prize money for sydney to hobart yacht race

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Revealed: The VERY surprising prize money Sydney to Hobart winner LawConnect will receive - and why there were so many black sails in this year's race

• Sydney to Hobart finish was second-closest ever 
• LawConnect claimed line honours by just 51 seconds
• Trailed Andoo Comanche going into the River Derwent 

By James Cooney For Daily Mail Australia and Ethan James For Australian Associated Press

Published: 18:25 EDT, 27 December 2023 | Updated: 20:27 EDT, 27 December 2023

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Perennial bridesmaid LawConnect has claimed Sydney to Hobart line honours in one of the great race's craziest finishes - but won't get a cent of prize money for the stunning victory.

LawConnect, runner-up in the past three events, crawled across the River Derwent finish line not long after 8am (AEDT) on Thursday just 51 seconds ahead of Andoo Comanche.

The two supermaxis, who were neck-and-neck the whole race, played cat-and-mouse in light winds as they neared the finish line.

Both performed several jibe manoeuvres as they attempted to secure the lead.

It is the second-closest finish in Sydney to Hobart history after Condor of Bermuda beat Apollo by a mere seven seconds in 1982.

LawConnect delivered one of the great comebacks to win line honours in the Sydney to Hobart on Thursday morning (pictured, skipper Christian Beck lifts the trophy)

The race winners will receive no prize money - but they do get to take home a trophy (pictured, LawConnect is greeted after the come-from-behind win)

The final finish time of LawConnect, skippered and owned by Christian Beck, was one day, 19 hours, three minutes and 58 seconds.

Surprisingly, there is no prize money awarded to the winner of the race, but crews aren't just competing for glory, either.

Teams compete for trophies in different categories - the two main ones being Line Honours and Overall. 

The Overall winner is decided based on handicap. 

Many yachts competing in the event had black sails this year instead of the white sails previously associated with the event.

That's because many sails are now made using carbon fibre for its strength, and the high-tech substance is black.

Running sails in that colour also helps protect against the sun's UV rays, making them more durable. 

Comanche had taken a narrow lead into the River Derwent after holding the advantage down Tasmania's east coast on Wednesday night.

LawConnect was first out of the Heads in Sydney on Boxing Day after a dramatic start to the 628-nautical mile bluewater classic and the retirement of fellow supermaxi SHK Scallywag.

Many yachts competing in the historic race now use black sails instead of the more traditional white because they incorporate carbon fibre to provide strength

Scallywag was forced to retire roughly six hours into the race after breaking her bow sprit.

Eleven of the race's starting 103-strong fleet have pulled the pin, with some reporting damage and seasickness in challenging conditions which included a thunderstorm on the first night.

LawConnect navigator Chris Lewis described the stormy seas as 'wild' with 180-degree wind shifts.

Moneypenny, URM Group and Alive are in a bunch about 80 nautical miles behind the two duelling leaders, with the third remaining supermaxi Wild Thing 100 further back in sixth.

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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.  

Celestial crowned overall winner of Sydney to Hobart yacht race

Celestial skipper and owner sam haynes said he wasn't expecting to claim the title, labelling the feat a "lifetime achievement"..

Celestial skipper Sam Haynes says he is pleasantly surprised to win the title, adding that his goal had been to be "competitive" and deliver the best result possible. Source: Getty / Brett Hemmings

• Celestial has been named the overall winner in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
• Skipper Sam Haynes says the win is particularly special after the yacht's experience last year.
• Rough seas have forced more vessels to retire.

Redemption after heartache in 2021

Rough seas force more vessels to retire

Race record in sight for leaders in Sydney to Hobart yacht race

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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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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.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Yacht Race You Need to See to Believe

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Considered one of the most difficult yacht races in the world, this is one of Australia’s most beloved and anticipated events.

What Is It?

The yacht race starts in Sydney, Australia and takes racers all the way to the Tassie capital of Hobart , taking place over several days. The winner often reaches the finish line in less than two. With over 100 contestants, this is an extremely challenging and competitive race.

