Rolex Sydney Hobart 2025 – Running Coverage!

You are in the right place for our running blog! A reminder that this year, all of our live coverage of the finishes will be on YouTube! 

7 January – 1000

128 started. 93 finished.
We followed the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart, from pre-start to last finisher.

Dock walk. Helicopters. Live streams. Finishes. Independent race coverage produced by Sunset Media and published via Sailor Girl HQ.

We strive to add something to the Great Race at every step. If we did that for you, sharing this is the best way to support what we do.

Thank you to everyone working behind the scenes. The organising committees, the volunteers, and Rolex 💛
To our Hobart home, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Musto Australasia, and Highfield, thank you for believing in what we do.

This coverage is independently funded and produced by Sunset Media.
If you found it useful, entertaining, or worth following, sharing it is the biggest way to support future coverage ⚓

6 January – 1700

Behind-the-scenes at the Sydney Hobart finish ⚓️
Our live finish line streams were just the beginning.

The full chats — you saw bits in the highlights, but this is everything else.
Extended cuts, press pit moments, and the off-camera conversations from the dock.

Full wrap drops tomorrow — one week since the last finisher.

5 January – 0800

Still a lot of words flying around online, and many looking to understand, so here is my ‘lamens’ explanation of the rule that was broken: With a symmetrical spinnaker, there is no outward force on the sheet, it is just a stabilising factor on the brace (the other side of the spinnaker to the sheet). When you have an asymmetric on the bow sprit (which is the ‘brace’), you should then just use the sheet, as the sprit is the stabilising aspect on the non-existent brace or tack line.

Using an additional element, such as the pole that was used by BNC, actually puts outward pressure on the sheet, that holds it out there and increases the sail area unfairly. And this is the issue. A symmetrical spinnaker has the pole on the brace, and the sheet is free, which is legal. Such as with Min River.

As BNC my::Net Leon discuss in this latest video, they did not know about the rule, they admitted they were at fault, and congratulate the winners. 

Video here

Before the start, it was all hope for BNC my::Net Léon.
An interview full of excitement, belief, and the quiet confidence of a double-handed Corinthian team taking on one of the world’s hardest ocean races.

Then we jump forward.

The finish line.
Celebrations. Family. Relief.
A race sailed to the limit.

Then the announcement of a protest, and the outcome.

Admitting their error, an inadvertent breach of a rule they were unaware of, the penalty meant the overall win had sailed.

But there were still accolades.

Second overall.
Division winners.
First Corinthian.
First double-handed team across the line.

Disappointed, but happy.
Because they did the right thing.
Because they are proud of their race.

Thank you to the organisers, the volunteers, and the protest committee for upholding the integrity of our sport.
As you will hear, BNC my::Net Léon also thank Min River for the protest, and I join them in congratulating Min River once again on the win.

This is offshore sailing.
Not just about results, but about character.

And if this story moved you, come and see them sail at home, or better yet, come and race.
📍 New Caledonia
🗓 June 2027
🌊 New Caledonia Groupama Race

2 January – 1900

A look at the Min River win! 

Historic. A look at the lead up to, and moment when Min River was announced as the first double handed (DH) team to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart overall.

For skipper Jiang Lin, she will forever be the first female skipper to win overall in the 80th edition of the Great Race, which was celebrated at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania.

For co-skipper Alexis Loison, this win was an addition to his already incredible year; an overall win in the Rolex Fastnet, again in a DH pairing, and La Solitare du Figaro Paprec (solo) in his 19th attempt. Voile incroyable 👏🏻

Lots more to come. 

1 January – 1300

We were out this morning for the final finisher.

Millennium Falcon owned and skippered by Robert Griffits finished this morning at about 10:22 local time. The 93rd and final finisher in the 80th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. 

The rib is now packed up and we are saying our final goodbyes to our Hobart home, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania. 

Still lots more unseen footage to come, including our final wrap!

31 December – 1500

Time for the final presentation, which you can watch on CYCATV here.

