, Maluka, skippered by his son Peter, to the four 100-foot maxis – Andoo Comanche, Black Jack, Hamilton Island Wild Oats and LawConnect.

With 18 two-handed boats already entered, more than the total number of two-handed starters in the 2021 race, the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart promises to deliver plenty of entertainment.

“The CYCA is excited to see such a competitive fleet building for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race,” said CYCA Commodore Arthur Lane.

“This year’s race is on track to be one of the biggest this century and it is pleasing to see such a wide variety of yachts on the entry list.”

The 100-boat milestone was reached as Tony Levett entered his Sydney 38, TSA Management (previously known as Eleni).

Levett has campaigned TSA Management in every Rolex Sydney Hobart since 2004, barring the 2016 race, winning the Sydney 38 division in 2010 and 2011.

The boat was one of many to succumb to the conditions in the 2021 race and Levett is eager to get back on the race track.

“We didn’t have a good race last year, so we’re hoping for a better race this time,” he said.

“We got hit by a 40 knot squall off Wollongong and ripped a main when we were trying to reef it, so that was the end of the race for us.

“It was the first time we’d gone out that early. It was only a few hours of sailing after all that preparation, so we look forward to getting further down the track this time.”

This will be Levett’s 18th Rolex Sydney Hobart and he will likely have a new-look crew on board, with many of those who raced last year now unavailable.

TSA Management is currently one of four Sydney 38s in the fleet, alongside Kim Jaggar’s Sydney-based Cinquante and two entrants from New Caledonia – Eye Candy (Thierry Leseigneur) and Poulpito (David Treguier).

“The boat is the same as it always was,” Levett said. “Back in 2004, we were a middle of the road boat in terms of length.

“Now we’re one of the smallest! Everyone else got bigger and we stayed the same.

“Having four or five Sydney 38s will make it a good fleet to compete against.”

Visit the Rolex Sydney Hobart website to view the full fleet .

Entries for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart close at 1700hrs on Friday 28 October 2022.

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2023 — how to watch and what to look out for

The sight of big yachts tearing around Sydney Harbour's blue water with crews scrambling over the deck at the start of the annual Sydney to Hobart race, can be thrilling, if somewhat confusing, watching.

Where is the start line? Are those boats going to crash into each other? What happens if someone falls off?

Do crew members get any sleep during the race? What prizes are they racing for? What do you mean the first over the finish line is not considered the top prize?

Wait, what ... there is a boat called Imalizard?

So many questions!

Let's try and answer them.

Where do they start?

This year, the 78th running of the Sydney to Hobart, has a fleet of over 100 boats ranging from supermaxis (typically boats over 21 metres) to smaller yachts.

There are two starting 'lines' with the larger yachts on the northern line just north of Shark Island, and the smaller boats on the southern line.

Two rounding marks off Sydney Heads compensate for the distance between the lines, before the fleet heads to sea on the ocean voyage to Hobart, 628 nautical miles (1,163 kilometres) away.

When does it begin?

It's already started!

At 1pm AEDT on Boxing Day (December 26) the ceremonial cannon was fired, marking the start of the race.

How can I watch it?

Race sponsor Rolex says the start will be broadcast live on the Seven Network throughout Australia and live and on demand on the 7Plus app.

Internationally, the race will be available through YouTube on the CYCATV channel or via Rolex Sydney Hobart's Facebook page.

If you are in Sydney and on the water, spectators who wish to watch the start but not follow the fleet are advised to stick to the "western side of the harbour".

Good vantage points for spectator boats include "Taylors Bay, Chowder Bay, Obelisk Bay and North Head on the west and Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Camp Cove and South Head to the east".

According to organisers, the harbour will be "very crowded and traffic can be chaotic, so stay alert, follow the advice of race officials and remember to keep well clear of the exclusion zone between 12pm and 2pm".

Will there actually be some near misses?

The start is when things can get feisty, with crews trying to get their yachts into the best position before the cannon shot and on the run to get around Sydney Heads and out into the South Pacific Ocean.