What Can You Expect

Interested in catching the end of the race? Go to Hobart’s Constitution Dock where the fleet will arrive after finishing the race and witness local new year festivities.

The race is held by both the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (Sydney). The winner receives a Rolex watch--hence the festival’s name. It is extremely difficult to win and the crews of the yachts compete at the most professional level.

When and Where?

Not sure where to go? If you want to celebrate with the yacht’s captain’s and enjoy champagne, then you will want to go to Hobart.To get there, fly into Hobart’s international airport .

Go to the Royal Botanical Gardens for the best view of the competing yachts. For a fun time, bring food and snacks for a picnic. If you want to see the boats cross the finish line, then you will need to stay in Hobart beforehand. Most boats start to arrive 2 or 3 days after the race begins.

The race started in 1945. Since that time, its taken place every single year without missing a beat. Yacht racing can find its origins in England.

Luckily for spectators, the event only costs money for those yachts that register to compete.

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Sydney Hobart – Big prize locked away – still heaps happening

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Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

The Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is a huge sporting event in Australia that is held on Boxing Day each year.

Attracting some of the best sailing crews in the world, the race travels from Sydney, 630 nautical miles (1,100km) south to Tasmania.

Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2024, Dates, Times, Course Route & Tracker

The race record is around one day, 9 hours and 15 minutes. Each boat’s time is adjusted according to its size and expected speed, adopting a handicap system. The power-to-weight ratio is the most crucial factor in speed, and most boats competing in the race are ‘sloops’ – single-mast yachts.

For visitors wanting to view the race whilst they are in Sydney , head to Sydney Harbour as the fleet sails out to the Tasman Sea before heading south down the coast and over the Bass Strait. Head over to Nielsen Park, where the cannons will signal the start of the race, usually around 1pm. For those wanting to get up close to the action, head over to Middle Head Lookout or Headland Park.

The Seven Network, through 7Mate, will once again broadcast the start of the race live around Australia. ABC TV will also follow the fleet down the eastern seaboard and provide all the in-race news footage used by the various Australian and International news networks.

Seven West Media will webcast the program for those who can’t watch the live broadcast of the start of the Race on the Seven Network across Australia. You can also watch a live webcast on the home page of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website.

The Yacht Tracker page lets viewers track the entire fleet or a particular boat from start to finish. Yacht Tracker uses a specially designed tool that calculates the predicted results for every boat in the fleet so you can see how each boat is performing. Each yacht will be fitted with a tracker that will obtain a position using the GPS satellite network and transmit that position back to HQ.

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Program: Andoo Comanche wins Sydney to Hobart line honours

Program: News Specials

Andoo Comanche has triumphed in a two-boat chase down the River Derwent to take out its fourth line honours in a late-night finish to the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

The supermaxi crossed the finish line at 12:57am AEDT this morning with a time of 1 day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds.

ABC NewsRadio's Thomas Oriti spoke to Di Pearson, the Media Manager of the Australian Sailing Team.

Image Details

Crew of Andoo Comanche celebrate their line honours win in Hobart. December 28, 2022. ( ABC News: Maren Preuss )

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Race Updates - 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart

• 30 Dec, 2023 10:00:00 AM

Read a continuously updated race summary

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Saturday 0835hrs

At this morning, just 30 yachts from 103 starters had finished the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with 16 yachts retired from the race. MWF Kayle , the Lyons 54 owned by the Making Waves Foundation and Will Vicars’ pretty Hoek TC78, Oroton Drumfire , were among the morning arrivals at Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart.

The first two-handed entry, Mistral , sailed by Rupert Henry and Jack Bouttell crossed the finish line at 08:53:38 am and are currently placed an incredible sixth overall in the open fleet. Henry, Mistral ’s owner, is the defending two-handed champion from last year’s race when Greg O’Shea co-skippered the yacht. With new crew, Bouttell, Mistral is unlikely to be beaten for the top spot again. He described last night’s conditions in the race as, “Brutal. It was very cold and we had strong winds of up to 43 knots in Storm Bay – classic Storm Bay. Bass Strait was upwind. This race has thrown everything at us.”

