sydney to hobart yacht race entries

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2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Entries Open

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to welcome entries for eligible yachts for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The 78th edition of the historic 628 nautical mile classic will start on Sydney Harbour at 1pm on Tuesday 26 December 2023. An international and highly competitive fleet is expected to participate this year following the success of what has been described as a ‘Classic Hobart’ in 2022 which saw 109 entrants on the starting line – the first race not heavily impacted by border restrictions since the 75th Anniversary race in 2019. A tightly contested upwind start on Sydney Harbour was followed by a fast run down the NSW coastline before the main fleet experienced challenging conditions and strong breeze as they approached Hobart. Sam Haynes’ TP52 Celestial was the Overall Winner of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart. John Winning Jr’s 100ft maxi Andoo Comanche took Line Honours in a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes. Both are expected to defend their titles in 2023. Eight international boats from across the globe competed in 2022, including  Caro,  (winner of the 2022 Australian Championships and Division 1 at Les Voiles de St Barthes),  Warrior Won,  (Winner 2022 RORC Caribbean 600), and Sunrise,  (Winner of the 2022 Rolex Fastnet Race and 2nd in the Rolex Middle Sea Race). Nineteen boats competed as two-handed entries with Ruper Henry’s Lombard 34 Mistral taking IRC honours.   Arthur Lane, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said: “We expect a strong fleet to contest the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart with the prospect of our many local racing teams from all states of Australia being joined by a world-class group of international entrants. There has already been early interest shown by overseas teams. “The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia once again extends its warm appreciation to Rolex for its ongoing support of the Race and sailing globally as well as to our many valued race partners including our good friends at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania as Race Finishing Partner.” Entries for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart close at 1700hrs on Friday 27 October 2023. NOTICE OF RACE RACE ENTRY

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2022 RSHYR Boxing Day Start CREDIT: Rolex | Carlo Borlenghi

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – Entries Open

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to welcome entries for eligible yachts for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

The 78th edition of the historic 628 nautical mile classic will start on Sydney Harbour at 1pm on Tuesday 26 December 2023.

An international and highly competitive fleet is expected to participate this year following the success of what has been described as a ‘Classic Hobart’ in 2022 which saw 109 entrants on the starting line – the first race not heavily impacted by border restrictions since the 75th Anniversary race in 2019.

A tightly contested upwind start on Sydney Harbour was followed by a fast run down the NSW coastline before the main fleet experienced challenging conditions and strong breeze as they approached Hobart.

Sam Haynes’ TP52 Celestial was the Overall Winner of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart. John Winning Jr’s 100ft maxi Andoo Comanche took Line Honours in a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes. Both are expected to defend their titles in 2023.

Eight international boats from across the globe competed in 2022, including Caro, (winner of the 2022 Australian Championships and Division 1 at Les Voiles de St Barthes), Warrior Won, (Winner 2022 RORC Caribbean 600), and Sunrise, (Winner of the 2022 Rolex Fastnet Race and 2nd in the Rolex Middle Sea Race).

Nineteen boats competed as two-handed entries with Ruper Henry’s Lombard 34 Mistral taking IRC honours.

Arthur Lane, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, said: “We expect a strong fleet to contest the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart with the prospect of our many local racing teams from all states of Australia being joined by a world-class group of international entrants. There has already been early interest shown by overseas teams.

“The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia once again extends its warm appreciation to Rolex for its ongoing support of the Race and sailing globally as well as to our many valued race partners including our good friends at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania as Race Finishing Partner.”

Visit the Rolex Sydney Hobart website to view entrants

Entries for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart close at 1700hrs on Friday 27 October 2023.

NOTICE OF RACE RACE ENTRY The 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 26 December.

• This is the 78th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
• The race is 628 nautical miles.
• 109 boats started the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 100 finishing.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race | Official Media Release

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Entries for the 2023 rolex sydney hobart yacht race close on the 27th of october.

With entries for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race closing soon and less than 70 days to its start on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, the organiser of the 628 nautical mile ocean classic, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, is encouraged by the quality and breadth of the fleet already confirmed.

89 boats in total have entered to date.

There are nine international entries: Antipodes and SHK Scallywag (Hong Kong), Eye Candy (New Caledonia), Caro and Niksen (New Zealand), Lenny (USA), Teasing Machine (France), Rockall 8 (Germany) and Cinnamon Girl (Ireland). This list includes race yachts that have previously featured on Rolex Sydney Hobart podiums for both scratch (Line Honours) and handicap (IRC Overall) standings. It features boats that have triumphed in recent offshore races around the globe.

Local entries come from all states of Australia – 41 from NSW, 16 (QLD), 12 (VIC), one (SA), two (WA) and five (TAS) and represent some of the finest teams in the Southern Hemisphere.