This is when near misses and actual collisions can happen, with spicy language occasionally making it onto the live television broadcast thanks to cameras on the boats.

Members of the public watching from boats are told to stay in a "zone" away from race competitors, but that can still make for more potential near misses as the competitor boats weave across the water trying to find their best way into the start line at just the right time.

All in all it can look like chaos and often results in protests being lodged by crews who allege other teams of a wide range of infringements of race rules, across the entire course all the way to the finish.

Sometimes, if protested against, boats can perform "penalty turns" while at sea as punishment. Both Wild Oats XI and Comanche performed penalty turns last year following a scrape in Sydney Harbour.

Decision to make — follow the coast or head out to sea

Once out of the harbour, the fleet then begins to make its way down the east coast of Australia, and are faced with a decision — to either stay close to the coast or to go further into open water where the East Australia Current can carry them. The amount of wind dictates this decision.

After navigating the NSW South Coast, it is then into Bass Strait, where the worst conditions are generally found, with strong winds and big waves.

Simply surviving is the key here. Equipment failure and breakage ends many a team's race during this stretch.

With Bass Strait successfully navigated, another choice needs to be made — sail close to the coast of Tasmania where they will find better water — or further out where winds are heavier.

Whichever the way, soon boats will be rounding "Tasman Light" and crossing Storm Bay. Then, they'll pass the Iron Pot at the mouth of the River Derwent . 

After a crawl up the often windless Derwent, boats will cross the finish line at Castray Esplanade before eventually settling in Hobart's Constitution Dock.

What are they racing for?

There is no prize money for the winners. 

Instead, crews race for trophies in a number of categories , the main events for casual observers being Line Honours (first across the line) and Overall (winner decided based on handicap).

The first yacht across the line wins the JH Illingworth Challenge Cup, while the Overall winner on handicap wins the Tattersalls Cup.

The Overall winner is considered a truer indication of sailing skill . The boats are smaller and lighter and therefore not as naturally fast. Getting them to Hobart is tougher. Handicaps (time adjustments) are calculated by a range of factors such as the weight and length of the boat.

Most of the time, Overall honours are won by a smaller, slower boat, which outdoes its larger opposition when time is adjusted for size and other factors.

The reigning Line Honours victor is Andoo Comanche, which won in a time of 1 day, 11 hours, and 15 minutes, the boat's 4th line honours victory.

The reigning Overall winner is Celestial, which finished 2022's race in 2 days, 16 hours, and 15 minutes.

In 2017, LDV Comanche set a new line honours record, finishing first in 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, beating Perpetual Loyal's record of 1 day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds, set the previous year.

Who can race?

The minimum age to compete in the race is 18 years of age. There is no upper age limit.

Each yacht generally carries between six and 24 crew members, the average across the fleet being 10 to 11.

The head of the crew is the skipper and often the skipper also owns the yacht. Other positions on board include the "helmsperson, navigator, tactician, trimmers and foredeck person, or for'ard hand", race organisers explain.

Two-hander boats (a category introduced in 2020) attempt the voyage with only two crew members.

After the 1998 race, in which six sailors died, five yachts sank, more than 60 yachts retired and 55 sailors had to be rescued by helicopter, at least 50 per cent of crew members in a team have to have completed a sea safety survival course.

All competitors must have completed an approved "Category 1" equivalent passage. One advertised course for Sydney to Hobart wannabe sailors offers five days of "continuously sailing" across a 500 nautical mile passage off the New South Wales coast, starting at $1,795 per person.

Conditions on board can be cramped and extreme, with very rough seas often battering yachts along the way. If a crew member goes over the side, that means teams have to circle back to collect them.

Winner of the 2022 Two-Handed Division Rupert Henry said for his two-person team, "we only manage around four hours max of sleep each".

"We know when each other needs to crash so we do it then."

As for people who easily get sea sick, perhaps this is not the hobby for you.

How can I follow the boats online?

You can follow the race on an online tracker , which shows the positions of yachts as they move south, via a GPS device on each vessel. 