31 December – 1300

Live for the Tattersall Cup Presentation for the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1CrZ62S8oe/

31 December – 1200

The fourth annual SheSails Women Sailors & Supporters event at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania was a brilliant success. I will post a link to the video here when it is live. 

VIDEO

31 December – 1130

31 December – 0900

30 December – 1800

BNC – my::Net / LEON are the clubhouse leaders in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, and we have had a mass of finishes today. Here are our highlights from today’s action at the finish of the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart, including our chat with the double handed line honours winners, who will now have to patiently wait for those behind them to better their corrected time. All of the live content is on YouTube along with stacks more. 

Additionally, as of 1800 the Race Committee of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has received a protest from Min River against the current clubhouse leader, BNC – my::NET / LEON, citing a breach to Australian Sailing Racing Rule of Sailing 55.3(a). Racing Rule 55.3 is as follows: 55.3 Sheeting Sails No sail shall be sheeted over or through any device that exerts outward pressure on a sheet or clew of a sail at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck, except: (a) a headsail clew may be connected (as defined in The Equipment Rules of Sailing) to a whisker pole, provided that a spinnaker is not set; The International Jury will hear the protest at 0900 hours AEDT on Wednesday 31 December 2025 at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania in Hobart. We will continue to keep you posted.

30 December – 0900

It has just gone SW at Dennes Point, which is to the west of South Arm. It looks like BNC hugged the shore and have now started to head to the West. Crossing the current in the river, and heading to the line of the next system. We will see how this unfolds presently, and of course will be live with all of the news. 

www.rolexsydneyhobart.com has the tracker and standings as they are happening as a reminder. We tend to use our usual sailing apps, as they are a little quicker, but all the information is in the one place there ^^ (or we will update you on the lives!). 

30 December – 0800

The Derwent has somewhat shutdown… this is going to be a tense day. Good news, we are now at 31 finishes! Numbers have more than doubled since last night in the slowest Hobart I can remember. 

BNC is at south arm, and looks great on overall IRC but has a serious task ahead of them. Love & War could make it a record breaking four… So many questions yet to be answered. We are sitting near the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania on the Derwent waiting for the arrival of Drumfire, who have now anchored. Outgoing current and a retreating northerly have not helped their finish run up the Derwent. A southerly change is due from potentially 11am, some models saying after midday. 

We have been live already today. 

If the Derwent stays like this, it could well be Bacchanal who take the win. What a race. 

More finishes to come! Also don’t miss the highlights from yesterday, and the Celestial finish! 

30 December – 0600

Morning, going to try do as many finishes as we can today!!!

29 December – 2200

29 December – 1600

29 December – 1100

Morning. Well wasn’t that a fun evening. Took 20 minutes off watch before leaving most of the team in bed to zip out and get the Celestial finish, which was eventually just after 0500. You can watch below… The overall in this race is getting seriously interesting. As mentioned in our dock walk, the small boats are starting the close, and we could well see Love & War, or one of the double handed teams take the win this year. That said, there is still time for Callisto to make a move, but they need to get in before 1451 to have a shot. 

Here are our finish highlights packages with Lucky and Palm Beach XI as promised. 

29 December – 0300

Celestial V70 is now parked in the Derwent, right next to Tempo, one of the Launceston to Hobart entries. We thought they may have managed to get through before the tide changed, but it wasn’t to be! 

We now have a few other bits of content going up – because we always want more right? 

Our recap of the MasterLock Comanche celebrations is below with short catch ups with GT, Clarkey and Jimmy, as is the highlights of the finish with LawConnect and a chat with crew boss Silas Nolan. We also have a quick catch up with George Richardson and Will Oxley from Scallywag. Our extended interview package will be up tomorrow afternoon. 

Lots more to come, including more live finishes, highlights and where possible, extended interview packages! 

29 December – 0000

While there are finishes happening, there has also been another retirement.

The full list is below. Retirements are 34 in total, five boats have now finished the race, that leaves 94 still racing.

