sydney hobart yacht race prize money 2023

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE: TENACITY CONQUERS ALL

Hobart, 31 December 2023 –  The 78th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will go down in history as a relentlessly demanding test of determination, as well as physical and mental resilience. The record will highlight a tooth and nail fight to the finish for Line Honours, and a Tasmanian boat joining the select few to have achieved two overall wins in the event’s near eight decades. Organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in conjunction with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Rolex has partnered the iconic offshore challenge since 2002.

For both the overall winner, Philip Turner’s 66 ft (20-metre) Alive , and the 100 ft (30.5 m) line honours victor, Christian Beck’s LawConnect, tactical skill and awareness was a major factor alongside sheer endurance. This was especially so in the River Derwent, on the final approach to Hobart, where the fates of many fatigued crews were finally decided. The unwavering tenacity of offshore sailors and their capacity  to summon their deepest reserves all the way to the finish, has been a common theme throughout Rolex’s near 70-year relationship with yachting. A fleet of 103 yachts had signed up for the renowned 628-nautical mile undertaking, ranging from fully professional maxi racers to more Corinthian crews, and including some 18 two-handed boats. Departing Sydney Harbour on 26 December under mainly sunny skies and accompanied by the usual throng of enthusiastic onlookers, an uncertain and unsettled weather outlook ramped up the already high stakes of this notorious course. The presence of low pressure over the New South Wales coast and the ominous threat of troughs was fair warning of what was to follow. Rapidly developing thunderstorms, lightning, intense rain squalls and winds erratic in strength and direction enveloped the fleet during the first 24 hours of racing. A south westerly then moved in, leaving the bulk of the yachts heading across Bass Strait and down the coast of Tasmania in upwind conditions that would turn very heavy, with a total of 16 crews forced to retire over the course of the race.

Line Honours Although four yachts were initially tipped as contenders, the battle to be first across the line in Hobart came down to a two-horse race between 100-footers LawConnect and Andoo Comanche , with LawConnect just managing to steal ahead in the final nerve-wracking seconds, after almost two full days of stalking their opponents.

“To win line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is a dream come true, especially against Comanche because it’s such a good boat, and in a circumstance where the lead changed so much. It was an incredibly exciting experience all around.”

LawConnect ’s triumph was in fact clinched by the narrowest of margins, with the two boats just 51 seconds apart on the finish line. The second closest finish in the race’s history. The drama had commenced early for the Juan Kouyoumdjian design, as Beck explained:

“We had a great start and were first at the first mark. But when we went to furl our big masthead zero, the furling line broke and so we couldn't wrap up this massive sail. And we're coming straight towards the zone where all the spectator boats were and we couldn't tack...”

The 21-strong crew, which included four Corinthian sailors, managed to avert disaster and recovered quickly to set up a veritable match race with the defending line honours champion Andoo Comanche . Entering the Derwent three miles behind Comanche, Beck looked set to add to his tally of three second-place finishes and perennial bridesmaid status. However the river is no place for the faint of heart and often rewards those that hold their nerve and take their chances. While Beck feared the race was lost, his afterguard of Tony Mutter and Chris Nicholson – two of the southern hemisphere’s finest and most experienced ocean racing sailors – had other ideas. Working with the equally talented American navigator, Chris Lewis, they reeled in Comanche, setting up an enthralling and memorable finish as the two colossi traded tacks, gybes and ultimately the lead. Beck was quick to admit that the win was very much down to the steely resolve of his capable crewmates, whose belief and motivation was inspirational for the rest of the crew:

“The determination was from Tony Mutter and Chris Nicholson, they never give up no matter how bad it gets. They are the ones that got us over the line.”

Overall Winner Overall winner Alive previously claimed the Tattersall Cup in 2018, and had come tantalising close in 2019. In a serendipitous turn of events, their success this year marks the 75th anniversary of the first Tasmanian boat to secure two wins in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. George Gibson’s Westward famously achieved consecutive victories in 1947 and 1948. Long-time skipper, Duncan Hine, was also part of the winning 2018 crew.

“Tasmanian boats have a long history in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, and to be one of those Tasmanian boats to have won, and now won it twice, is phenomenal.”

“Starting with a collection of people who have memories over the 10 or 15 races they’ve done, our navigator Adrienne Cahalan was on her 31st, you’ve got a lot of stored knowledge. Everyone in this race, all the guys could not have done any more, you didn’t even have to ask, everyone was on it.”