As the race goes on, you can see the course charted by crews — unless of course the boat's GPS device gets switched off, rendering it invisible to spectators and other competitors — an accusation that was levelled at Wild Oats XI in 2018 by the owner of Black Jack.

Yachts can also be tracked on the Marine Traffic website .

Imalizard, Eye Candy and Millennium Falcon — what's in a name?

If you are the kind who chooses a favourite yacht based on the name, there are some good ones this year, including Imalizard, Disko Trooper, Millennium Falcon, Lenny, Mister Lucky, Pacman, Toecutter, Extasea, two yachts with Yeah Baby in their names, Chutzpah, Ciao Bella and Eye Candy.

Not among 2023's starters is Huntress, which came to grief last year after breaking a rudder, with the crew abandoning the vessel and it later drifting and  washing up on a remote Tasmanian beach , leading to a dispute over the salvage rights .

Main contenders for the Overall title are Alive (2018 winner, a Tasmanian boat), Chutzpah, Celestial, Smuggler and URM, as well as supermaxis LawConnect, SHK Scallywag, Andoo Comanche and Wild Thing.

Barring disaster, the Line Honours winner will almost certainly be one of the four supermaxis.

This yacht has raced under several names, previously racing as Perpetual LOYAL, Investec LOYAL and InfoTrack.

In 2016, Perpetual LOYAL became the fastest-ever boat to complete the race, setting a new race record of 1 day, 13 hours, 31 minutes, and 12 seconds. That record has since been broken by LDV Comanche in 2017. Investec LOYAL also sailed to victory in 2011.

Previous owner Anthony Bell declared after his 2016 victory that he would be selling the boat. It was picked up by tech entrepreneur Christian Beck, with the boat's name changed to InfoTrack.

Now called LawConnect, conditions haven't suited the heavier yacht in recent years. It is yet to win a Sydney to Hobart under its new name and ownership but is always among the leaders' pack. It recently defeated Comanche in the Big Boat Challenge, a traditional lead-up event to the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

Andoo Comanche

John Winning Junior took over from Jim Cooney as skipper of the newly named 'Andoo' Comanche last year, and had instant success, beating its rivals to a 4th Line Honours victory. In 2017, it defeated Wild Oats for Line Honours, setting a race record in the process, but only after a controversial protest. It also claimed Line Honours in 2019.

Andoo Comanche will enter as hot favourite for Line Honours this year after installing a brand new million-dollar sails package and winning the Cabbage Tree Island race – it did however finish second to LawConnect in this month's Big Boat Challenge .

SHK Scallywag

Scallywag looms as a wild card in this year's race, and on its day can challenge the likes of Comanche. Scallywag is lighter and narrower than Comanche, and is better suited to lighter wind conditions.

It has undergone modifications during the winter and will have a pair of Americas Cup sailors on board in Luke Payne and Luke Parkinson. Scallywag has never won a Line Honours victory.

Wild Thing 100

Wild Thing 100 will be the newest supermaxi to be launched when it makes its debut in this year's race.

Owner Grant Wharrington has modified Stefan Racing, a Botin 80, which he sailed to fourth over the line in 2021 and 6th last year. Under the extension, the yacht has been rebranded as Wild Thing 100. Wharrington took Line Honours in 2003 with his previous Wild Thing, but the following year, whilst leading the fleet to Hobart, she lost her canting keel and capsized in Bass Strait.

Some other Sydney to Hobart race facts:

Thirteen of the last 17 Line Honours victories have been claimed by Comanche or Wild Oats Wild Oats XI is not participating this year, the second time in three years the nine-time Line Honours winner has not raced. Skipper mark Richards said he'd be spending the time "relaxing somewhere with a beer in my hand" There are 21 two-handed crews (two-person team) competing The smallest boats in the fleet are a pair of 30-footers, Currawong and Niksen. Both are two-handers and Currawong is crewed by two women, Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham The oldest boat to enter this year's race is Christina, built in 1932 There are 10 international crews competing in this year's event It is tradition that the skipper of the boat first in to Hobart jumps into the chilly water of the Derwent

When does the race finish?

