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A competitive fleet set for 2023 rolex sydney hobart yacht race.

A diverse fleet, including multiple former winners, will take on the 628 nautical mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing Day. One hundred and thirteen boats are entered for the 78th running of Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s famous race, which begins tomorrow on Sydney Harbour at 1 PM (Tuesday 26 December).

A diverse fleet, including multiple former winners, will take on the 628 nautical mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on Boxing Day.

One hundred and thirteen boats are entered for the 78th running of Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) famous race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1 PM on Tuesday 26 December.

There are 10 international entrants : from New Zealand (Allegresse, Caro and Niksen), Hong Kong (Antipodes and SHK Scallywag), New Caledonia (Eye Candy), USA (Lenny), France (Teasing Machine), Germany (Rockall 8), and Ireland (Cinnamon Girl).

Australia is represented across all six states , with New South Wales home to 60 entries, while Queensland fields 18, Victoria 15, Tasmania 7, Western Australia 2, and South Australia 1.

Four 100-foot maxis will likely vie for Line Honours this year – four-time winner Andoo Comanche which took Line Honours in 2022 and holds the race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, and 24 seconds as LDV Comanche for Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant (2017), Law Connect, which placed second last year and won the John H Illingworth Challenge Cup as first across the line back in 2016 as Perpetual LOYAL, SHK Scallywag, and Wild Thing 100, the recently modified Botin 80 Stefan Racing.

On his competition, Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr. said, “Scallywag [didn’t race last year] is an unknown quantity, but I believe Witty [David Witt] has the boat in the best shape ever. Law Connect broke the record in 2016 [as Perpetual LOYAL] so they have a phenomenal boat.”

“Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing is another unknown. Wharo is working around the clock to get the boat finished. He is a determine man so I’m sure he will have the boat ready to go.”

Sam Haynes and the crew of his TP52 Celestial are back to defend the coveted Tattersall Cup awarded in 2022 as Overall winner under IRC on corrected time.

On whether he can win the race again or not, Haynes said “TP52s seem to fit the race, then you need skilled sailors with the personalities to match. You need confidence too and I’m going to put my best foot forward”.

The competition for the major prize will be hotly contested this year with eight mini maxis and nine TP52s and other 52-foot racers as well as a range of smaller boats across all divisions, including two-handed, that could be up for the challenge if conditions favour them.

Five other past Overall winners are racing this year :

• Alive (2018)
• Bumblebee V (2001)
• Love & War (1974, 1978, 2006), one of only three yachts to have won Overall on three separate occasions (Freya, Love & War, and Ichi Ban)
• Christina, winner of the 1946 Sydney Hobart
• Wild Oats/Wild Rose, won in 1993 and 2014 respectively

Twenty Two-Handed entries are competing . Rupert Henry returns as the 2022 Two-Handed Division winner with his Lombard 34 Mistral.

Henry describes sailing Hobart two-handed, “We only manage around 4 hours max of sleep each. We know when each other needs to crash so we do it then.”

“I don’t prefer two-handed sailing, but I’m just enjoying trying to reach my full potential with just two people racing it.”

Jules Hall, who won the inaugural Two-Handed Division in 2021 with Jan Scholten on Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth, will be campaigning the J/99 fully-crewed this year and has put together a strong team comprised of CYCA’s Youth Sailing Academy sailors – a mix of both experienced and first-timers.

Once again, there will be a large number of women sailors competing.

Lisa Callaghan, who owns the Sydney 38 Mondo with Stephen Teudt, returns to the race in 2023 with unfinished business after retiring Mondo last year with a broken gooseneck.

Of the 113 entrants, seven were only built this year and 33 were constructed before 2000. The oldest entrant is Ena Ladd’s Christina, built in 1932. She is returning after 77 years having done just the one race in 1946.

One of the older boats, Robert Williams’ 1960-built Sylph VI, makes a return to the Sydney Hobart for the first time in 51 years after having competed five times back in the 1960s and early ‘70s.

From the four 100-foot maxis through to the three 30-footers – Currawong, Niksen and Gun Runner, the fleet will take the line on Boxing Day to add another chapter to the race’s rich history. They will join the 6,407 boats that have competed since 1945 when nine boats took on the challenge to race to Hobart from Sydney Harbour.

CYCA Commodore, Arthur Lane, took the opportunity to thank Rolex, Race Finishing Partner the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and the event’s many partners for their continued support.

The Boxing Day start of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 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 CYCATV or Rolex Sydney Hobart Facebook.

For a detailed list of information for each entrance, visit rolexsydneyhobart.com .

List of entrants

Legend for the following list of entrants = (yacht name – sail number – origin – type).

