The 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race lived up to the event’s renowned and often fearsome reputation. The 628nm of ocean racing tested resilience, resolve and preparation to the limit. Time and again, an adage frequently heard in endurance sport sprang to mind: “to finish first, first you have to finish”. It is a well-worn but stark reminder that reliability, consistency and simply completing the course are prerequisites; a lesson often learned the hard way.

Conditions during the opening 36-48 hours were consistently described as brutal. Any weakness in equipment or crew was ruthlessly exposed by a sea that lifted bows clear of the water before slamming them back down moments later.

Reputation and past performance offered no protection; several yachts expected to feature prominently were among those unceremoniously bounced from the course. More than a quarter of the fleet failed to finish. Against this backdrop, the winners of the race’s two principal prizes thoroughly deserve the plaudits reserved for those who achieve something truly special.

Min River, winner of the Tattersall Cup for overall victory on IRC time correction, and Master Lock Comanche, first to finish and recipient of the JH Illingworth Challenge Cup, stared down every threat the race could deliver.

Organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in collaboration with the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania since 1945, and with the support of title sponsor Rolex since 2002, the character of each Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is defined by its conditions. No two editions are ever the same.

Broadly speaking, the 2025 race was one of two halves: a desperate upwind opening, driving into tumultuous waves with heights of 3m or more, where survival was more important than speed; followed by periods of often sublime downwind sailing along the east coast of Tasmania under blue skies.

Even that summary is simplistic. Veteran navigator Adrienne Cahalan, completing her 33rd race, divides the course into five distinct segments, each with its own nuance, where outcomes depend entirely on timing. Storm Bay and the River Derwent once again played their familiar games, delivering experiences ranging from straightforward to utterly will-sapping as the wind switched on and off, frustrating and rewarding competitors without regard for size or pedigree.

Historic Overall Winner
Double-handed crews have only been eligible to participate in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race since 2020, and for the Tattersall Cup since 2022. The division has consistently attracted around 20 entries, reflecting strong global interest in this demanding discipline.

Sailing short-handed is tough enough at the best of times: all the same tasks must be completed as on a fully crewed yacht, and the same weather conditions endured. Unsurprisingly, the boats are among the smallest in the fleet, typically measuring 30-40ft.

In the southern hemisphere, Rupert Henry and Mistral had set the benchmark, winning the Double-Handed Division in the previous three Rolex Sydney Hobarts and finishing sixth overall in 2023. Henry’s 2025 campaign ended cruelly and abruptly on the first night, when Mistral joined the growing list of retirements after Henry suffered an injury that prevented him from continuing.

The mantle was taken up by the remainder of the division. As the weather gradually swung in favour of the smaller, less powerful yachts, those double-handers that survived the early ordeal began creeping steadily up the provisional standings.

By the close, seven double-handed entries featured in the overall top 10. Their progress was hard-won. After four days of managing challenging conditions, Storm Bay and the Derwent delivered a final sting, testing the crews’ last reserves of tactical acumen and physical endurance as the wind flicked between nothing and just enough.

The closing stretch evolved into a two-boat duel between the 33ft Australian entry Min River, sailed by Jiang Lin and Alexis Loison, and the similarly sized BNC-my Net from New Caledonia, co-skippered by Michel Quintin and Yann Rigal.

Both crews had sailed near-perfect races and were separated by only minutes on corrected time. Ultimately, an error of judgement proved decisive.

An inadvertent rule infringement by BNC in the closing miles resulted in a time penalty that pushed the New Caledonian boat into second overall, leaving Lin the distinction of becoming the first female skipper to win Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race outright and Min River to make history as the first double-handed yacht to win the Great Race South.

A relative newcomer to the sport, it is the fourth time Lin has competed. For Loison, a professional sailor from Brittany, this was a sixth Rolex Sydney Hobart, including finishing second overall as a crew member in 2015.