The Line Honours winner is likely to come in around 48 hours after the start, but this is very much dependent on the weather —  especially in the 22.2-kilometre final stretch up the Derwent River to the finish line.

This is when the wind can drop away and it becomes a crawl , with every trick in the book pulled out to make headway.

Yachts can finish at any time of the day or night.

In 2021, Black Jack crossed the line at 1:37am on December 29, followed by LawConnect at 4:11am and SHK Scallywag about 20 minutes after that.

In 2019, Comanche came in at a more reasonable time of 7:30am on December 28, with InfoTrack about 45 minutes later.

"It matters not whether it is in the wee hours of the morning or the middle of the day — a boisterous and enthusiastic crowd is on hand to clap and cheer the winning yacht to its berth," organisers say.

But the cheering was not just reserved for the first finishers.

In the 2022 race, the final yacht — Currawong — timed its finish impeccably, coming in just before midnight on December 31 , to be met with rousing applause from crowds at Hobart's wharf for New Year's Eve celebrations and an accompanying fireworks display.

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December 26 @ 1:00 pm - December 31 @ 5:00 pm

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

The 79th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will be held on 26 December 2024 presenting an absolute spectacle on Sydney Harbour.

The 628nm journey down to Hobart will always be an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest in line with national events such as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open tennis championship and the Boxing Day cricket Test.

No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage as does the start on Sydney Harbour.

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Get to know the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

A strong fleet of 115 boats is entered for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1pm Monday 26 December.

Full list of entrants

There are 8 international boats in the race, including entrants from Germany ( Orione ), Hong Kong ( Antipodes ), Hungary ( Cassiopeia 68 ), New Caledonia ( Eye Candy and Poulpito ), New Zealand ( Caro ), the United Kingdom ( Sunrise ) and the United States of America ( Warrior Won ).

Four 100-foot maxis will lead the charge for Line Honours –  Andoo Comanche ,  Black Jack , Hamilton Island Wild Oats   and  LawConnect . 

Black Jack won Line Honours in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, while  Andoo Comanche  holds the race record (1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds) and  Hamilton Island Wild Oats  (formerly Wild Oats XI)  has the most Line Honours wins in race history, with nine.

Among the chasing pack will be Philip Turner’s Reichel/Pugh 66 Alive   (the 2018 Overall winner, skippered by Duncan Hine), Sean Langman’s Reichel/Pugh 69 Moneypenny ,  the   Botin 80 Stefan Racing (skippered by Grant Wharington), Anthony and David Johnston’s Reichel/Pugh 72  URM Group  (skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones), Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant’s Volvo 70  Willow   (skippered by Cooney) and David Griffith’s JV62 Whisper .

Moneypenny  leads the 2022/23 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, seven points ahead of  URM Group.

The 52-foot grand prix racing yachts are expected to again be competitive. There are 13 in total , including  Caro and Warrior Won  (winner of the 2022 RORC Caribbean 600),   as well as local contenders  Celestial (Sam Haynes), Gweilo (Matt Donald/Chris Townsend), Maritimo (Bill Barry-Cotter’s newly purchased boat, skippered by Michael Spies), Quest  (Craig Neil),  Smuggler   (Sebastian Bohm) and Zen  (Gordon Ketelbey). The TP52  Ocean Crusaders J-Bird   will be sailed two-handed by Ian and Annika Thomson.

Two-handed entrants will for the first time be eligible to win the Tattersall Cup. A total of 22 two-handed boats are preparing to race, including those that finished second and third respectively in the race’s inaugural Two-Handed Division last year –  Crux   (Carlos Aydos/Peter Grayson) and  Speedwell   (Campbell Geeves/Wendy Tuck).

Rum Rebellion   (Shane Connelly/Tony Sutton) leads the Two-Handed Division of the 2022/23 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore and is seventh overall.

There are five Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300s in the two-handed fleet – Hip-Nautic (Jean-Pierre Ravanat/Drew Meincke),  Kraken 111   (Rob Gough/John Saul – the two-handed Line Honours winners in 2021 on  Sidewinder ), Sun Fast Racing (Lee Condell/Lincoln Dews),  Transcendence Crento   (Martin Cross/John Cross) and  Tumbleweed   (Graham Biehl/Nigel Nattrass).