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head stay foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)
• Wild Thing 100 (Rigging damage)
• Awen (broken forestay)
• Trouble and Strife (Engine issues)
• Troubadour (seasickness)
• Roaring Forty (seasickness)
• Moneypenny (lost life raft overboard)
• Mazu Denali’s Little Helper (battery issues)
• Philosopher (rudder issues)
• Wine Dark Sea (various minor issues)
• URM Group (hull damage)  
• KOA (head foil)
• Vixen (rib injury)
• J-Bird Ocean Crusaders (minor hull damage)
• Avalanche (charging issues)
• Wots Next (some crew injuries, all ok) 
• Mudgee Concrete (rigging issues) 
• Maritimo Katwinchar (skipper call to return to port)
• Coast Watcher (no reason)
• Maritimo 100 (sail/hydraulic issue)
• Mistral (suspected broken ribs)
• V5 retired (keel damage)
• Unicoin (pulpit damage) 
• Kraken 42S (suspected broken ribs and some electrical issues)
• Ambition (hull damage)
• Chancellor (steering issues) 
• Ragtime (liferaft over board)
• Minerva (couldn’t fix engine)
• Le Tiroflan (forestay damage)
• Titoki (rigging issues) 
• Loch Sloidh 3  (skippers discretion)
• Silver Fern (minor damage and sea sickness)

28 December – 1400

The breeze is back in, and MasterLock Comanche has taken off again, now almost three nautical miles in front of LawConnect. Celestial V70 is also up and running and has slid back to the top of the overall standings, with Div 2’s MRV and then Lucky behind them. Callisto narrowly leads Smuggler in Div 1, KD1 is on top in Div 3, Bacchanal in Div 4, BNC in Div 5 (also DH line honours and overall DH leaders), Crux in Div 6, Antipodes in Cruiser Racer. 

Line Honours could be as early as 1600, more likely at 1800. 

We will be live from the Derwent as the finishes unfold. 

28 December – 1200

28 December – 1000

While we are waiting, you may want to have a look back at our dock walk where we caught up with sailors right through the fleet, of all combinations! 

Sadly, a few have now retired, the race that was, but for others, their dreams are still alive. 

28 December – 0800

What a night! LawConnect has now officially reported serious mainsail damage, and Scallywag as of writing this is further south than MasterLock Comanche.

Christian Beck on the mainsail:

“Yeah, yeah it’s not good. I mean we haven’t given up but obviously our odds of winning aren’t high after that one but we’re, you know, anything’s possible still I think. Well it was reefed down. I’ve actually taken the reef out and it’s still got a hole in it of course but we’ve got the full sail out again. It’s very light. We’re probably only doing a few knots. It’s actually Comanche, us and Scallywag are all pretty close together at the moment. According to Tony I think, I think Comanche’s winning then Scallywag then us. There’s probably 100 metres in it so it’s very close. I can see them both quite clearly. Basically Scallywag’s probably about a mile to sea of us and Comanche might be a mile and a half towards the coastline so we’re all in a line now.

We may as well just keep going and see what happens but you probably need them to make a mistake as always but as you know with the Derwent you can get parked up in the Derwent so there’s those sort of fairy tales that are possible… you never know what that Derwent’s going to do. Scallywag I think probably has a pretty good chance against Comanche because sort of Comanche does struggle a bit in the light air.

I’ve told my wife about two o’clock but that might be a bit optimistic now. Probably I’d say four o’clock would be my guess”. 

The line honours leaders have slowed right down, now all doing between 3 and 6 knots of boat speed. It’s time for the small boats to shine overall! 

The double handers are going incredibly well percentage wise. 

From Pacman this morning: 

” We 8 knots TWS 193 TWD. Glorious out here. Interesting mix in the DH fleet today. It will be interesting to see what happens especially with Mistral retiring!”