Gaining an all-important advantage over the main body, Alive swept towards the finish hard on the tail of the slightly bigger URM Group, with whom she had been sparring for two days. History has proved time and again that anything can happen on the Derwent , and it was arguably a close relationship with the fickle river that swung it for Alive , which represents the Derwent Sailing Squadron, by just 20 minutes on corrected time.

“In the end the Derwent is kind to people that know it, a little home advantage,” explained Hine, who also has a fair idea of the human qualities the race calls for: “Endurance, focus, and then endurance again.”

Like Cahalan, and Beck, and the hosts of sailors who return to complete this tour-de-force year after year despite the adversity and punishing roster, it seems the pain is already a distant memory and Hine is looking to future editions of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

“It’s a tough race and you can’t even really dream you could win it twice, so now I’m starting to think maybe we’ve got a third in us.” he admitted with a smile.

Former Australian yachtswoman of the year Adrienne Cahalan, navigator on Alive and now a three-time overall winner, arriving tired, cold and wet into Hobart’s Constitution Dock, did not underestimate the ingredients required for success.

“A lot has got to come together to win this race, that’s why it is so hard. The weather patterns have to be right, your equipment, your team. You get such a broad range of conditions, you have to know how hard to push or not push, and we pushed hard in this race through rough conditions.”

Having just beaten more than 100 other competitors to raise the coveted Tattersall Cup, Cahalan was clear on what an immense achievement this was.

“The Tattersall Cup is very hard to win. It took me 15 years to win it the first time. It's a really hard race because so much has to come together. So when you do win it, it does take a lot. It's something that everybody wants to do, but owners have spent years and years and never got over the line.”

Internationally renowned as one of the most arduous rites of passage in ocean sailing, a historic offshore challenge that has captivated professional and Corinthian sailors alike since 1945, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race represents a cornerstone of Rolex’s association with world-class yachting endeavours. On a course so challenging that finishing is considered an achievement in itself, the pursuit of excellence, precision, and team spirit shine through, echoing the Swiss watchmaker’s enduring ethos.

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Virginie Chevailler

ROLEX AND YACHTING 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, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Royal Malta Yacht Club, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

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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Rolex Sydney Hobart Race winner decided by 51 seconds

• Helen Fretter
• December 27, 2023

The 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race line honours battle is settled in the final gybe after one of the closest finishes in the race’s history, with Law Connect winning ahead of long-time leader Andoo Comanche.

Law Connect has won the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race line honours, after the closest finish in over 40 years, which ended in a gybe-for-gybe battle up the Derwent River against long-time leader Andoo Comanche .

Andoo Comanche held the advantage going into the Derwent with a two-mile lead, John Winning Jr’s crew crowded onto the bow in the light early morning winds to try and lift Comanche’s 8m beamy transom, which gives the yacht the nickname the ‘aircraft carrier’.  

Law Connect followed up the Derwent River with a knot or two more breeze, and were able to close the gap some two miles from the finish line, but the waters outside Hobart were littered with glassy patches, and each boat repeatedly battled to maintain hull speed through windless holes.

After 628 miles of racing, the lead changed repeatedly in the final half hour, with Law Connect taking the advantage on the final gybe for the line to roll over the top of Andoo Comanche and cross the line ahead.  

Law Connect overtakes Andoo Comanche metres from the finish line of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Photo: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo

It was an exceptional display of light winds tactical match racing, with Law Connect helmsman Tony Mutter and tactician Chris Nicholson directing Christian Beck’s team to victory, after being 2nd on three previous years . Law Connect crossed the Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart at 08.03.58am local time after 1 day 19 hours 03 minutes 58 seconds of racing.

Beck gave a self-deprecating speech after, praising the crew for their efforts on a boat he admitted was not as fast or well-funded as their rivals. “I honestly can’t believe it. I rated it about a 25% chance we’d win, so to win was just amazing.

“An hour ago we were about 3 miles behind Comanche, so to win – I still can’t believe it.”

Law Connect (SYD 1000)a Juan K 100ft Custom design, on its way to winning the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race.

Mixed 2023 Sydney Hobart Race

The 2023 edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart has so far seen truly mixed conditions. The Boxing Day start delivered its customary spectacle, as the three 100ft maxis led the fleet out of a packed Sydney Habour. Law Connect gave an impromptu demonstration of how to gybe a giant overlapping headsail after breaking a furling line that left them unable to tack around a turning mark, while Scallywag took penalty turns once in clear water after a port-starboard incident with Comanche shortly after the start.