• Advantedge – PD147 – TAS – Inglis 47
• Alive – 52566 – TAS – Reichel Pugh 66
• Allegresse (TH) – NZL5206 – New Zealand – Bruce Clarke 42
• Allegro – 6723 – NSW – Warwick 67
• Amazingrace – SYD8 – NSW – Swan Class 45
• Andoo Comanche – CAY007 – NSW – VPLP /Verdier Maxi 100ft
• Antipodes – GBR2888L – Hong Kong – Santa Cruz 72
• Arcadia – S17 – VIC – Archambault 40 RC
• Atomic Blonde – R1180 – WA – Jpk 11.80
• Avalanche (TH)- 2400 – NSW – Hick 40
• Azzurro – 3430 – QLD – S&S 34
• Bacardi – SM377 – VIC – Peterson 44
• Blue Planet (TH) – AUS110 – NSW – J99
• Bumblebee V – 7441 – NSW – Murray-Dovell-Burns 62
• Calibre 12 – 7777 – NSW – Cookson 12
• Caro – CAY52 – New Zealand – Botin 52
• Carrera S – AUS49005 – VIC – Marten 49
• Celestial – 9535 – NSW – TP 52
• Chutzpah – R33 – VIC – Caprice 40
• Ciao Bella – SM888 – NSW – Hanse 505
• Cinnamon Girl – Eden Capital (TH) – 3375 – Ireland – Sunfast 3300
• Cinquante – 5038 – NSW – Sydney 38
• Clockwork – 3838 – SA – Sydney 38
• Currawong (TH) – 7374 – NSW – Currawong 30
• Cyan Moon – B47 – VIC – Beneteau Oceanis 473
• Denali – 52569 – NSW – TP52
• Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth – AUS99 – NSW – J/99
• Enigma – GBR5790R – NSW – Beneteau First 47.7
• Extasea – G10007 – VIC – Cookson 50
• Eye Candy – FRA-9777 – New Caledonia – Sydney 38
• Flying Cloud – 6808 – NSW – Beneteau First 40
• Flying Fish Arctos – 7551 – NSW – McIntyre 55
• Frantic – GBR5211L – NSW – TP52 Donovan
• Georgia Express – 6333 – NSW – Mumm 36
• Gunshot – NZL8425 – NSW – Elliot 52
• Hansen Tasmania – 603 – TAS – Buizen 48
• Helsal 3 – 262 – NSW – Adams 20
• Highly Sprung – 8108 – NSW – TP52
• Hutchies Yeah Baby – A5 – QLD – Welbourn 50
• Imalizard (TH) – 6893 – NSW – Welbourn 12
• Insomnia – 65007 – NSW – JV 42
• Kraken 111 (TH) – D3300 – TAS – Jeanneau Sunfast 3300
• LawConnect – SYD1000 – NSW – Juan K 100 Custom
• Lenny – USA44444 – USA – Beneteau First 44
• Lightning – 095 – NSW – Bakewell-White 40
• Love & War – 294 – NSW – S&S 47
• Luna Blue – 7809 – NSW – Beneteau First 45
• Mako – N40 – NSW – Sydney 40
• Maritimo 52 – SYC52 – QLD – Tp52
• Maritimo 54 – USA16 – QLD – Schumacher 54
• Mayfair – M16 – QLD – Rogers 46
• Merit – 8679 – QLD – Volvo Ocean 60
• Midnight Rambler – ST36 – TAS – Sydney 36
• Millennium Falcon – M888 – NSW – Sparkman And Stephens 39
• Min River (TH) – AUS888 – NSW – Jpk10.30
• Minnie – 424 – NSW – Jones 42
• Mister Lucky (TH) – RQ3600 – QLD – Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600
• Mistral (TH) – 1 – NSW – Lombard 34
• Mondo – 5656 – NSW – Sydney 38
• Moneypenny – AUS 1 – NSW – Reichal Pugh 69
• MRV – SYD5 – VIC – Frers 61
• MWF Kayle – 7878 – NSW – Lyons 54
• Navy One – 0404 – NSW – Beneteau First 40
• Niksen (TH) – NZL30040 – New Zealand – Dehler 30 Od
• No Limit – AUS 98888 – NSW – Reichel Pugh 63
• Ocean Crusaders J-Bird – OC52 – QLD – TP52
• Oroton Drumfire – CAY6536 – NSW – Hoek Tc78
• Pacman (TH) – 110 – QLD – Young 11
• Patriot – SM133 – VIC – J133
• Philosopher (TH) – 20 – NSW – Sydney 36 CR
• Pretty Woman – 545 – NSW – IC 45 MOD
• Ragtime – RQ130 – NSW – J/130
• Rockall 8 – R62 – Germany – Jpk 10.80
• Rum Rebellion (TH) – 1808 – NSW – J/99
• Rush – B45 – VIC – Farr 45
• Salt Lines – GBR5672L – NSW – Shipwright 70
• She – 4924 – QLD – Olsen 40
• She’s The Culprit – 370 – NSW – Inglis/Jones 39 Mod.
• SHK Scallywag – HKG2276 – Hong Kong – Dovell 100
• Showdown (TH) – 8338 – QLD – Ker 40
• Silver Fern – NZL6702 – QLD – Birdsall 72
• Smuggler – 6952 – NSW – JV TP52
• Solera – G1350 – VIC – Elliott 1350 Tourer
• Son of a Son – MH31 – QLD – Farr 1104
• Sticky – A164 – NSW – Cookson 50
• Supernova – 6499 – NSW – Sydney 36
• Sylph VI (TH) – 1019 – NSW – Custom Alan Payne Sloop
• Teasing Machine – FRA8668 – France – NMYD 54
• Tenacity – 2208 – TAS – Mills 41
• Tilting at Windmills – AUS117 – VIC – Joubert Mod. 42
• Toecutter – R1111 – VIC – Hick 10
• Tumbleweed (TH) – AUS077 – NSW – Jeanneau Sunfast 3300
• URM Group – AUS72 – NSW – Reichel Pugh Maxi 72
• Verite (TH) – 4411 – NSW – J99
• Voltstar Yeah Baby – 112 – NSW – Akilaria Rc2
• Whisper – AUS13 – NSW – JV 62
• White Noise – SM1245 – VIC – M.A.T 1245
• Wild Oats – 4343 – NSW – Farr 43
• Wild Thing 100 – AUS100 – QLD – Maxi
• Wings – 07 – NSW – Dehler 46
• Wyuna – R3600 – WA – Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600
• XS Moment BNMH – 11744 – NSW – XP44
• Zephyr Insurance Masters – HKG1943 – TAS – Farr 41 Mx