Retirements at time of posting:

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head stay foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)
• Wild Thing 100 (Rigging damage)
• Awen (broken forestay)
• Trouble and Strife (Engine issues)
• Troubadour (seasickness)
• Roaring Forty (seasickness)
• Moneypenny (lost life raft overboard)
• Mazu Denali’s Little Helper (battery issues)
• Philosopher (rudder issues)
• Wine Dark Sea (various minor issues)
• URM Group (hull damage)  
• KOA (head foil)
• Vixen (rib injury)
• J-Bird Ocean Crusaders (minor hull damage)
• Avalanche (charging issues)
• Wots Next (some crew injuries, all ok) heading to Eden 
• Mudgee Concrete (rigging issues) heading to Ulladulla
• Maritimo Katwinchar (skipper call to return to port)
• Coast Watcher (no reason)
• Maritimo 100 (sail/hydraulic issue)
• Mistral (suspected broken ribs)
• V5 retired (keel damage)
• Unicoin (pulpit damage) 
• Kraken 42S (suspected broken ribs and some electrical issues)
• Ambition (hull damage)
• Chancellor (steering issues) 
• Ragtime (liferaft over board)
• Minerva (couldn’t fix engine)
• Le Tiroflan (forestay damage)
• Titoki (rigging issues) 
• Loch Sloidh 3  (skippers discretion) 

Flight Mode (heading into Eden to for some repairs, still racing)

33 retirements – 95 still racing 12 of which are double handers.

27 December – 2130

And while the Maritimo 100 did try to do some running repairs, it wasn’t to be. They have now also retired along with multiple double handed champion, Mistral. Rupert Henry has messaged since retiring, all are ok on board. 

Retirements at time of posting:

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head stay foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)
• Wild Thing 100 (Rigging damage)
• Awen (broken forestay)
• Trouble and Strife (Engine issues)
• Troubadour (seasickness)
• Roaring Forty (seasickness)
• Moneypenny (lost life raft overboard)
• Mazu Denali’s Little Helper (battery issues)
• Philosopher (rudder issues)
• Wine Dark Sea (various minor issues)
• URM Group (hull damage)  
• KOA (head foil)
• Vixen (rib injury)
• J-Bird Ocean Crusaders (minor hull damage)
• Avalanche (charging issues)
• Wots Next (some crew injuries, all ok) heading to Eden 
• Mudgee Concrete (rigging issues) heading to Ulladulla
• Maritimo Katwinchar (skipper call to return to port)
• Coast Watcher (no reason)
• Maritimo 100 (sail/hydraulic issue)
• Mistral (suspected broken ribs)

The following boats are still racing (NOT retired), but are trying to make repairs or fix some problems or are sheltering as follows:

• Minerva trying to fix electrical issues
• Unicoin heading to Bermagui to make some repairs
• Highly Sprung sheltering
• Pretty Woman heading to Eden for mainsail repairs, then will continue racing
• Kraken 42s heading to Eden to shelter and reassess

At 2100, retirements are now at 23, 105 still racing, with five of those standing by. 

27 December – 2030

The line honours finish seems to be pushing even further back, and the arrival times for MasterLock Comanche, LawConnect, and now Scallywag are getting closer and closer. Bit of a waiting game here in what is still a windy and cold in Hobart. We have our flag for the line honours finish, super grateful to the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania for their support in having us in Hobart again. It really is a home away from home for us. 

The retirements, and those who are assessing damage or holding to have come in quickly in the last hour. We send our best to all of those who we won’t see here in Hobart, including some of our favourites, J-Bird Ocean Crusaders, who have just had to pull out with minor hull damage and Maritimo Katwinchar. 

Retirements at time of posting:

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head stay foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)
• Wild Thing 100 (Rigging damage)
• Awen (broken forestay)
• Trouble and Strife (Engine issues)
• Troubadour (seasickness)
• Roaring Forty (seasickness)
• Moneypenny (lost life raft overboard)
• Mazu Denali’s Little Helper (battery issues)
• Philosopher (rudder issues)
• Wine Dark Sea (various minor issues)
• URM Group (hull damage)  
• KOA (head foil)
• Vixen (rib injury)
• J-Bird Ocean Crusaders (minor hull damage)
• Avalanche (charging issues)
• Wots Next (some crew injuries, all ok) heading to Eden 
• Mudgee Concrete (rigging issues) heading to Ulladulla
• Maritimo Katwinchar (skipper call to return to port)

The following boats are still racing (NOT retired), but are trying to make repairs or fix some problems or are sheltering as follows:

• Maritimo 100 heading to Eden to assess a sail/hydraulic issue – all well on board
• Minerva trying to fix electrical issues
• Unicoin heading to Bermagui to make some repairs
• Highly Sprung sheltering
• Pretty Woman heading to Eden for mainsail repairs, then will continue racing
• Kraken 42s heading to Eden to shelter and reassess

At 2000, retirements are now at 20, 108 still racing, with six of those standing by. 