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Overall Winner, Sam Hayne’s TP52 Celestial will be back to defend her Tattersall Cup title, having also placed 2nd in the 2021 Race:

“Celestial is aiming to back up our 2022 overall victory and 2021 second place with another good showing for the 2023 RSHYR. Celestial has shown she is fast over the last few seasons. And we aim to step up again in performance. The crew lined up for 2023 is second to none in my opinion. Celestial will have some tweaks to rig and sail wardrobe to add an edge. Ultimately, we will do what we can for our yacht and campaign against what is a strong field. The Great Race, as it’s known amongst the fleet, is the ultimate yachting event and we will do our best. Good luck to all the yachts and fellow sailors.” – Sam Haynes.

The competition for Overall Honours is wide open across all divisions with the likes of the mini maxi crews of Alive (2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart winner), Antipodes (2023 Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race winner), Moneypenny (2022/23 Ocean Racing Team of the Year), No Limit, (3rd 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart as Voodoo), URM Group (2023 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast winner) and Whisper (2022 Flinders Islet Race Line Honours and Overall winner), likely to be in contention, as will be the seven 52-footers that have featured in most major races and regattas in Australia over recent years. There are many other smaller race boats with great pedigree and results on the board that have been getting peoples attention in 2023 and, given the right conditions, could well take out the main prize.

20 competitors haven entered the PHS division and represent a broad range of racer/cruisers of all shapes, sizes and vintages.

Four 100-footers are lining up to contest Line Honours this year in pursuit of the coveted John H. Illingworth Challenge Cup. 2022 (and 2019) winner, John Winning Jr’s Andoo Comanche returns, having been in formidable form over recent months:

“We’ve spent a lot of time in the offseason preparing the boat in an effort to extract as many performance gains as possible. We also have a whole new sail wardrobe from North Sails that we were able to test in the Winter races up north and feel comfortable with where we are at. However, there is still plenty more fine tuning to do and the remainder of the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore gives us a great platform to put the boat and crew through their paces. We can’t wait for Boxing Day.” – John ‘Herman’ Winning Jr.

The other three maxis have all featured in Line Honours results in recent years: Christian Beck’s Law Connect (placed 2nd in its last three appearances), Seng Huang Lee’s SHK Scallywag (3rd in 2021 and recently undertaking a major rebuild), and Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing 100 (formerly the Botin 80, Stefan Racing – 6th and 4th in the last two Rolex Sydney Hobarts and now increased in length by 20 feet).

There are 14 intrepid teams making up the Two-Handed division, including 2022 Two-Handed IRC winner, Rupert Henry’s Mistral and 3rd placed Peter Elkington’s Pacman. The list is a who’s who of short-handed sailing in Australia. Once again, it promises to be a tight tussle. 2021 inaugural winner, Jules Hall’s Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth will be racing fully-crewed in 2023, but many of the other crews that have contended over the two years since the division’s inclusion in 2021 will be on the start line on Boxing Day, including Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham who make a popular return on the diminutive Currawong which arrived on New Year’s Eve last year to a rapturous reception.

The 78th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is the final race in the six-race 2023/24 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore and is considered one of the world’s greatest offshore races.

In the lead up to the race, the CYCA will also be hosting the 2023 Australian Maxi Championship (1 – 5 December) for the maxi and mini maxis who will be competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart later in December.

For morre information visit rolexsydneyhobart.com

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Sydney to Hobart yacht race: How two days of sailing came down to just 51 seconds

The skipper of the line honours-winning yacht in this year's Sydney to Hobart race says the victory is all the more remarkable because his boat, LawConnect, is a "shitbox" compared to second-place getter and race favourite Andoo Comanche.

"I know it looks good on TV but if you go up close to that boat, it's rough as anything and Comanche is a beautiful boat, it's better in every way, four tonnes lighter etc.," Christian Beck said.

"Shitbox" or not, LawConnect overtook Andoo Comanche in the River Derwent in the final moments of the 2023 race to take out its first line honours in a sensational daylight finish, just 51 seconds ahead of its rival.

"The lead changed several times, they took the lead pretty close to the line, we thought there's no way we can get it back," Beck said.

"There were guys [on board] that couldn't watch, it was very nerve-racking."

In a race that took the two leaders almost two days to finish, the turning point began just a couple of nautical miles from the finish line.

As Andoo Comanche tried to build speed off the Hobart suburb of Sandy Bay and seemed to stall in very little wind, Law Connect made its move.

'"They seem to be accelerating out of the jibes a lot quicker than Andoo Comanche, so I don't think Andoo have a lot of options here, I think they're going to get rolled … really aggressive moves by LawConnect," said Lisa Darmanin, a commentator for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia. 

But, not long after Andoo Comanche snatched it back again.

Then, in the second-closest finish in race history, LawConnect came back about 100 metres from the finish line. 

After being runner-up three times in a row, the sweetest moment arrived for Christian Beck as LawConnect crossed the finish line in a time of 1 day, 19 hours, 3 minutes and 58 seconds.

"I can't believe that result. Honestly it's a dream come true," he said.

How did they pull it off?