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race — day one of the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, as it happened

Sport Sydney to Hobart yacht race — day one of the 77th edition of the bluewater classic, as it happened

Supermaxi Andoo Comanche is leading a closely bunched pack of supermaxis in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race, as the fleet heads south on day one of the contest's 77th edition.

Northerly winds helped the fleet, particularly the supermaxis, amid predictions   the leaders may have supporting winds all the way to Hobart. 

Leading into the traditional Boxing Day start, the Sydney to Hobart was seen as a race in four to be first to the finish — Andoo Comanche, last year's line honours winner Black Jack, Law Connect and Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

Big crowds were on hand on Sydney Harbour for the 1pm AEDT start — but the opening exchanges saw chaos reign, amid near-misses, protests and penalties for two of the big four.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats skipper Mark Richards let loose a number of audible obscenities on the TV coverage, as he and his crew tried to navigate their way to the Sydney Heads and out into the ocean for the trip south.

Race favourite Andoo Comanche had a poor start, not getting enough clear wind to move ahead of its rivals, and then being jammed by other craft making it difficult to do the required tacking down the harbour.

Skipper and owner John Winning Jr and sailing master Iain Murray were not happy, and even less so when they made it to the first turning mark but misjudged the turn and hit the mark.

They had to do a penalty turn, losing ground on their rivals. However Andoo Comanche raised a protest flag, claiming they had been infringed by another boat.

On board Hamilton Island Wild Oats, a spirited conversation took place between skipper Mark Richards and navigator Stan Honey, with suggestions the boat may have infringed rejected by Richards.

Finally Richards relented, ordering crew to "Deploy the jib! Deploy the jib!" before completing a 720-degree turn.

At one point Black Jack cut back across two of its rivals, running a fine line between LawConnect and Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

After the frantic start, LawConnect took the lead from Black Jack, with a gap to the two boats that had done penalty turns.

As the leaders got out into the ocean to turn south, LawConnect held the lead for some time before Andoo Comanche picked up some solid winds further out from shore and hit the front, 90 minutes into the race.

For much of the afternoon, Andoo Comanche then maintained and extended its lead over LawConnect.

As of 9:20pm AEDT, Andoo Comanche led by 4.6 nautical miles (about 8.5 kilometres) over LawConnect, with Black Jack in third and Hamilton Island Wild Oats in fourth. There were 8.7 nautical miles covering first to fourth.

Andoo Comanche is close to its own record pace, which was set in 2017. 

The record is one day, nine hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds.

On the race website, the estimated time of arrival for Andoo Comanche as of 9:20pm AEDT is 12:38am and 44 seconds AEDT just past midnight on Thursday morning — which would fall short of the existing mark by about two hours.

In the race for overall honours, NSW boat Celestial — which was in line to win overall last year before being demoted on protest — leads from New Zealand boat Caro, and American entry Warrior Won.

Only two of the 109 entries in the race have retired so far. The two-handed boat Avalanche retired early in the race, with a reported damaged bowsprit, while Yeah Baby retired early on Monday evening.

Look back at how the race unfolded on Monday on our blog.

• 6:45 AM 6:45 AM Mon 26 Dec 2022 at 6:45am Andoo Comanche's lead increases - a race record could be on the cards!
• 3:32 AM 3:32 AM Mon 26 Dec 2022 at 3:32am We have a battle at the top!
• 2:21 AM 2:21 AM Mon 26 Dec 2022 at 2:21am LawConnect hits the front as Andoo Comanche protests!

Live updates

That's where we'll leave it.