It is gear-breaking weather and has resulted in some crews having to make repairs at sea, while news came of the retirement of Helsal 3 from the race. Rob Fisher and crew were unable to rectify damage. They will depart Port Arthur tonight with an ETA in Hobart of 0300 hours tomorrow morning. 

Among those still racing though, is Henry’s father, David Henry and his co-skipper Stephen Price. “Dad’s a legend,” Henry acknowledged at Constitution Dock this morning.  

Among those that finished last night was Geoff Hill’s Antipodes , among her crew was navigator Lindsay May, who sailed his 50 th successive Sydney Hobart.  Bruce Taylor’s Chutzpah (Vic) also finished, he and son Drew sailing their 30 th Sydney Hobart together. Taylor’s navigator, Kingsley Piesse, notched up a milestone of his own, sailing his 40 th consecutive Sydney Hobart. And once again, this well sailed crew has nabbed a divisional placing, with third in Division 2.

Bumblebee V, the 2001 winner of the race, now owned by Paul Blakeley, also finished last evening at 8:41:23 pm. 

Today and this evening will be busy, with the bulk of the fleet due to arrive. Spare a thought for those still at sea in what has been described by finishers as “one of the toughest races in years,” due to the wide and unexpected conditions from thunderstorms to lightning shows, no wind, light wind and up to 45 knots worth during the race so far

Malcolm Roe, owner of the elegant Swan 45, Amazingrace , said last evening: “We expect to be rounding Tasman Island after the westerly hits. Just enjoying a nice hot dinner before the big westerly hits…”

Credit: CYCA/Salty Dingo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Friday 0740hrs

Just six yachts have so far finished the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the varied and squally conditions making it difficult for the fleet to sail a simple and quick race, to the point where the next yacht due to cross the finish line is David Gotze’s No Limit (Vic), expected to cross the finish line around midday.

A text from Brad Kellett, reported from Geoff Hill’s Hong Kong entry Antipodes this morning, says it all about the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race, the first ‘traditional’ style race in some years. “Hi from Lindsay May’s 50th race,” Kellett said of navigator’s 50th consecutive Sydney Hobart. Well, he’s getting a real Hobart. We’ve had everything except hard running conditions. “We’ve had some down time on Antipodes (a Santa Cruz 72), with breeze holes that our competitors didn’t get. We’ve got a tear in the new mainsail to repair; we blew out our J2 headsail, which would be up right now in the 12-14 knot southerly. “We’re currently approaching Wineglass Bay sailing upwind. We should be rounding Tasman Island later this afternoon and hopefully should arrive in Howdown (Hobart) in the dark. Hopefully before the (Derwent) shutdown” said Kellett, who is a Lindsay May in waiting. Sailing his 31st consecutive Hobart he is the only one likely to outnumber May in the long run. Kellett ended, “Looking forward to seeing the Lindsay May cheer squad on the dock and enjoying the festivities in Hobart.”

Robbie Fisher, skipper of Helsal 3 , agreed with Kellett summation of the race so far. “We have a minor injury to a crew, a couple of broken ribs. Our navigator was on deck, slipped, and cracked a couple of ribs. That put us down a helmsman as well. We’ve injury to the boat too. A broken halyard, torn main and other little things. We’ve lost a bit of ground, but we’re pressing on. We’re hoping to finish tomorrow,” said Fisher, who is doing Hobart number 23. The Hobart sailor said they had spent six hours in one spot off Gabo Island. “The most we saw in the last hour of that time was 0.8 of a knot. It was so painful. Then we copped a beating across the Strait. We had over 30 knots and it was pretty bad. We broke a halyard and a few bits and pieces. We have persevered though... Right now the breeze is down to 5 knots (at 8.10am). It’s been an interesting trip to say the least.”