Loison’s full CV is outstanding. He and his father were the first double-handed crew to win one of the world’s 600-mile offshore classics, succeeding at the 2013 Rolex Fastnet Race, a feat Loison repeated in 2025. He has also won the Rolex Middle Sea Race and La Solitaire du Figaro.

Reflecting on the experience, Loison said: “The beginning was definitely pretty challenging, particularly the second night when the wind picked up. The last night was also strong wind, but we realised that we could get a good result, so we pushed really hard even though we had to hand steer the whole time because the sea state was so bad.”

On stepping ashore, Lin highlighted the relentless workload: “We didn’t think about much for the first 48 hours, we were in survival mode until today, when the weather was kinder going up the river. Even so the lack of wind was a pain. Don’t ask me how many sails we changed, how many spinnakers I packed.”

It may take a little while for the enormity of what she has achieved to properly sink in. “We never thought we could win overall,” she said. “It seemed too far a reach for our little boat when we think about all the other boats with such good sailors. I hope that more women can believe in themselves. If you try hard enough the dream can come true.”

Deserving Line Honours Winner
Five 100ft maxis charged off the start line on December 26, powering down Sydney Harbour under towering sail plans.

LawConnect, line honours winner for the previous two years, reached Sydney Heads first and exited into the Tasman Sea closely followed by Comanche, with the 88ft Lucky in a remarkable third. Their reward was to confront the tumultuous sea state sooner than the rest of the fleet.

The five 100-footers were quickly reduced to four when a series of rigging issues forced Wild Thing 100 to withdraw. Palm Beach XI, formerly Wild Oats XI and a nine-time line honours winner, was unable to repeat past dominance and gradually slipped away from the leaders. SHK Scallywag also struggled in the heavy conditions and lay fourth, behind Lucky but within striking distance.

Crossing Bass Strait on the night of December 27-28, a tricky transition zone awaited, marking the end of the strong southerly and the beginning of a steadier northerly. The leading maxis slowed almost to a standstill and were briefly caught by those astern.

For Matt Allen, co-skipper of Comanche, ahead at the time, it felt as though the race had to be won twice. He believed the critical decision was to remain close to Tasmania’s eastern coastline. The breeze eventually filled in from the land side, and the seasoned crew left the chasers behind to finish at six in the evening on December 28.

Allen, a four-time overall winner, was elated: “In all the years I have done this race, this is the first time I have finished first. It was really special to do so in the 80th edition, I love the history of the Rolex Sydney Hobart, and this was such an exciting race for line honours with so many boats so close for such a long period, and for the lead to change so often, even on the last morning.

“It was an exhilarating finish, with huge numbers of people in Hobart to welcome us. For the crew who have done so many races around the world it was something truly special.”

Co-skipper James Mayo paid tribute to the team’s determination and resilience: “It feels like we were out there for a week. It was exhausting, but it was all about teamwork. Together one achieves more, and when you have a great team, you can do anything in life. We sailed a faultless race, with everyone focused on the job in hand throughout.”

The story of this illustrious contest has humble beginnings. A casual invitation to join a cruise to Hobart in late 1945, led to a response of historic consequence. British Navy Captain John Illingworth’s simple reply of “I will, if you make a race of it” ignited a tradition that has endured for 80 remarkable years.

That the original adventurous spirit continues to resonate is apparent, as Dr Sam Haynes, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, made clear in his speech at the final prize giving.

“This 80th edition has reminded us why the Rolex Sydney Hobart is one of the world’s great sporting occasions. The race demands the very best preparation, seamanship and teamwork, and it is apt that we are celebrating some truly historic achievements,” Haynes said.

“Min River’s victory is a milestone moment for the race and offshore sailing more widely. For the first time, we have a female overall winner. And the victory of a double-handed crew is testament to our commitment to increase participation and diversity in this race.”

More than just a yacht race, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has become a celebration of human endeavour, courage and accomplishment. A cornerstone of its near 70-year association with yachting, Rolex salutes the journey undertaken by all competing crews and the outstanding achievement of the winners.

–        Quinag

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