By Andrew McGarry

It's been an eventful first six hours of this year's Sydney to Hobart, with protests, near misses and a fast start that leaves Andoo Comanche in pole position for line honours and a possible race record.

But don't rule out its rival supermaxis - LawConnect,   Hamilton Island Wild Oats and Black Jack!

The wrap of the day's racing will be live shortly. Keep an eye on this article for any major updates during the evening and there will be new stories tomorrow to keep track of the leaders as they get closer to Hobart.

Thanks to everyone for joining us today on the blog -   from myself, Andrew McGarry, have a good evening.  

Change in the placings

The order of the top boats on the water has not changed for some time, but now as we get towards the evening, there is one change we can report.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats is still getting a decent wind as it sits closest to the shore of the four leaders.

The boat has moved into third spot, passing Black Jack.

Hamilton Island Wild Oats is seven nautical miles from the leader, going at 22.3 knots. Black Jack (20.4 knots) is now 8.2 nautical miles from the leader.

An example of the effect handicap has on the race for overall honours

So when we talk about overall honours, we also call it handicap honours. That is because the organisers use a "handicap" - similar to horse-racing but not based on weight carried - to make the race fair between boats of different sizes.

As said previously, as of now, Andoo Comanche is on course to break its own race record from 2017.

However, when you look at the leaderboard for overall honours, you see why it is hard for the supermaxis to win overall.

The leader, Celestial, is predicted to cross the line on Wednesday morning at about 7:33am AEDT. When the handicap of 1.390 is applied, Celestial's corrected arrival time is for 12:09:48am on the Thursday (i.e) just after midnight.

If we look at Andoo Comanche, the predicted arrival time (which changes constantly) is now 7:53:17pm AEDT tomorrow night.

Because of its size, Andoo Comanche has a handicap of 2.047 - on corrected time, it's expected finish time is 4:13:40am AEDT on December 29, more than 32 hours after it would physically finish the race.

Right now, Andoo Comanche is 14th for overall honours. We will see if the northerly winds that are due to help the supermaxis help move the boat up the list as the race goes on.

Andoo Comanche's lead increases - a race record could be on the cards!

Andoo Comanche is keeping up a solid speed on the way south, with the supermaxi still going at 25.4 knots, situated 32 nautical miles south-east of Jervis Bay - that's a lead of 5.5 nautical miles over LawConnect.

The interesting statistic right now is the estimated time of arrival - according to the race website, Andoo Comanche is due to come into Hobart at 7:52pm and 55 seconds AEDT tomorrow night.

If that happens, then the John Winning Jr-owned boat would smash the race record by more than two hours!

As things stand, LawConnect is estimated to finish at 10:16:07pm AEDT - 43 seconds outside the existing record of Comanche.

A word of caution, however. There is NO guarantee that winds will stay this strong all the way, and if there are flat spots then that estimated finish time will blow out.

Plus, of course, there is no idea what the Derwent will have in store. If the winds die down in the river tomorrow evening, then it may not matter how quickly the boats get down there.  

A clip of LawConnect in the Sydney to Hobart

This article contains content that is not available.

LawConnect has had a good day so far, taking the lead for a section of the afternoon before giving up the top spot to Andoo Comanche.

The boat's team have released a clip of them in action on the harbour.

You can also follow them in action on the water with their livestream here .

Still a clear top four at the top

Back to line honours again, and the top four is clear, four hours into the race.

As the leaders approach Jervis Bay, Andoo Comanche leads by four nautical miles from LawConnect, then Black Jack trails the leader by 6.2 nautical miles, and Hamilton Island Wild Oats is fourth, 6.5 nautical miles back.

There is a gap of more than seven nautical miles from Wild Oats to the rest of the fleet, led by Stefan Racing, with Willow just behind further out from shore.

An early update on the race for overall honours

While the focus is on the four at the front, let's take a quick look at the race for the overall win.

As we said previously, the weather may well affect this more than most years. If it's true that the top four could make it to Hobart (or at least the Derwent) on just one set of northerly winds, while the smaller boats could be hit by one or two changes on the way south, then even the handicap may not be enough to even things out.

As of the latest update at 4:30pm AEDT, the American-owned Warrior Won is 21 nautical miles east of Kiama, and is going at 17.7 knots.

It's estimated finish on corrected time is 3:26:38am (AEDT).

It's nearest competitor is New Zealand boat Caro, which is at the same spot - 21 nautical miles east of Kiama - but whose estimated finish is five minutes 26 seconds behind Warrior Won.

In third is the NSW boat Gweilo, a further two minutes 45 seconds behind on estimated time.

Next is Celestial - which won overall line honours before being demoted on protest.

As they say in the (bluewater) classics, this is VERY early days, and will change a fair bit depending on events, the weather patterns and how clear a run the big four get.

Andoo Comanche is ripping along

Things are going well on board the leader Andoo Comanche.

The supermaxi is passing Nowra and has picked up speed again, to be running at 28.4 knots (52.6 kmh).