More as soon as we have more news! 

27 December – 1700

Celestial V70 is smoking down the coast, and now sits more than seven hours in front on corrected time. Lucky has moved into second place. MasterLock Comanche continues to lead on line honours, LawConnect has had multiple issues, causing them to drop back. The way the night plays out could bring them back into the battle though, with SHK Scallywag still in touch if the conditions play into its hands.

Palm Beach XI reported stopping for an extended period of time to clear fishing nets from their new daggerboards and deeper keel. 

Brad Kellett is racing on Antipodes, checked in at midday. 

“We saw Scallywag’s Danbuoy yesterday afternoon. Fortunately none of their crew needed it! The upwind slog continues. We seem to be hanging in there with the boats around us in the fleet. A few breeze changes last night mixed it up a little bit with the competition around us, but we seem to have all fallen into line down the NSW coast. This afternoon looks like much the same with an increase in pressure which means we will probably be reefing for the first time during the race so far”.

Retirements at time of posting:

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head stay foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)
• Wild Thing 100 (Rigging damage)
• Awen (broken forestay)
• Trouble and Strife (Engine issues)
• Troubadour (seasickness)
• Roaring Forty (seasickness)
• Moneypenny (lost life raft overboard)
• Mazu Denali’s Little Helper (battery issues)
• Philosopher (rudder issues)
• Wine Dark Sea (various minor issues)
• URM Group (hull damage) 

At 1700 there are 115 racing including 15 doublehanders. 13 retirements (and Yendys – DNS).

Our boat is all setup, and we are ready for live finishes from anytime, probably after midday tomorrow. 

27 December – 0900

Good morning from Hobart. We will be setting up our live broadcast boat today, readying for the finishes, likely from tomorrow morning.

Most overnight have reported that the sea state and breeze are not as bad as they were expecting.

“All good on board URM. The sea state is actually better than expected and winds have decreased below 20 knots, so we can push the boat. It’s all about finding the best mode upwind and making the best of shifts caused by cloud activity. Longer term tonight we’re chasing a big shift inshore, after that it will be a race South into Bass Strait with wind increasing again tomorrow morning,” Max Beckers, navigator on URM Group.

Oroton Drumfire reported that it was a jib halyard issue that resulted in a quick pit stop in Botany Bay, not the coffee machine Netflix reception that many surmised. LawConnect have also had some jib halyard issues, and have fixed a broken mainsheet.

It was a tough night for the double handed teams. This morning I heard from our good friends on BNC, specifically Yann Rigal – merci beaucoup to the Groupama Race team for help with the translation!

“It is 6:47… uh actually, what date is it? I don’t even know anymore… it’s the 27th. Saturday the 27th, 6:47 local time.
The night was… rough. Well, actually since the start it’s been rough. We are managing to position ourselves not too badly but the sea is wild. We had gusts over 30 knots and especially big rough seas. The boat is fine, we are fine. A bit tired though from the night because we didn’t necessarily sleep very well and we were a bit sick.
I caught a chill at the very start with a wave that crashed on me coming out of the Heads. And well, actually I confused the Coral Sea of Caledonia and the Caledonian lagoon with the Tasman Sea. So I got very cold very quickly and I had a hard time recovering. Even soda wouldn’t stay down, so everything was coming back up. After 4-5 hours of feeling bad, I managed to bounce back and that’s it, now it’s a bit better. Michel is okay, he steered quite a bit. Then we realized that the autopilot was steering better than us, so we played between the pilot and us for steering”.