Start of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race. Photo: Rolex/Andrea Francolini

Over the first two days of racing the fleet had to contend with electrical storms, squalls and severe sea states, as well as periods of light winds, and there have been 11 retirements so far. They included another line honours hopeful, the 100ft Scallywag , which had to retire after snapping the bowsprit in the first day of racing.

Other boats retired due to rigging damage, mainsail damage, and severe seasickness caused by the unpleasant sea state.  

Most dramatically the double-handed entry Rum Rebellion retired after being knocked down and having a Man Overboard, who was safely recovered.  

Co-skipper Shane Connelly reported that they were approximately 20 miles offshore on the first evening of the race, sailing under full main and spinnaker in 6-10 knots of wind, when the wind suddenly increased to over 16 knots with a ‘ferocious’ looking storm cloud approaching from behind.  

The duo prepared to drop the spinnaker, but a micro-burst of wind hit the yacht, causing a knockdown. Connelly, who had gone forwards during the spinnaker drop, was thrown overboard but tethered, and as the boat righted was lifted back onboard. He reported after: “The safety drills and systems all worked and we could sort ourselves out”

The stormy conditions caused issues across the fleet on the first night. Aboard the Santa Cruz 72 Antipodes crew member Geoff Cropley reported this morning: “We had lightning and thunder for hours. Then there was a major wind shift which auto gybed the boat.

“The spinnaker got wrapped in the drop, along with spinnaker staysail. All the team was up and trying to untwist and get that down. It took us about 40 minutes. We were heading north-east and sailing backwards for a period of time.

“We’re now hunkered down with a reef in the main. There’s little bit of blue sky. It’s quite nice out here.”

Azzuro, an S&S 34 owned by Jack Kliner, with crew including Jessica Watson, during the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race. Photo: Rolex/Andrea Francolini

Meanwhile the battle for IRC overall continues. IRC 1 contender Alive , a Reichel Pugh 66 with a talent-packed crew including Gavin Brady, Stu Bannatyne and legendary Australian navigator Adrienne Cahalan, a veteran of 30 Hobart races. Close behind them on the IRC rankings is Hobart grandee, Sean Langman on the Reichel Pugh 69 Moneypenny led IRC 0, while the  S&S 34 Azzurro raced by Jessica Watson  is fastest of the small boats on the current IRC rankings.  

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A competitive fleet set for the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

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Eye on the prize – The contenders optimised for Sydney Hobart gold

As the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race draws nearer, anticipation is reaching its peak. Within the varied entries, many standout yachts are finalising their preparations, leveraging Cyclops’ wireless load sensors. Providing precise in-race load data via onboard displays, wireless load sensing has been part of the success stories of many top-performing yachts in recent editions of the Great Race.

In the last edition, Cyclops-equipped yachts included the overall winner, the entire podium of the two-handed division, the top two in IRC 3, and second across the line. As these yachts ready themselves for this year’s challenge, a focus will be harnessing this technology, by reacting to live load data on-screen to achieve consistently fast settings and adapt swiftly to changing conditions.

LawConnect Finishing second in the past three editions, ‘LawConnect’ will be determined to clinch the title this year. With the absence of Sydney Hobart legends (and fellow Cyclops sailors) Wild Oats XI, the field may seem more open, but competition will be intense – not least from formidable race record holder and multi-time champion Andoo Comanche. smart link sensors from Cyclops provide live and logged load data from LawConnect’s soft lines.

Celestial After finishing in an excruciating second to fellow Cyclops users ‘Ichi Ban’ in 2021 and returning to claim the Tattersall Cup in glorious fashion in 2022, ‘Celestial’ is back with yacht upgrades and a formidable crew. The overall winner is difficult to predict, but depending on conditions, things could favour the 52-footers, and you wouldn’t bet against them lifting the Tattersall Cup once again!

Maritimo 52 Queensland’s Bill Barry-Cotter brings Maritimo 52 into the fray, with the experienced Michael Spies as Sailing Master. Another TP52 fitted with Cyclops wireless load sensing technology, she could certainly be one to watch as things unfold.

Atomic Blonde A lot depends on conditions, but the smaller boats could also be in with a chance of overall glory. Simon Torvaldsen’s newly Australian built JPK 11.80, ‘Atomic Blonde’ is a new boat for a team with a history of divisional wins and offshore championships. Atomic Blonde is equipped with a smart tune from Cyclops on the forestay. smart tune provides live forestay loads – the most emphatic upgrade for consistently achieving optimal settings, it provides an overall picture of the dynamic balance of the rig. 