Clearly the further out you go, the better the wind - at least for them.

The winds are stronger again, with all three of Comanche's rivals going at a minimum of 22 knots (40.7 kmh).

One boat out of the race so far

We have confirmation that the two-handed boat Avalanche is the first entry out of this year's Sydney to Hobart.

It is understood that the James Murchison-owned Hick 40 boat went back to port with a damaged bow sprit.

It is the second time that the boat has been forced to retire from the race - in 2015 Avalanche was launched and contested the race, before retiring with hull damage.

Decent winds predicted for tomorrow evening

It's early days ... but having a look on Windy , the predictions are for 40 to 50km an hour northerly winds blowing the fleet due south through late tomorrow afternoon into the evening and night, which means if it's not going to be a race record, it might not be far off it.

The idea of the leaders being downwind the whole way to the Iron Pot will do their chances no harm - the big question is, what will the River Derwent have in store? Many a contender has slowed down or come to a standstill and watched their chances go out the window in the final stages.

We will have to wait and see.  

The leaders have passed Wollongong

The head of the fleet is going past Port Kembla, two and a half hours after the start.

Andoo Comanche is still getting the best of the wind, furthest out from shore. The leader is picking up speed and going at 24.5 knots, extending the lead over Law Connect to 2.1 nautical miles.

Black Jack is going at 20 knots and is 3.2 nautical miles back, while Hamilton Island Wild Oats is 4.0 nautical miles back, at 21 knots.

Will this be a race of two races?

As we settle in for the run down the coast, the question is what the weather will do and how it will affect the fleet.

So far, the winds are solid but not spectacular. The leading four boats are all travelling at between 19 and 21.5 knots (35.2 - 39.8 kmh).

The expectation is that the winds will remain northerly (i.e. pushing the boats south towards Hobart) and will increase in strength as the afternoon goes on.

The overall forecast is that the winds will stay northerly all the way to Hobart - at least for the leading bunch of boats.

The first real change will come on Wednesday, when a trough is expected to shift the winds to southerly, making it harder for boats to keep speed up.

By the time that trough comes, however, the leading chances may well have finished the race!

Just remember, the race record is one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds - so to set a new mark, boats will have to reach Hobart before 10:15pm AEDT tomorrow night.

It's getting tasty up the front

We are getting a sense of the different plans at play for the leading chances as we head towards the two-hour mark.

There is an arrayed line of four, outside to inside (out to sea to closest to shore).

Andoo Comanche leads on the wide line, with just under 600 nautical miles to go to the finish.

Inside her and a little further astern is LawConnect, which is still travelling well, 0.7 nautical miles behind.

Next is Black Jack, a little further in to shore and 1.5 nautical miles behind.

In fourth is Hamilton Island Wild Oats, but after all the swearing and penalties and lost ground earlier, Mark Richards and his crew are hitting the mark now. The boat is picking up speed on an inside line, and is going at 19.2 knots, just 2.3 nautical miles behind.

Some photographers will do ANYTHING for a Sydney to Hobart picture

There are camera crews on board various boats in the harbour for the start of the race, and they then have to make a hasty exit - unless they want to take the long route to Hobart!

But it's not just the TV folks who brave the water. Getty Images' Mark Evans got up close and personal to the water to get this amazing shot of Stefan Racing . Hopefully he's dry now...

We have a battle at the top!

With the leaders well and truly out in the open going down the coast, the supermaxis are able to take advantage of the winds from the north.

Andoo Comanche has found its sea-legs, so to speak, and is absolutely flying! Right now the John Winning Jr-owned entry is the furthest out to sea, going at just under 25 knots.

Comanche has caught up with LawConnect and is officially level, but   has a 3.9 knot wind advantage over its rival.

A little further back is last year's line honours winner Black Jack, travelling at 20.1 knots. Hamilton Island Wild Oats is sticking closer to shore, but isn't getting the big wind. Wild Oats is 1.6 nautical miles behind the two leaders, going at 17.9 knots.

Get ready, this could be a four-way race all the way down the coast!

Big crowds watch the start

The rest of the top 10

We've been focused on the big four, because they are the ones likely to fight it out for line honours.

But the rest of the top 10 has some interesting names there.

In fifth is the Botin 80 boats Stefan Racing, owned and skippered by Grant Wharington.

Next is the Reichel Pugh Maxi 72 URM Group, followed by Willow, whose best finish was fourth for line honours in 2016.

Then we have Moneypenny, owned and skippered by Sean Langman, and then Tasmanian boat Alive, which won the race overall in 2018. Rounding out the top 10 is Whisper, owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine.  

What's the wind doing?

At the moment, the winds seem to be northerly / north-easterly, which will assist the boats in going down the coast.

The forecast says the leaders could well get all the way to Hobart with helping winds, which is why the tip is that the race record could be in danger.

The record is held by Comanche - in 2017 the race was won in one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds.

Just to show you how things can change, depending on the winds ... last year, Black Jack took line honours, crossing the line in two days, 12 hours, 37 minutes and 17 seconds.    

