Entries for the Rolex Sydney Hobart close, confirming 112 starters
by Di Pearson, RSHYR Media 1 Nov 00:07 PDT
26 December 2024
The 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is ready for action © ROLEX | Andrea Francolini
Entries for the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race have recently closed, with a remarkable fleet of 112 yachts prepared to line up at the starting line on Boxing Day, December 26.
At 1300 local time, a cannon will mark the race’s commencement, sending the fleet on their challenging journey southward.
Leading the fleet out of Sydney Harbour will be four distinct 100-foot yachts. The newest among them is Master Lock Comanche, a four-time Line Honours champion and current race record holder, chartered this year by Matt Allen and James Mayo.
Last year, this vessel raced as Andoo Comanche and took the lead for much of the race, but gaining ground behind was Christian Beck’s 2008-built boat, LawConnect. In an exhilarating contest, the lead changed several times in the River Derwent, with LawConnect narrowly winning by 51 seconds.
Beck aims to defend his title, while Grant Wharington returns with Wild Thing 100, which he modified from 80 feet just in time for last year’s competition. The fourth yacht, new to the race, is Bill Barry-Cotter’s Oyster 100, Maritimo 100. Although she offers some comfort features compared to the race-focused boats, she is reported to perform well on the racecourse.
The key event of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 628 nautical mile race is the Tattersall Cup, awarded to the Overall winner. The lineup is diverse, featuring entries from every Australian state and six international competitors from Hong Kong, Japan, the Philippines, New Zealand, New Caledonia, France, and the US.
Commodore Sam Haynes remarked on the fleet’s quality and quantity, stating, “As Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, I’m thrilled to see 112 yachts entered—the turnout is superb. We are especially proud of the steady growth in the Double Handed division since it began in 2021, which has become a significant part of the Great Race.”
“It is always exciting to see grand prix and international yachts at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which I regard as the most iconic 600+ mile ocean race globally. However, it is the competitors who return annually that embody the spirit of this event. Wishing fair winds to all!”
Defending champion and two-time winner Philip Turner’s RP66, Alive, returns, along with the runner-up, Anthony Johnston’s RP72, URM Group. The two engaged in an intense battle in 2023, and we anticipate more of the same this year.
However, the weather conditions, chance, the boat’s age, and the skill of its crew in unpredictable weather will all play crucial roles in determining the winner among a fleet ranging from 30 to 100 feet in length with diverse designs.
Among the six international entries to watch is New Zealand’s Max Klink skippered TP52, Caro (third in 2022), and two JPK 11.80s; Ron Epstein’s brand new Bacchanal from the US and Richard Fromentin’s six-year-old French entry, Cocody. Both have experience in previous competitions.
In addition to Alive, five other previous winners are competing. The 2022 champion, Celestial, will race as Centennial 7 under new owner Ernesto Echauz from the Philippines. Locally, Simon Kurts’ three-time winner, Love & War, will be helmed by his son Phillip. The S&S 47 performs best in strong winds and will commemorate the 50th anniversary of her inaugural victory this year.
Notably, almost half of the fleet consists of smaller yachts in the 30-40 foot range. These include participants from the increasingly popular Double Handed division, with 23 entries this time. Notably, Rupert Henry’s Lombard 34, Mistral, remarkably finished sixth Overall last year and successfully defended her title in the Double Handed division in 2022.
Jules Halls’ Disko Trooper_Contender Sailcloth won her division in 2021 and returns to this setup after competing fully crewed last year.
There is a growing representation of women sailors, with 18 owners, skippers, and co-skippers participating. Among them are two all-female Double Handed crews, following in the notable footsteps of Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham, who are not competing this year. Others aim to replicate the successes of Adrienne Cahalan and Alice Parker, who navigated Alive and URM Group to first and second Overall last year.
View the entrants here.