Fisher has his family on board, the three doing their first Hobarts. Wife Kerrie, son Brandon and daughter Elizabeth. They also have the ashes of Fisher’s father, Tony, who took Sydney Hobart line honours and broke the race record in 1973 with a former Helsal, built of ferro cement and dubbed ‘The Flying Footpath’. “Dad could have said ‘You should have put more gear up. He’s the lucky one though, he’s lying down in his usual bunk, so he’s relaxed. I don’t think the family will come again (the race). They’ve had enough, but they’ve all done their watches, so I can’t complain. Doing this race with me, experiencing it for themselves, they all think I’m crazy, doing the race so many times.” Fisher continued, “The first night we saw the best lightning show. I’ve never seen anything like it. We were doing 13-14 knots in calm seas and it went on for three quarters of an hour. It was the most eerie experience. During the race we’ve had had everything except hard running conditions. I wanted to put the kite up just show the family what it looked like, but I thought better of it!” Fisher, whose Helsal 3 from Hobart is expected to finish late tomorrow evening, ended, “We saw LawConnect took line honours and everyone on board was cheering for them.”

More retirements during the night, as Salt Lines , She and Gunshot each retired with mainsail damage and going into Eden.

In a happy miscommunication, the New Zealand two-handed crew of husband and wife, Michael and Tracey Carter ( Allegresse ), have not retired from the race. Following a rest period, they resumed racing this morning.

The conditions have been particularly punishing on the two-handed crews. In all, 81 boats are yet to finish the race.

Credit: Antipodes Racing

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1900hrs

They said it couldn’t be done and that just drove Grant Wharington to prove the doubters wrong when he built the new 100 foot Wild Thing 100 in five months and made both the start and finish lines of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Wharington and crew, including son, Oli, on his third Sydney Hobart and 21-year-old daughter Georgia, doing her first, were as thrilled as everyone else when he moored at the King Street Pier late today after crossing the finish line at 06:09:06pm. Wild Thing 100 finished just short of an hour behind Sean Langman’s Moneypenny which had been in a battle royale with URM Group and Alive for the overall win. The pair were fifth and sixth boats to finish the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race.

Wharington said, “We wouldn’t have gone to the start line if we thought we would not have made the finish line. That would be foolhardy.” Wharington could not heap enough praise on his build team of Theo and Paddy and his main build team of Theo (Somssich) and Paddy (Lambourne). “They worked hard to get the boat done, even working on Christmas Day. I couldn’t have done it without them. We have fantastic people who are dedicated. This morning I saw a few friends had retired; Witty with Scallywag, Spiesy on Maritimo , so I was grateful we finished. Grateful. We knew we couldn’t win, but we are here with our heads held high. We are still starting at the bottom and I know we will get better from here.”

Wharington said having his kids involved in the race “has given me a new enthusiasm for the sport. I like designing and building, so to do this also with the new boat also gave me enthusiasm.”

Earlier, Sean Langman’s chances of winning the race evaporated when he decided to take a ‘short cut’, the most direct route to the finish. Moneypenny , a Reichel/Pugh 69, is currently placed third overall, a great result, but not what Langman was looking for.

The next boats due to finish are David Gotze’s No Limit and the first of the TP52s, Sebastien Bohm’s Smuggler , the Max Klink skippered Caro and Sam Haynes’ 2022 winner, Celestial . The four boats are not due till tomorrow from 9.30am.

In other news, more retirements today. Bacardi , Allegresse and Cyan Moon . Bacardi , which contested its 30th Sydney Hobart, the most by any boat, suffered damage, the New Zealand crew of two-handed entry Allegresse pulled out with fatigue, while Cyan Moon had rig damage.

Credit: ROLEX/Andrea Francolini

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1530hrs

The Line Honours podium n the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is now complete, with the RP72 URM Group becoming the third boat in this year’s fleet to cross the finish line this afternoon. URM Group finished the 628 nautical mile race organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) in a time of 2 days 02 hours 07 minutes 19 seconds.