LawConnect still the one to catch

LawConnect is going nicely in the lead, the supermaxi has clear air in front.

Black Jack is second, and then there is a fair gap back to the other two leaders. Wild Oats is sticking closer to the coast, while Andoo Comanche is further out to sea in search of the best wind.

Another view from Sydney Harbour

Various ABC reporters have been out and about on the harbour for the start, and Nick Sas has posted this beautiful clip of the boats against a gorgeous blue sky.

Local news:

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Comanche backed to defend sydney to hobart crown in any weather.

Sydney Hobart race set to sail

Skipper John Winning Jr is backing Andoo Comanche to defend her line honours title in any conditions as the Rolex Sydney to Hobart ’s weather forecast remains unpredictable.

On Christmas Eve, the Bureau of Meteorology said uncertainty remained as to wind, waves and weather from Boxing Day after revealing an unusually vague long-range forecast on Monday.

The position of a trough and low-pressure system moving south-east on Tuesday and Wednesday is set to dictate conditions. More clarity is expected early on December 26.

The four 100ft supermaxi yachts may have to contend with stormy conditions from late Tuesday into Wednesday, with showers, gusts and hail all possible for the far-south NSW Coast and Bass Strait.

“Pack another set of thermal gear. It’ll be cold,” said SHK Scallywag skipper David Witt.

The forecast has changed throughout the week, leaving crews to suggest that having an adaptable navigator on board could be a game-changer.

“For us, it’s about trusting each person’s role on the boat,” Winning said.

“We back our boat in any conditions to win the race, whether it’s upwind, downwind, light wind, reaching or whatever it is.

“Obviously we’d like conditions that would see us get there as fast as possible.

“But if it is that we’re out there for 48-plus hours, then we still think our boat is fast in all conditions and we’ve proven that in previous races.”

Last year, Comanche stormed to Constitution Dock in one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds - the second-fastest time for any line honours winner in Hobart history.

Winning’s boat thrived in heavy, downwind conditions in 2022 but the skipper said a line honours win in last year’s Brisbane to Hamilton Island race proved she could stick it in lighter weather.

“We had an edge in the other conditions, when it was a bit windier or reaching. We put distance on (the other supermaxis) a lot faster than they put distance on us in the light,” he said.

“That gave us a lot of confidence.

“We think we’re the fastest boat downwind in wind and we think we can hang in there in the light as well as anyone.

“Certainly it’s not going to be three knots the whole way to Hobart.”

LawConnect, runner-up for line honours in the last three Hobarts, looms as Comanche’s biggest threat to clinching back-to-back John H Illingworth Challenge Cups.

The boat’s crew will hope their dominance of this month’s Big Boat Challenge on Sydney Harbour can translate to a fast start out of the Heads on Boxing Day.

LawConnect, formerly known as InfoTrack and Perpetual Loyal, is particularly strong upwind.

“If we could get that all the way, that’d be awesome,” said sailing master Tony Mutter.

LawConnect won’t shy away from the rough conditions that could come with the predicted low pressure system.

“We actually prefer it, the more tactical it is, the better for us, we feel,” Mutter said.

“We kind of need that to be a thing for us to have a chance to win.”

How to watch

The Rolex Sydney to Hobart will be on Seven and 7plus from 12:30pm AEDT on Boxing Day.

The race officially starts at 1pm AEDT with the traditional firing of a starting canon at Sydney Harbour.

Sydney to Hobart fleet

103 yachts have confirmed their participation for this year’s race. The full list of entrants can be found here .

Stream free on

Is Zephyr Australia's oldest yacht?

A registration project run by the National Maritime Museum may have confirmed the seniority of a sturdy South Australian cutter. Phoenix Arrien reports:

WE KNOW they certainly don’t make ‘em like they used to, but how long have they been making the yachts we now treasure as classics’ The newly launched Australian Historic Vessel Register, a clearing house for information about local boats built before 1970 is helping to answer that question. On current information, they believe the honour of being recognised as 'Australia's oldest yacht' might belong to Zephyr, a sturdy gaff cutter launched in 1873.

The historic yacht certainly has a rich and varied past. She is currently in superb condition – a tribute to 19th Century craftsmanship and the dedication and pride of 21st Century classic enthusiasts.

Zephyr's first owner was a notable identity in the South Australian colony, Supreme Court Judge Sir William Henry Bundy. ‘The Judge’, who was was also a state MP, commissioned Zephyr as a sea-going cutter of 22 tons. He wanted a boat in which “three or four companions could be comfortably entertained”. She was designed by William Taylor and built in huon pine by Robert Playfair in Adelaide. Another local craftsman, William Russell, made the sails.