So just how did the "underdog" manage to snatch the win away from Andoo Comanche after it held the lead comfortably while rounding the Tasman Peninsula and entering the River Derwent?

As we've heard, a lack of wind was a big factor.

"Our boat is big and wide and heavy and it's fast offshore but it is terribly slow when it is bumpy and no wind," the disappointed skipper of Andoo Comanche, John Winning said. 

"[As the finish line neared] we sent a guy up the rig and he said 'There's no wind at the finish, zero wind at the finish.'" 

But sailors are used to dealing with changes in wind so strategy was obviously a major factor at play too.

As well as the "aggressive jibing" from LawConnect, the winners were focused on learning from Andoo's "mistakes".

"Broadly, the strategy is to watch them and if they get into a bad spot, we avoid that bad spot," Beck said.

Spectator craft another factor

Then there were all the spectator boats to contend with.

In the final moments, a catamaran passed closely to Andoo Comanche and the crew was seen yelling and gesturing.

"We had all the spectator boats and we're trying to clear them out and they were like 'You've won', and we were like 'No! We have not won yet. Stop making waves everything is going to make a difference,'" Winning said.

Tasmania Police said action would be taken against a 57-year-old man for "allegedly breaching" marine and safety regulations.

"The man was skippering a private vessel when it reportedly encroached into the exclusion zone set by Marine and Safety Tasmania," it said in a statement.

The offence carries a fine of up to $3,900.

Winning said he didn't blame spectators for the result.

"I wouldn't have it any other way, I wish there were 500 of them," he said.

"It's even, everyone gets the same thing if they were ahead of us they would have had the wash but unfortunately we got the wash.

"Makes a little difference but that didn't cost us the race, we cost us the race."

And as the bubbly flows for the LawConnect crew, Beck is joking about now being able to offload the "shitbox".

"It's probably a good afternoon to sell it, the afternoon it beats Comanche, probably its highlight of its career, I'm sure."

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Sydney To Hobart Yacht race 2023: Rebuilt Wild Thing Out To Make Waves, Entries, Distance, History

In preparation for the 2023 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, a sailing mad scientist has bizarrely enlarged the 'Botox boat' in an effort to shock and amaze competitors in the prestigious ocean classic.

With the intention of playing a leading role in this year's Sydney to Hobart yacht race, the 'Botox boat' has undergone more cosmetic procedures than an aging Hollywood icon.

Grant Wharington, a self-proclaimed "mad scientist" in the sport of sailing, is the mastermind behind the makeover of a boat that was originally 80 feet long into a supermaxi that is 100 feet long, with the goal of winning the Sydney to Hobart yacht race in 2023.

Wharington has also renamed the old Stefan Racing yacht boat, which will now be used for the Race South Wild Thing 100. Although she is still being prepared for the race in a boat shed in Queensland, she will be ready in plenty of time to be on the starting line of this year's race on Boxing Day.

In addition to having been cut into four pieces, fattened up in the middle, and extended in the rear, Wild Thing will be rebuilt as a supermaxi and will have a new livery for the race that has a stunning black and pink color paint job. The boat will be 20 feet longer than it was before it was cut up and rebuilt.

It will compete against the metamorphosis of the livid pink and rainbowed 80-footer Stefan Racing, which finished sixth over the line in the race the previous year, into a supermaxi with the ability to not only earn line honors but perhaps the prized overall win. Stefan Racing finished sixth over the line in the race the previous year.

Wharington, who has previously expanded other yachts, remarked, "We cut her in half and put four meters in the middle and two meters at the back and it looks like it was almost meant to be."

Wild Thing 100's significant weight reduction in comparison to super maxi opponents Andoo Comanche, Scallywag, and LawConnect should put her in the lead in the 628-nautical-mile race to Tasmania later this year.

Originally from the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Wharington is now located on the Gold Coast. "We are hedging our bets to see how it works out," he added.

Late on Friday, registration for the 2023 race closed, and a fleet of 100+ yachts is expected to line up at the start.

Eleven boats are from outside the country, and some are sailed by just two people.

Former winner Black Jack from Queensland, who is currently racing in another country, and triple winner Wild Oats from New South Wales will not be competing.

With Wharington running in his 30th race to Hobart and also being a former winner with his old yacht Skandia winning back in 2013, the reinvented Wild Thing 100 will provide plenty of spice to the contest for line honors.

In 1945, nine yachts sailed from Sydney to Hobart, and the 34-footer Rani won line and overall honors.

In 2023, the fleet will consist of various boats that have previously won the line or the handicap race, including John 'Herman' Winning's 100-footer Andoo Comanche, which finished with the quickest time to Hobart the previous year.

Love and War, winner of numerous races overall in the past, as well as Celestial, winner of the race a year ago, will both compete.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

• 2020 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - List of Entries
• About the race
• Southern Cross Cup
• Race Reports
• Start & Finish Villages
• Hobart & Beyond

A list of the boats that had entered the 2020 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race prior to the decision that the race would not be conducted may be viewed here .

• 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!