Owned by Anthony Johnston, URM Group ’s third place behind line honours winner LawConnect and second placed Andoo Comanche signed off a brilliant race by the team. URM Group spent much of the race in a tight tussle with two other mini maxis, Philip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas) and Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny (NSW). However, today URM Group managed to jump away and beat them both to the finish line ending its campaign with a superb sail up the Derwent River into Hobart.

A longer news story will be upload onto the News section of the RSHYR website later today. 

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1100hrs

In what has been an epic race from start to finish, Christian Beck’s LawConnect has lost her bridesmaid tag of the last three years to claim line honours in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this morning, crossing the Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart at 08.03.58am this morning in the time of 1 day 19 hours 03 minutes 58 seconds

The John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche held the upper hand for most of the 628 nautical mile race, but LawConnect was always there and overtook her at one point. Early this morning there was little between the two and once again the Derwent sealed both boats fates, as a light, light breeze, teased and cajoled concentrating crews in an absolute thriller to the finish line. Christian Beck’s yacht finished well outside the race record of 1 day 9hrs 15min 24 sec, ironically set by the boat they beat today, which sailed as LDV Comanche to line honours victory in 2017 by her then owners, Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant. It did not matter though.

Only 51 seconds separated LawConnect and Andoo Comanche at the end, in the second closest finish in the history of the race. The closest was in 1982 when Condor beat Apollo over the line by seven seconds.

All 21 crew are celebrating their victory on board the yacht this morning at Kings Pier in Hobart.

An updated News story with interviews can be found here   on the RSHYR website.

Credit: ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Thursday 0400hrs

Whilst the attention today is understandably on the Maxi & Mini Maxi finishers, there are plenty of other battles going on elsewhere in the fleet which promise to continue over the next few days. Most divisions are wide open & we'll be focusing on these in upcoming Live Updates.

Current Divisional Standings:

IRC DIVISION 0 Moneypenny (Sean Langman) NSW. Reichel Pugh 69 Alive (Philip Turner) TAS. Reichel Pugh 66 URM Group (Anthony Johnston) NSW. Reichel Pugh 72

IRC DIVISION 1 Smuggler (Sebastian Bohm) NSW. TP52 Celestial (Sam Haynes) NSW. TP52 Caro (Max Klink) New Zealand. Botin 52

IRC DIVISION 2 Rush (John Paterson) VIC. Farr 45 Mayfair (James Irvine) QLD. Rogers 46 Amazingrace (Malcolm Roe) NSW. Swan 45

IRC DIVISION 3 Clockwork (Andrew Lloyd & Mary Ann Harvey) SA. Sydney 38 Patriot (Jason Close) VIC. J133 XS Moment BNMH (Ray Hudson) NSW. XP44

IRC DIVISION 4 Toecutter (Robert Hick & Brad Bult) VIC. Hick 10 Rockall 8 (Christopher Opielok) Germany. JPK 10.80 Supernova (Alex Seja & Felicity Nelson) NSW. Sydney 36

IRC DIVISION 5 Azzurro (Jack Kliner) QLD. S&S 34 Kraken III (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Disko Trooper_ Contender Sailcloth (Jules Hall) NSW. J/99

PHS Insomnia (Marcus Grimes) NSW. JV42 Salt Lines (Matthew Harvey) NSW. Shipwright 70 She's the Culprit (The Culprit Syndicate) NSW. Inglis Jones 39

CORINTHIAN IRC Kraken III (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Toecutter (Robert Hick & Brad Bult) VIC. Hick 10 Verite (TH) (Paul Beath) NSW. J/99

CORINTHIAN PHS Navy One (RAN) NSW. Beneteau First 40 Ragtime (Steve Watson) NSW. J/130 XS Moment BNMH (Ray Hudson) NSW. XP44

TWO-HANDED IRC Kraken III (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Verite (TH) (Paul Beath) NSW. J/99 Cinnamon Girl (Cian McCarthy) Ireland. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300

TWO-HANDED PHS Sylph VI (Robert Williams) NSW. Alan Payne Sloop Imalizard (Bruce Watson) NSW. Wellbourn 12

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 0300hrs

Today is shaping up to be an absolute cracker. With under 60nm now to the finish, the two maxis Andoo Comanche and LawConnect  only have 300 metres separating them in terms of distance to go and are in sight of each other.