The Judge learned to sail on Zephyr and became one of Australia’s great cruising yachtsmen, eventually writing a book of his sailing memories, including his special fondness for Zephyr. The book also featured Port Lincoln and the town subsequently became the terminus for South Australia’s largest annual yachting event, the Adelaide – Port Lincoln Week. At the time of launching, the Adelaide Observer newspaper described Zephyr as having “Huon pine for planking and Kauri Pine for the deck, elm bent timbers and gum floors every four feet of her length. Cemented inside as high as the light water-line ‘ copper and brass are the only metals used ‘ the hull had a great rise of floor and a fine entry, but was filled out above the waterline to provide buoyancy in heavy seas. The upright stem and the long overhanging taffrail and square stern were thoroughly approved of in a yacht of this size, although some sailors despised the square stern.”

The newspaper reported Zephyr’s launch at Port Adelaide on 25 August 1873 in great detail. “There were fair ladies and brave men present – the horny handed sons of toil, members of Parliament and members of the press, sea captains in full commission and sea captains who had long given up the idea.

“The band played 'Rule Britannia'. The yacht lay on her ways like a lady adorned for a ball. Garlands and wreaths of flowers decorated each end. In our colony matters of this kind should be treated as they really deserve.”

To have a boat still afloat that began its life in such a splendid way is a treasure of yachting history.

Bundy, who was also the Commodore of the yacht club, responded to the toasts by saying that there was no sport dearer to his heart. “The recreation of yachting is a health-giving one and therefore to be greatly preferred to the many amusements in the pursuit of which night was often turned into day.” This sentiment was greeted by “prolonged cheering”.

The Judge cruised and raced Zephyr until selling her to a Mr R. Honey who succeeded him as Commodore of the SAYC in 1885. Honey put the vessel into racing trim by adding more lead to her keel and increasing the sail area.

By 1893 Zephyr’s racing days were over and she was registered as a fishing boat. This was the toughest part of her career. For the better part of a century she worked the treacherous waters around Kangaroo Island. From 1902 the yacht was owned by William Russell, her original sailmaker. Then records of her ownership peter out until the mid 1980’s when Zephyr turned up in Hobart.

Her current owner, James Madigan, fell in love with the cutter in 1993 and she currently lives in Victoria’s Melbourne Docklands. James lives in America, but Melbourne locals Stephen Majernik and Vic O’Driscol, along with a band of enthusiasts, sail and care for the boat. They enjoy the support of Melbourne Docklands and Greg Blunt from C. Blunt Boat Builders.

Majernik recently sailed Zephr on a four week circumnavigation of Tasmania including a visit to the Australian Wooden Boat Festival in Hobart. He explains that the yacht is not in its original condition.

“Zephyr has been through a few different lives. She has been run aground, replanked, refastened and had her decks raised. She used to have a top mast and now has a pole mast. The bowsprit is shorter but the keel is original. When the vessel was originally built she looked a bit different, so the old girl has had a few facelifts.

The owner has considered restoring her to the original sail plan and rigging, but this would be an expensive project.

The claim that Zephyr is Australia's 'oldest' yacht is often challenged. David Payne, who runs the historic register for the National Maritime Museum, believes that a handful of other craft are within reach, including Akarana, a cutter that raced in the Australian Centennial races of 1888. (That yacht can be seen at the Museum's marina in Sydney.)

‘I am not aware of any other boat older then Zephyr, though I am hoping that the new Australian Register of Historic Vessels (ARHV) will confirm this by attracting registrations for any older boat from, say, somewhere like Tasmania.

‘The oldest boat on the Historic Register is currently the Port Fairy Life Boat dating from 1857. It was manned by local fisherman and used to help sailors in trouble in the treacherous waters off the western Victorian coast.’

Another yacht that has emerged as a contender for the honour of being our oldest yacht is Kelpie, reputedly designed and built in 1884. ‘It’s a deep keel gaff cutter and it is old,’ confirms Payne. ‘Kelpie is often claimed to be a Fife design and to have been launched in 1884, then stored and relaunched in 1893 or thereabouts. But a newspaper article I came across from the period suggests it was designed and built in Sydney, and launched in 1893.

So Zephyr certainly seems to have a strong claim on being the oldest. These veteran yachts provide a framework for understanding our modern vessels, as well as a direct connection to this history of Australia's yachting culture. We should be glad that their sails are still catching the breeze, after more than 100 years.

The Zephyr team would welcome any additional information about her history and are also seeking support to help keep her ‘afloat’. Those in a position to help should contact Stephen on 0425 797 480 or email to [email protected]

Is your yacht more than 35 years old, a rare or significant vessel, have important connections with a community,significant people or events’

The Australian National Maritime Museum, in association with the Sydney Heritage Fleet, is encouraging the owners of old boats to register on the ‘Australian Register of Historic Vessels'. This scheme will help conserve our maritime heritage by assembling a broad The Register is available as a free digital database on the Australian National Maritime Museum’s website at www.anmm.gov.au/arhv.

The Register already lists more than 100 vessels, ranging from an early Australian surfboard and an indigenous one-person fishing raft to a Murray River paddle steamer, a Newcastle collier and a former Royal Australian Navy destroyer.