Celestial V70 continues to lead IRC overall, and MasterLock Comanche and LawConnect are within a nautical mile, with just over 500 miles to go.

The latest to retire are Wild Thing 100 with rigging issues, and Trouble and Strife with engine issues.

Retirements at time of posting:

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head stay foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)
• Wild Thing 100 (Rigging damage)
• Awen (broken forestay)
• Trouble and Strife (Engine issues)

At 0900 there are 125 yachts racing.

26 December – 1800

The 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is off and racing and with the southerly forecast arriving as expected the downwind start saw Law Connect and the 88 footer Lucky storming off the first start line for the early lead on line honours. After a tough start at the pin end, SHK Scallywag caught up to Palm Beach XI and Masterlock Comanche to make the top five around the first turning mark. Masterlock Comanche worked its way up and inside of Lucky, and looked to snatch Law Connect’s run of triple “first out of the harbour” bragging rights by beating them to the outer turning mark.

Law Connect did manage to make it three from three out of the heads, and was first to start punching out to sea, as the maxi fleet settled into their best modes in the first upwind phase. 

Close behind, the mini maxis and TP52 fleets compressed at the turning mark. The Callisto crew showed her Admiral’s Cup and Rolex Middle Sea Race form, though this time racing the larger boat in their program, quickly settling into a fast mode and pushing into the 60+ foot section of the fleet.

The concertina of colour forged out of the harbour from the 52’s back, with the parade of colour steaming up the Harbour and around the turning marks. It was a game of snakes and ladders in the Sound, with boats three and four abreast at times as they worked to their respective turning marks.

Offshore from the air, the ex Rambler 88, Lucky, continued to pace with the maxis, sitting in second to third on line honours, depending on the shift. Law Connect and Palm Beach XI opted for an inshore option, while the rest of the line honours leading pack remained offshore. At the 90 minute mark into the race, most double handed crews appeared to be sailing solo, except Pacman and Mistral who were pushing with co-skippers still on the rail. Callisto was moding well and the crew were packed so tightly on the rail you could almost not make out the individuals on board. Serious synchronicity. On heading back towards the shore, boats opting for less swell inshore included Chutzpah, Making Waves Foundation Kayle and Clockwork. 

Organisers have confirmed that the David Witt-skippered supermaxi SHK Scallywag 100 completed a 720-degree (two full turns) manoeuvre before heading down the coast, in order to head off possible time penalties later in the race.

The race also acknowledged and paid tribute to the victims of the Bondi shooting, with crews dropping rose petals in the water as they passed Bondi Beach.

The tough conditions ahead for the crews took an early toll on some. 

Yendys did not start the race, with a broken backstay. Sumatra suspended racing Oroton Drumfire spent around 90 minutes stopped in Botany Bay fixing an issue, resuming racing around 17:00.

Retirements at time of posting:

• Hutchies Yeah Baby (Head Stay Foil)
• White Noise (Rigging issues)
• Inukshuk (Rudder issues)

At 18:00 there are 125 yachts racing.

26 December – 0600

The 80th Great Race is here, and Sailor Girl HQ has you covered from start to finish. From our original extended cut dock walk on Boxing Day, to a full start recap — including the addition of a helicopter this year post start — and as many live finishes as we can bring you down south. All of this broadcast from our trusty Highfield, SGHQ01, already waiting at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania for our arrival.

Full YouTube playlist is below – all of our live coverage will be on YouTube this year! 

Other updates, including image galleries and highlights videos will be on Instagram and Facebook. 

If you are looking to watch the start, we are unable to go live for the start, or within one hour of it under accreditation. Locally, head to Channel 9 or 9 Now, if you are an international, head to CYCATV on YouTube. 

There is lot more that we will be sharing, away from the start! A big thanks to our longstanding content partners for this year’s additions, Harken and Musto. 

You can re-live last year’s Hobart on our Rolex Sydney Hobart 2024 – YouTube playlist, and make sure you subscribe!

Stay tuned, to Sailor Girl HQ!