Almost 75 miles behind, the three mini maxis, URM Group , Alive and Moneypenny have less than 2nm separating them, and the three are currently atop Overall standings. We'll bring you live coverage of both finishes later this morning & this afternoon.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1700hrs

The race for line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is poised to provide two thrilling finales in one as the leading boats continue their charge towards Tasmania.

Up front in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race for first place over the line, Andoo Comanche was still leading LawConnect at 1620hrs, but only 5 nautical miles separated the two maxis.

The lead pair were 101 and 107 nautical miles east of Helen’s Point respectively.

In the race for third place only 7.6nm separated URM Group , Moneypenny and Alive .

Anthony Johnston’s URM Group , an RP72, was third on line, followed by Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny which had steadily moved up all day from fifth, followed by Phillip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas) which was in third position earlier. They were south of Gabo Island.

Meanwhile, Kathy Veel, owner and co-skipper with Bridget Canham of the Currawong 30, Currawong , which retired earlier this morning, is expected to arrive back at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, at around 7pm this evening.

Currawong , a two-handed entry, was the sixth of 11 boats that have retired from the race to-date.

There are now 92 boats still racing, including 14 two-handed entries. Veel said they had retired due to “various issues with the boat that could not be resolved.” She added that she and Canham were OK.

“We're doing fine,” Veel said from aboard the yacht off Bondi Beach.

“Last night was quite difficult and there was a lot more of that ahead of us in a long race.”

Told that Currawong supporters were disappointed for their retirement after their popular finish as the last to reach Hobart last year, Veel said: “We are too … but we made the right call.”

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1500hrs

The fight for third place on Line Honours in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is unravelling into a thriller, with URM Group looking ahead and behind at their rivals. While buoyed after taking third place on line honours from the RP66 Alive (Tas) shortly before midday, the URM Group , an RP72, is also wary about the danger of Moneypenny . URM Group and Alive had been in a close fight for third place all morning, but looming behind them and closer to shore in fifth place was Moneypenny , a RP69.

At 1430hrs, URM Group , Alive and Moneypenny were 124, 127 and 111 nautical miles south east of Gabo Island respectively. Eleven nautical miles separated the three boats.

Meanwhile, Andoo Comanche and LawConnect were continuing their close tussle in first and second place, positioned 115 and 130 nautical miles east of Eddystone Point.

URM Group navigator, Alice Parker, was in high spirits, despite her own struggle with some sea sickness in the tough conditions that have seen rain, thunder and lightning. “I had a good few moments with a bucket between my legs, but otherwise, everyone is in good spirits,” she said. “We're all a bit wet, sliding around a bit, but the boat's in really good shape.” As she spoke, URM Group , owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones, was 105nm behind Andoo Comanche , sailing at 15 knots with the wind from the east.

While happy with their race against Alive , owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, Parker said Moneypenny , owned by Sean Langman was also a danger. “Over the last couple of hours, we've been sailing quite well … we’re now matching them [ Alive ], or slightly in front, with Moneypenny at our stern. “We’re a bit nervous about some of the 52s on the ‘beach,’ [referring to sailing close to the coast] or closer to the south-east corner of Victoria. They've been ripping along in what looks like a pretty good ‘sou-easterly. But things are looking good for us now. The big boats are doing really well. LawConnect and Comanche have just had the perfect conditions really with strong reaching conditions. I think we'll just miss out on getting that all the way to the finish. I suspect we'll end up in a bit of a front that is meant to come through the early hours of tomorrow.”

Parker said that based on the current indicators, URM Group could possibly reach the finish in Hobart “sometime around lunchtime, or just after that,” tomorrow.