Two-Handed Contenders: The two-handed division is an arena where Cyclops sailors asserted sheer dominance in last year’s race. With the entire podium – Lombard 34 ‘Mistral’, Sun Fast 3300 ‘Sun Fast Racing’, and Young 11 ‘Pacman’ – all using the game-changing tech.

Load data is a huge asset to all race teams, but for shorthanded sailors it can make a world of difference, allowing you to focus on the changing conditions and get the best out of your equipment, conserving energy and mental focus, with full confidence that your rig is optimised and you are hitting your targets.

Offshore racing also presents the challenge of sailing at night. Learn more about how Cyclops can be your eyes in the dark .

Mistral Last year’s two-handed champion, Mistral, helmed by Rupert Henry with Jack Bouttell as co-skipper, is a testament to this. After their win we caught up with them to find out how their smarttune had helped:

“The forestay load sensor is a big help with being able to replicate and then change our rig tune without guesswork. The hounds on Mistral’s rig are relatively high for a Fractional rig and the spreaders are quite swept back with the side chainplates very wide. This makes the dock-tune tension on the forestay a big determinant of on-water forestay sag because the backstays don’t move the mast head very much. Now we have dock tune loads for different conditions which has improved jib setup on the water. It’s also good to be able to put reference marks on the backstay tails for desired forestay load so that we can come out of tacks and know what forestay tension we have.” – Rupert Henry

Pacman Following up on its debut 3rd place finish in last year’s two-handed division, Cyclops-equipped Young 11 ‘Pacman’ is helmed by Peter Elkington, and will be back with an eye on going two better in 2023!

Rum Rebellion With a series of victories and strong performances in the Blue Water Pointscore in 2023, Shane Connelly’s J/99 is another top contender in the two-handed division.

Rum Rebellion is equipped with a smar ttune s ensor, a crucial addition as attested by Connelly after the 2021 Sydney Hobart Race:

“Prior to the Race Jon Kimberley of Any Port Marine Sydney was kind enough to offer me a Cyclops smart tune load sensor to test during the race. Upon my return I immediately purchased it.

Here are the reasons why…

Three weeks prior to the race we fitted the smart tune . During the lead up to the race we worked with Jon, our rigger and sail maker to tune the rig for race conditions recording data from the smart tune for our backstay tensions. After some fine tuning we believed we had the rig set up to suit the conditions anticipated for the race…

On night one of the race the fleet was hit with a strong southerly squall, known here as a ‘southerly buster’. The southerly peaked at about forty knots and the sea conditions along the East Australia Current – setting at about 3 knots from the north, were atrocious. The southerly continued for about two days. Sadly almost half the fleet retired due to a variety of rig, sail, mechanical, and crew issues with more than half of the two handed fleet retiring. We were lucky enough to be able to continue to race due to a variety of reasons including luck, thorough boat preparation and perhaps an element of dogged determination.

Clearly in these conditions the Cyclops smart tune was a great asset to have on board. To have precise load readings, rather than guess work – particularly at the height of the squall was invaluable. I would like to again thank Jon for the opportunity to use the sensor and have no hesitation recommending it to fellow offshore sailors.”

Tumbleweed Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Tumbleweed, raced by Graham Biehl and Nigel Nattrass, is another formidable entry in the two-handed division. With Biehl’s Olympic experience and Nattrass’s extensive offshore racing background, Tumbleweed is set to make its mark, with Cyclops tech lending a helping hand.

As the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race unfolds, these Cyclops-equipped yachts, with their skilled crews and advanced technology, are optimised to perform at their very best, and to react effectively to every obstacle of this formidable challenge. These are just a small number of the teams that will be powering towards Hobart with the help of Cyclops data.   

If you’d like to learn more about Cyclops technology, visit the website

EXCLUSIVE AUSTRALIAN DISTRIBUTOR – ARCUS WIRE GROUP

An extensive range of Cyclops devices and accessories is available here in Australia from Arcus Wire Group. For further information and trade enquiries, please reach out to the Arcus Wire Group team on 1800 272 879, email [email protected] or see the latest Cyclops brochure on the downloads page at www.arcuswire.com

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Eyes on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Prize

• 23 Dec, 2013 02:00:00 PM

First across the line is easy to follow, and a great deal of time, money and effort goes into winning that particular prize. But what yachties really value, what brings them back year after year after year is the elusive Tattersall’s Cup, awarded to the overall winner on IRC handicap in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Sometimes the first boat to finish will also win the race – Wild Oats XI has done that twice – sometimes one of the very last across the line will break open the champagne. Because the Tattersall’s Cup isn’t about waterline length or how new your boat is.

