Winds of 15-20 knots from the northeast propelled the 104 teams participating in the 79th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race towards the open sea under a perfect southern summer sun and escorted by an imposing fleet of spectator boats. The forecast of storm-force winds in the first hours of the race anticipate a dizzying race off the coast of New South Wales. The Master Lock Comanche colossus leads the charge flying at speeds of around 30 knots. The Great Regatta to the South is already underway.
The 79th edition of the legendary Southern Hemisphere ocean race began under excellent sailing conditions and under the watchful eyes of thousands of spectators stationed along the coast of Sydney Harbor or from hundreds of boats. Within the exclusion zone, 104 crews who accepted this year the challenge of completing the 628 nautical miles (1,163 kilometers) to Hobart, they prepared to take advantage of the 15-20 knots of wind with which the adventure began. Rolex has sponsored the event and its organizer, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), since 2002 as part of a commitment to the world of sailing that goes back almost seven decades.
The traditional battle to complete the initial stretch to Sydney Heads and emerge first into the open sea was won by el powerful maxi LawConnect (with the Spaniards Sinbad Quiroga, Carlos Hernández and Antonio ‘Ñeti’ Cuervas-Mons)who surpassed Master Lock Comanche (with Juan Vila and Pablo Arrarte) in this initial sprint. Thus began the expected duel with a taste of revenge following Law Connect’s 2023 victory over its arch-rival in a heart-stopping finish that resulted in a 51-second lead after 43 hours of racing.
A quick edit
The latest weather report confirmed that it will be a quick editalthough it cooled the possibility of surpassing the record set by LDV Comanche in 2017, of 1 day, 9 hours and 15 minutes. What does seem clear is that the first hours will test the maximum speed of the boats and the endurance of their crews.
“The report confirms a fairly windy start, with a north that will rise due to a storm before a cold front passes when we enter the Bass Strait,” explained Juan Vila, navigator of the Master Lock Comanche, before leaving Sydney. «That front will change the direction of the wind from north to west that will propel us to Tasmania. Typically, westerlies downwind of Tasmania (along the east coast) can become variable and difficult winds, a challenge for navigation. Then, going up the Derwent is always a mystery, it is difficult to get the models right, so you usually have to adapt to what you find.
To improve the current record, the first ship should arrive in Hobart around ten pm on Friday, the 27th.. Vila sees it as complicated, but does not rule out approaching the best mark in history: «A priori we may arrive with winds from the northwest, so we do not expect a very great calm at the end, which is usually the norm. “The latest estimate indicates that we could arrive shortly before midnight on Friday.”
Devouring miles
Two hours after the start, Master Lock Comanche had built a five nautical mile lead over LawConnect, slowed by problems with its headsail in the early stages of the race. At the time of writing this information, The leader devoured the first miles of the route at speeds around 30 knots to begin 24 dizzying hours that will launch over the fleet hurricane winds and storms. Alive, two-time winner of the regatta and current defender of the title, was confirmed as the first to retire after 4:00 p.m. due to mechanical problems. Transcendence Rudy Project would follow, manned by two, this time after losing the mast.
In addition to the battle for victory in real time, reserved for the fastest boats, the Rolex Sydney Hobart brings into play the famous Tattersall Cup, which is awarded to the winner on compensated time and to which literally all participants aspire. This year’s fleet includes six boats that already know what it’s like to lift that coveted trophy, 23 teams crewed in pairs, and several legends of the race, such as the three-time winner Love & War or the “grandfather” Maritimo Katwinchar, launched in 1904.
The 79th Rolex Sydney Hobart awards ceremony will be held in Hobart on December 31 to round out the global grand regatta season.
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