In other news, two more boats have retired. Tumbleweed , the two-handed entry of Graham Biehl and Nigel Nattrass, who cite seasickness and fatigue, while David Watson’s Luna Blue has damaged equipment. Both boats are likely to head back to Sydney.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1300hrs

LawConnect threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion, Andoo Comanche this morning.  The fight for Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is turning into a veritable arm wrestle with the two front runners swapping the lead twice this morning. At 12.45pm, Andoo Comanche was back in front and 2.6 nautical miles ahead of LawConnect that had only taken the lead from Andoo Comanche a few hours earlier. AndooComanche and LawConnect were respectively 134 and 144 nautical miles east of Flinders Island in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia race. Both were sailing in Bass Strait, east of the rhumb line - Andoo Comanche at 28.7 knots and LawConnect at 26.8 knots. The tussle between the two maxis has been a thrilling one in conditions that have pitted them and the remaining fleet of 95 against rain, thunderstorms, lightning and squalls.

Behind Andoo Comanche and LawConnect , the race for third place had also seen a change in positions. Moving into third, from fourth place, was URM Group ,the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. Whereas, Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine had fallen from third to fourth. They were 91.3nm and 94nm respectively behind Andoo Comanche at the time of this update.

Credit: CYCA/Ashley Dart Photo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 1100hrs

LawConnect threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion, Andoo Comanche this morning.  After stalking the John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche all night and early this morning, the Christian Beck owned LawConnect passed their rivals at about 10am today. At 10.20 am, the margin was still tight between two race leaders in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia event. Less than one nautical mile separated them.  LawConnect and Andoo Comanche were respectively 137 and 135 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island and sailing east of the rhumb line. 

Still in third was Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, while in fourth was URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. They were 68nm and 69nm respectively behind LawConnect. 

Meanwhile, the fleet also dropped to 95 boats, including 15 two-handed entries following the withdrawal of Mumm 36 Georgia Express (NSW) with rigging issues. 

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0900hrs

LawConnect continues to stalk Andoo Comanche in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, but squalls of 30 knots-plus are hampering the crew’s ability to keep their rivals in sight. At 9am, the margin was still tight between the two race leaders of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia event with nine nautical miles separating them. But LawConnect boat captain Ty Oxley said after a close battle with Andoo Comanche overnight, the tough conditions this morning had limited their ability to see the race leaders. "We are pretty close after we were neck and neck overnight,” said Oxley at 8.20am on Wednesday. “They would take a couple of miles on us, and then we would take them back.”

Asked if the LawConnect crew could see Andoo Comanche ahead of them, Oxley replied: ”No … because it’s raining and there are squalls everywhere, clouds on the horizon … “It’s hard to see the bow of the boat at times. We can’t actually see them.” Asked about the sea state as they headed into Bass Strait, Oxley said: “The sea state is not too bad. On Bass Strait it’s only a couple of metres. “The squalls are pretty full on. The last one that came through would have been 40-plus knots. But they have generally been 30-plus.” “But we’re doing ok. We have put a couple of reefs in … chugging along.”

At 9am, the John Winning Jr skippered Andoo Comanche and Christian Beck’s LawConnect were respectively 125 and 129 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island.

Still in third place was Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. The two yachts were 69nm and 72nm respectively behind LawConnect .

Meanwhile, the race fleet now numbers 96, including 15 two-handed entries, following the withdrawal of two more boats this morning. They were the two-handed entries, the Currawong 30, Currawong (NSW) due to various issues, and the Young 11 Pacman (Qld) with runner chainplate problems. The crews on both boats are okay.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0700hrs

The margin between Andoo Comanche and LawConnect remains tight with seven nautical miles now separating the two maxis that lead the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet.

Meanwhile, in the fleet that now numbers 98 after two more overnight withdrawals ( Maritimo 52 and Sticky ), the first night was hectic for the Geoff Hill owned Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes . At 7am, Antipodes crewmember Geoff Cropley reported: “We had lightning and thunder for hours. Then there was a major shift which auto gybed the boat. “The spinnaker got wrapped in the drop along with spinnaker staysail. All the team were up and trying to untwist and get that down. It took us about 40 minutes. We were heading NE, sailing backwards, for a period of time. “We’re now hunkered down with a reef in. There’s little bit of blue sky. It’s quite nice out here. We’ve got about 100nm to go to Green Cape.” Cropley added that crewmate Lindsay May is also “enjoying his 50th Sydney Hobart so far.”