To win you have to sail whatever boat you have at 100% for however long it takes, make all the right tactical decisions in one of the most complicated ocean races in the world, and then get the weather that really suits your size and style of yacht.

In Ichi Ban and Patrice Matt Allen and Tony Kirby have built brand new boats to win this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Each design is meticulously calibrated to the particular demands and idiosyncrasies of the race. The designers, the builders and sail makers have done their bit, the preparation is complete. At the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, with the race just days away, the two agreed that now it is all up to the crews.

“We’ve got a lot of experience on board including a number of guys from the last Volvo race,” Allen says,” including Will Oxley who navigated Camper , Gordon McGuire, our sailing master who’s done a lot of ocean racing, Neil Cox, also from Camper and Phil Harmer who was on Groupama , (which won the 2011/12 Volvo round the world race).

“So we have a lot of experience and a lot of Rolex Sydney Hobart experience,” Allen added.

“I've got a good mix of old and new crew,” says 27 Hobart race veteran Kirby. “I’ve a few young crew who are doing their third, fourth and fifth races.

“But in my old crew, I have Michael Green who some 35 years ago did his first Sydney Hobart. It was in my father's Patrice III . Peter Messenger is doing his 25 th . He has won four times on four different boats and he wants to make it five on five. I think behind my crew we have some 200 Rolex Sydney Hobart's between us.”

New Zealander Jim Delegat has loaded his VO70 Giacomo (formerly Groupama ) with a who’s who of Volvo and America’s Cup sailors. “We've got a fantastic crew, a great afterguard,” Delegat says.

“Juan Vila from Spain is coming in today as our navigator, you'll know him from the Alinghi days, he's done four Hobart's before so he'll be great at the table. Steve Cotton has done a number of Volvos, Chris Dickson of course, he'll be on the helm. All in all we think we have a great package that will bring lots of excitement.

Allen’s Ichi Ban , Kirby’s Patrice and Delegate’s Giacomo are all state of the art racers. When they commence their blast across Bass Strait, the Farr 43 Wild Rose will still be a long way back along the New South Wales coast.

Wild Rose was once a state of the art racer too, but that was back in 1985. Still, her owner Roger Hickman believes he can reprise her 1993 success, when he rode her to an IRC win when she was called Wild Oats.

“The fundamental difference is new boats go fast, old boats go slow,” Hickman jokes, “but the handicap allows us a fair bit of time. If Wild Oats XI takes a day to get there, we can take two. If it takes her two days, we can take four. There is a lot of current this year, and that makes a big difference to the slower boats.

“Michael Clarke says you can take wickets with the old ball as well as the new,” Hickman laughed.

Alas though, at this stage the race forecast does not appear to be favoring the back of the fleet.

“I think the boats that haven’t gone around Tasman Island by Sunday will struggle,” Allen predicts. He thinks that because the faster boats will get the best of the weather, this year will belong to one of the quick, mid-sized boats between 55 and 80 feet. A promising forecast for Ichi Ban , as it is for a host of crack yachts.

“I don’t think there’s any race in the world where you’d see such an eclectic mix of boats. A lot of them such as (the Hong Kong 80 foot maxi) Beau Geste , and to some degree Patrice and Ichi Ban are almost unproven boats.

“I know Patrice has been winning a lot of races recently, but we haven’t seen Beau Geste race. There’s lots of unknown commodities out there, so it’s very hard to pick a winner,” Allen concedes.

Hickman is philosophical. “It is what it is. We are all out there to experience the race first and foremost, and take what spoils we get.”

For German Jens Kellinghusen and his crew on the Ker 51 Varuna the experience is everything.

“We aren’t dreaming of a win. We are just thrilled to be racing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart because it is the top of the pyramid. It is the top race in the world and this has always been our dream.” Still, he has included a professional navigator, trimmer and boat captain in the crew. Truth be told no-one really is ever there to make up the numbers.

And Roger Hickman has some advice for all Tattersall’s Cup wannabes.

“Enjoy the running under spinnaker, but when the southerlies come you have got to enjoy that too.”

By Jim Gale, RSHYR Media

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!