Contact: ARHV Project Officer David Payne at the Australian National Maritime Museum, GPO Box 5131, SYDNEY NSW 2001, telephone (02)9298 3777, fax (02) 9298 3780 or email [email protected]

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

Handicap winner still in balance

• 30 Dec, 2009 07:14:00 PM

The smallest boat in the fleet, Zephyr Hamilton Elevators, was as of this evening still well in the running to win the IRC overall handicap division of the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

The smallest boat in the fleet, Zephyr Hamilton Elevators, was as of this evening, still well in the running to win the IRC overall handicap division of the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Zephyr is a Sea Nymph 33 co-owned by James Connell and Alex Braddon from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.  She won division E in the 2007 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

The Sea Nymph 33 design is extremely fast downwind and is well-suited to the strong northerly wind prevailing on the lower Tasmanian east coast, forecast to reach 20-30 knots by evening.

The final 40 nautical miles of the 628nm course, with the northerly forecast to blow at 15-25 knots with gusts to 30 knots, which will put Zephyr on the wind, and will certainly slow and may end her chances of winning the Tattersall's Cup for IRC overall handicap.

At 1550, Zephyr had 46 miles to go, and was doing 9.7 knots for an estimated finish at 2311, well inside the time she needed to take first place (0131 on Dec 31).

Second and third on corrected time standings were two of Beneteau's new First 40s, which have already finished: Two True (Andrew Saies) from the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia and Wicked (Mike Welsh) from Sandringham Yacht Club.

The Farr-designed First 40 is a replacement for the successful Beneteau 40.7.  First National Real Estate, a Beneteau 40.7, skippered by Michael Spies, was the overall handicap winner of the 2003 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Two True, in second spot, still has to face a protest by the Tasmanian Inglis 39, She's the Culprit (Todd Leary), which was badly damaged after the race start in a jam of boats converging on the first rounding mark at Sydney Heads and had to retire.

With some of the boats named in the protest documents still racing, the International Jury has deferred the protest until tomorrow morning (Dec 31).

Zephyr has also signaled by radio to the race committee that she will lodge protests against three boats, without specifying who they are, after finishing. That protest could also arise from the crush of boats in the 100-boat fleet converging to leave Sydney Harbour.

Two True and Wicked finished fast under spinnakers before a moderate southeasterly sea breeze early this afternoon, with Two True crossing 22 minutes ahead of Wicked.

Saies said: "It was a very difficult and frustrating race. Having had a couple of light patches on the way down, we thought we were through it and then we got a third one, 25 miles from Tasman Light last night; around 3:00am we were flapping around for three hours."

Tactician Brett Young said Two True had followed a strategy of always being well east of the rhumbline and had received a favourable push from the current in two major eddies.

"Our routing was always east of the rhumbline," said Young.  "It's the first time I've ever done that.  And we had really good competition from Wicked.  They sailed hard, but we got through them.  We really stuck to our game plan, even with the weather not being anything like what it was originally forecast.  We only came into Tasmania when we could lay Tasman Island."

Young said the First 40 had performed well in the bumpy seaway following the southerly front.  "Last night was a tough night, but that's when this boat comes into its own.  In a seaway, it just goes faster."

Mark Welsh, boat manager and tactician on Wicked for his owner-skipper father Mike Welsh, said: "We chose the design after a lot of searching around the world for one that would be very competitive in IRC racing and it looks like we might have chosen successfully."

A third new First 40 was racing, Paca (Philippe Mengual) from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.  "So our race really depended on watching the other two boats, said Mark.  "All credit to Two True, they sailed an absolutely sensational race.

"On the second night out, even though we were with them off Gabo Island, we couldn't hold them.  They sailed very, very well that night, got through us and from there we were just playing catch-up and we couldn't catch them.  They did a great job."

The only IRC division decided, with all boats finished, is Division 0 for canting-keeled boats.  The line honours winner Alfa Romeo (Neville Crichton), a Reichel Pugh100, won from the Cookson 50 Evolution Racing (Ray Roberts), with the modified Jones Volvo 70 Ichi Ban (Matt Allen) third.

With 48 yachts finished, and five yachts retired, there are 47 yachts still racing to the finish in Hobart.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has entries representing the USA, UK, New Zealand, Spain, the Netherlands, and New Caledonia as well as every Australian state.

Official race website For more information about the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2009 including the entry list, yacht tracker and standings, please visit the event website at www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

Fans of social networking can follow the race via Twitter at twitter.com/rshyr

Media Information & Photos To receive daily reports and to download high-resolution images, copyright free for editorial purposes, register online at www.regattanews.com

For further media information please contact:

International Press Information Key Partners (KPMS) Susan Maffei Plowden M: + 61 (0) 416643510 [email protected] www.regattanews.com www.kpms.com

Australian Media Information Lisa Ratcliff RSH Media Manager M. +61 (0) 418 428 511 E: [email protected]

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

• Line Honours

Full Standings available approximately three hours after the start.

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!