At the front of the fleet at 7.45am, the John Winning Jr skippered Andoo Comanche and Christian Beck’s LawConnect were respectively 117 and 120 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island.

Still in third place was the 2018 winner, Alive (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and race favourite, URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. The two yachts were 42nm and 57nm respectively behind LawConnect .

Current standings:

MRV, Smuggler, Chutzpah, Highly Sprung, Mayfair

Helsal 3, Insomnia, MWF Kayle, Oroton Drumfire

Two-handed IRC

Mistral, Kraken III, Cinnamon Girl - Eden Capital

Corinthian IRC

Mayfair, Pretty Woman, Calibre 12

Corinthian PHS

Pretty Woman, Calibre 12, Ragtime

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0500hrs

After 16 hours of racing, Andoo Comanche is going toe-to-toe with LawConnect around 90nm SE of Green Cape. She is doing 17.2kts, having averaged 12kts for the journey and has only a half mile lead over her rival.

URM Group  and  Alive have overtaken the other maxi Wild Thing 100  and are alongside each other 7 miles back in another tight battle.

Caro currently sits in 7th place on standings, with the two TP52s Smuggler  and  Highly Sprung on her tail. No Limit , Whisper , Celestial , Teasing Machine  and Denali lead the rest.

The fleet is strung back to Wollongong where Currawong , Sylph VI and Silver Fern are presently doing 7.5 knots.

There have been two more retirements overnight. All are well.  Richard Harris' Cookson 50 Sticky (RPAYC) suffered a lightning strike and electrical damage.

Bill Barry Cotter's TP52 Maritimo 52 (Southport Yacht Club) has had rigging damage to a forestay fitting.

Alive, Highly Sprung, URM Group, Smuggler, Chutzpah

Helsal 3, Insomnia, Mako, MWF Kayle, Gunshot

Mayfair, Denali, Pretty Woman

Pretty Woman, Calibre 12, Supernova

2023 RSHYR UPDATE - Wednesday 0000hrs

After a clean start at 1300hrs following a passing shower, the fleet of 103 boats made their way out the Harbour from their four respective start lines in a 9kt SE breeze with messy 1.4m E swell.

LawConnect started strongly but had issue with a furling line during a sail change after the first mark and was soon overtaken by SHK Scallywag  and Andoo Comanche who were the the first two out the Heads. John 'Herman' Winning Jr was quick to protest David Witt when he tacked close in front of him forcing him to alter course, but the Hong-Kong based entry expunged the possible infraction by doing a 720-degree turn before Bondi.

Breeze continued to build through the afternoon and swing into the east and by 1630hrs, Andoo Comanche was doing 26kts in a comfortable seaway and had just overtaken SHK Scallywag .

SHK Scallywag was later forced to retire from the race when she blew up her bowsprit, leaving Andoo Comanche  and  Law Connect to battle it out doing 20 kts in 18kts of breeze.

Arcadia (torn mainsail) and Rum Rebellion were the other afternoon retirements - both now safe in port.

At midnight, the lead boats were 60 miles east of Green Cape jumping off into the open expanse of 'Bass Strait'. Andoo Comanche has a 5.5nm lead and is not far off her record pace set back in 2017.

They have put a gap on the shorter rigged Wild Thing 100 a further 35nm astern, with the pack of mini maxis around 10 miles back - URM Group , Alive , Moneypenny , Whisper  and No Limit - the Botin 52 Rolex Fastnet winner Caro splitting them. Celestial leads the rest in close proximity.

Smuggler, LawConnect, Caro, Sticky, Highly Sprung

Helsal 3, Insomnia, Enigma, Gunshot, MWF Kayle

TWO-HANDED IRC

Mistral, Cinnamon Girl - Eden Capital, Kraken III

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!