Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

628 miles of brutality and tactics: what awaits the fleet in 2027

On 26 December 2027 at 1:00 PM local time, the cannon will sound in Sydney Harbour to launch the 82nd edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Four starting lines, around a hundred boats, and ahead of them Bass Strait, Storm Bay, then the treacherous 11 miles of the Derwent River. The benchmark time — 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set by LDV Comanche in 2017 — has stood for a decade. This year could be the one when it falls.

A monument born from a cruise among friends

1945: nine yachts and a crazy idea

It all began with a suggestion from Captain John Illingworth: turn a simple cruise to Tasmania into a competition. Nine boats lined up. Rani won in 6 days, 14 hours and 22 minutes. No one imagined then that this race would become one of the three great offshore sailing events in the world.

From the 1995 peak to the Rolex era

The 50th anniversary in 1995 attracted 371 yachts — a record never equalled. Since then, the fleet has stabilised at between 100 and 150 boats, mixing seasoned amateurs and professional crews aboard 100-foot machines. The arrival of Rolex as title sponsor in 2002 consolidated the event's international reach.

The record and its controversy

In 2017, Wild Oats XI crossed the line first... but incurred a one-hour penalty for a right-of-way incident at the start. The record and victory went to LDV Comanche. Ten years later, that time remains the target.

The course: four acts, four faces of the ocean

Act 1 — Sydney Harbour

The most spectacular start in world sailing. Four lines separate the fleet by boat size to avoid chaos between the 100-foot giants and more modest racers. Hundreds of thousands of spectators lining the shores, thousands of spectator boats: Australian Boxing Day in all its glory.

Act 2 — The coast and Bass Strait

After exiting the harbour, it's south along the New South Wales coast to Eden, then the formidable Bass Strait. Nicknamed "the paddock," it combines shallow water and violent winds that build a short, steep sea. This is the moment of truth. The choice between the relative safety of the coast and the potential speed of the open water often defines the final standings.

Act 3 — Tasmania and Storm Bay

The Tasmanian east coast brings unstable winds and brutal transitions. The approach to Tasman Island reveals the cliffs of the "Organ Pipes" before entering Storm Bay, the final exposed passage.

Act 4 — The Derwent River

The final 11 miles are legendarily cruel. Leaders arriving at night find themselves stuck in total calm just a few cables from Constitution Dock, while their pursuers come back with the breeze. The Derwent has reshuffled more leaderboards than any gale.

Divisions and trophies: much more than a speed race

The race uses the IRC handicap system to determine the overall winner — the one who will lift the Tattersall Cup.

• Tattersall Cup — IRC corrected time victory. The absolute grail.
• J.H. Illingworth Challenge Cup — Line Honours, first boat to Hobart. The playground of the Super Maxis.
• Two-Handed — Crews reduced to two sailors, a rapidly growing category.
• Corinthian — Reserved for amateurs.
• ORCi & PHS — Complementary handicap systems to accommodate a diverse fleet.

Wild Oats XI holds 9 Line Honours victories. Ichi Ban and Celestial have marked recent IRC standings.

The contenders

Super Maxis: the battle of the 100-footers

• Andoo Comanche (ex-LDV Comanche) — Record holder, formidable downwind once the wind picks up. Its wide, powerful hull remains the benchmark.
• Wild Oats XI — Nine-time first to Hobart. Always dangerous in light air and tactical scenarios.
• LawConnect (ex-InfoTrack) — Raw power. Winner of 2023 Line Honours in an epic finish.
• Black Jack — Often very fast in light conditions, a permanent outsider.

The 50-60 foot class: where the Tattersall Cup is won

TP52s and IRC-optimised boats regularly dominate the overall corrected time standings. Ichi Ban and Celestial are the recurring names. In this race, a well-sailed 52-footer often beats a maxi on handicap.

Find the entered boats and compare their characteristics on spencer.club.

What's at stake in this 82nd edition

Weather as the great equaliser

The 2025 edition was a brutal reminder: Master Lock Comanche had opened up a 7.5-mile lead before a sudden wind drop caused a complete fleet compression — the famous "concertina effect." For 2027, managing transitions in Bass Strait and on the Derwent will be decisive. A maxi can lose hours in a few minutes of calm.

Safety: lessons from the past

The race imposes Category 1 standards, the strictest in offshore sailing. Past incidents — notably the 1998 tragedy — have led to extreme vigilance on safety equipment, crew qualification and adherence to racing rules. Post-finish penalties, like the one given to Wild Oats XI in 2017, remind us that nothing is secured before the committee validates it.

An event that transcends sport

The Boxing Day start is a national tradition. Millions of viewers follow the exit from Sydney Harbour. At the finish, Hobart welcomes the fleet with the "Taste of Summer" festival, transforming Constitution Dock into a public celebration where sailors disembark as heroes. The economic impact for Tasmania in late December is considerable.

Follow the complete calendar for this edition on spencer.club.

What's really at stake over these 628 miles

The Rolex Sydney Hobart is not a sprint race. It's a condensed offshore sailing experience in short format: the brutality of Bass Strait, the tactical finesse of the Derwent, and between them, dozens of decisions that separate the winners from the rest. In 2027, the 2017 record will be on everyone's mind. But those who know this race understand that the Tattersall Cup is rarely won in the same place as Line Honours. And that the Derwent always has the last word.