Rupert Henry and Greg O’Shea will be highly fancied on the Lombard 34   Mistral ,  having recently become the first two-handed boat to win one of the CYCA’s major races .

In the 30-50 foot range, keep an eye out for  Alegria Republic  (Rod Jones),  Ariel  (Ron Forster/Phil Damp), Chutzpah  (Bruce Taylor), Cinquante  (Kim Jaggar),  Enterprise Next Generation  (Anthony Kirke/Andrew Nuttman),  Joss  (Roberto Camacho),  Midnight Rambler  (Ed Psaltis), Sail Exchange  (Carl Crafoord/Tim Horkings), Sunrise  (Tom Kneen’s 2021 Rolex Fastnet Race winner), Trouble & Strife  (Matt Williams) and  White Bay 6 Azzurro   (Shane Kearns).

Sail Exchange leads IRC Division 2 in the 2022/23 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore and is sixth overall. Cinquante,   Midnight Rambler  and White Bay 6 Azzurro all finished inside the top 10 overall in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

The race will feature a Sydney 38 One Design division for the first time since 2019, with five Sydney 38s entered :  Cinquante, Eye Candy  (Thierry Leseigneur), Hasta la Vista (Jessica/Tom Grimes),  Mondo   (Lisa Callaghan/Stephen Teudt) and  Poulpito   (David Treguier).

At 9-metres in length, Sean Langman’s Ranger  Maluka ,  to be skippered by his son Peter,   is the smallest boat in the fleet. She is also the oldest, having turned 90 this year.

Currawong ,  to be sailed two-handed by Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham, is the second smallest.

The Royal Australian Navy’s Beneteau First 40  Navy One   (co-skippered by Tori Costello and Nick Greenhill) will look to retain the Oggin Cup, awarded to the first Armed Services yacht on corrected time, from the Army Sailing Club’s Jarkan 925  Gun Runner   (skippered by Chris Connelly).

Former Overall winners in the fleet include  Alive, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, Quest  and  Wild Oats (Brett Eagle) .

Andoo Comanche, Black Jack, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, Kialoa II  (Paddy and Keith Broughton) and  LawConnect are the previous Line Honours winners racing again.

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2022 rolex sydney hobart yacht race, vendée globe heroes join rolex fastnet race, rolex middle sea race – overall winner announcement.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Entries open for 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

• 15 Jun, 2021 12:42:00 PM

Excitement is building for the return of the historic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with entries now open for the 2021 edition of ocean racing’s ‘Everest’.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has launched the Notice of Race and is now welcoming eligible crews from across Australia and abroad to secure their place in the fleet. 

The eyes of the world will once again turn to Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day – Sunday 26 December 2021.

Following the disappointing cancellation of the 2020 Rolex Sydney Hobart due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CYCA Commodore Noel Cornish AM is looking forward to the Great Race.

"It is my great pleasure to announce the 2021 Notice of Race as the first step in our build-up to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race," said Commodore Cornish.

"It is our hope that the Great Race will once again bring together a large group of dedicated and passionate sailors from across Australia and around the world.

"We look forward to working with our many long-term partners to bring the Race to life this year and extend special thanks to our close friends at Rolex and The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in particular for their extraordinary contributions.

"Thank you to everyone who supported the CYCA during 2020.”

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was first conducted in 1945 and has become an icon of summer sport in Australia.

The CYCA has enjoyed a rich partnership with naming rights sponsor Rolex since 2002 and is pleased to again be supported by the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer.  

For the first time in its history, the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart will feature Two-Handed crews. 

The increasingly popular division joined the CYCA’s sailing calendar in 2019 and was due to be included in the 2020 Race. 

The Notice of Race and online entry is now available under the   ‘For Competitors’   section.

Entries close   Thursday 28 October 2021. 

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

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

PHOTOS | Day 5 Morning - Tasman Island and Storm Bay

PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 9

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 8

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 7

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

Official rolex sydney hobart merchandise.

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

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