2025 is the 80th edition of the iconic Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Understood worldwide to be one of the most majestic, and one of the toughest, races on the planet, it is high on the bucket list of sailors everywhere. This year there were 129 entries, inclusive of 16 international yachts and 27 new competitors, and a 25% uptick in female crew. The largest fleet that ever ran was in 1994, the 50th edition, when 371 boats started.
Scott McAllister OAM, crew member on the 1975 winner, Rampage, from Western Australia, fired the start cannon from the official vessel, The Jackson. It was a speedy commencement on a high tide with a strong southerly, which meant that many boats went through the Sydney Harbour Heads with their gennakers and spinnakers already up and full blown.
The 628 nautical miles to the finish at Constitution Dock in Hobart is never easy, and the Bureau of Meteorology warned crews to prepare for a sharp transition from Sydney Harbour sailing to full ocean conditions almost immediately after the start and prepared them for a slow-moving high-pressure system sitting over Tasmania.
LawConnect and skipper Christian Beck was the defending Line Honours champion, while Celestial V70 and skipper Dr Sam Haynes, who is also the Commodore of the CYCA, was the defending Overall champion.
In his role as Commodore Dr Sam Haynes asked fifteen yachts representing the race’s organisers, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, to scatter rose petals off the stern of their boats as they passed Bondi Beach, to honour those who lost their lives in the recent terror attack. The fifteen represented every victim who sadly lost their life during the tragedy. In the end a host of other competitors joined the CYCA entrants in memorialising those lives lost as they passed Bondi.
Around 12 per cent of the sailors in this year’s race were women. Some have years of experience and some were heading out for their first Rolex Sydney Hobart. First Light and skipper Elizabeth Tucker is leading the way with an all- women crew, and The XX Factor has an almost- full women crew, with one male member who is Alan Dowler, husband of boat owner and skipper, Janet Thornley.Â
Notable women in the race who have spoken at many of the lead up events to the race include; Carolijn Brouwer, competing on Aragon, who was Rolex Sailor of the year in 2018 and who has raced around the world 3 times and competed in 3 Olympics; Annie Stevenson, competing in her first RSHYR on First Light; Lisa Callaghan, proud boat owner and skipper of Mondo, who is also the President of Sydney 38 association and President at Manly Yacht Club; and Annika Thomson, Co- owner of Ocean Crusaders J- Bird and winner of 3 consecutive Jane Tate Memorial trophies which are awarded to the first female skipper to finish RSHYR.
Irresistible chatted to a few of the crews about their preparations and their drive for the race before they left Sydney, and kept a close eye on how things progressed over the next few days. Not everyone we spoke to made it to the finish line but they were all definitely Irresistible!
Wild Thing 100
Wild Thing 100 has a long history with Sydney Hobart, encompassing wins and name changes and extensions and even being capsized back in 2004. The boat was upgraded to a full rig last year and is now the lightest of the 100 footers. Skipper Grant Wharington told the press how he was feeling about the waether forecast pre- race.
“It’s not great for us, but it’s okay. We’ve just got to keep plugging away and put a bit of extra weight in the boat; extra ropes and anything just to weigh us down. We’re so light.”
“We’re a little bit wider and a little bit lighter (than LawConnect), so not great for us,” he said. “But it could go either way. We saw what happened to Comanche last year and that can happen to anyone.”
“The weather is adding another day to our arrival time, maybe even another day and a night. It does get to you a little bit; the pain and fatigue and all that sort of stuff, but it’s the same for everyone. We’ve just got to go out there and do our best and hopefully we’ll get our day.”
Wild Thing 100 retired in the early hours 27th December. With the conditions already going against their favour, a runner block failure meant some hasty repairs were also putting the new $4 million mast at risk, and the boat returned to Sydney.
Making Waves Foundation KayleÂ
The Making Waves Foundation, originally known as Sailors with Disabilities, made history in 1994 when they competed in the Sydney to Hobart with a crew made up of people with disability – and they have competed in the race every year since.
This year the 80th Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, marks the 23rd consecutive campaign for the Foundation, and their most recent patron is Ms. Sam Mostyn, Her Excellency The Honourable Governor General of Australia. The Foundation runs year round free sailing programs for youth living with a disability or experiencing disadvantage.
50% of the crew in this years race live with a disability, and MWF Kayle is a modified custom-built ocean racer, with easy wheelchair access, ropes contained on one side for easier handling, and a ramp that can be attached to a dock for boarding.
Each member’s journey demonstrates determination, teamwork, and courage. We spoke to crew member David Reiser just before the race about any last minute nerves. David has been living with disability for 45 years, and strives to prove that people with disability are far more capable than many expect.
“I’m nervous and excited,” said David. “I’m ready to get out on the water and light this candle and get this thing going. There’s all this pent up energy and people are just hugging each other and we haven’t even started yet!”
“I feel like I just got here to have a coffee and suddenly we’re going to Hobart. Woo Hoo! We’re going to bring it!”
MWF can be supported through donations to help provide offshore safety gear, training, and travel opportunities. Every donation strengthens endurance, leadership, and confidence while championing inclusive Australian sailing and continuing the MWF mission of inclusive sailing for all, and breaking barriers both on and off the water.Â
MWF Kayle has finished with a time of 3 days 23 hours 27 minutes 21 seconds
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Master Lock Comanche
A firm favourite for this year, 2024 wasn’t so lucky for Master Lock Comanche who retired early in the 79th edition with mainsail damage. The boat is still however the race record holder, with a time of 1 day 9hrs 15 mins 24 secs in 2017.
Skippers James Mayo and Matt Allen spoke to the press on race day.
“I think it’s really open,” said Mayo. “There’s going to be some breakages through the course of tonight and tomorrow morning. We’re going to see maximum wave heights around 5.5 metres with a bit of current. So they’re going to be steep waves and it’s going to be a matter of balancing how hard you can push.”
“With these conditions, the heavier boats will go through that upwind phase really well, but hopefully we’re right up and amongst it. But it’s going to be be a management exercise and it’s gonna be cold, wet and pretty unpleasant sailing.”
When asked about maintaining crew moral Allen explained. “I suppose it comes back to your team. We have an incredible team, and everyone’s got a role, and they are making good decisions at the right time. We’ve certainly had a great build up to this race, so I think we’re very confident that we’ll make the right decisions at the right time.”
“I think it’s really important that everyone looks after themselves,” said Mayo. “If you’re not on watch and you’ve got an opportunity to get a break, two days is a long time, so it’s very important to rest, because it all starts again when you get down towards the Derwent. It’s going to be a very interesting race.”
“The team will keep going all the way to the end,” said Allen. “We’re going to get cold, rough conditions, but then we’re going to go through a transition when the breeze switches, drops down, and goes into the northeast. We might be parked up for a little while with no wind. So we’ve got to keep driving the boat. I mean, I’m sure most of the crews at the front of the fleet will be driving pretty hard. We never give up until we get over that finish line.”
Matt Allen and James Mayo have sailed Master Lock Comanche to Line Honours in the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart in the time of 2 days 5 hours 3 minutes 36 seconds. Read more about their win here
First Light
FirstLight is a 2008 Owen Clarke–designed Class 40 that skipper Elizabeth Tucker bought in Europe and then sailed 14,000 miles home to Australia double-handed, making her somewhat of a social media star.
Tucker is now leading the first all-female crew to compete in the entire Blue Water Pointscore, and First Light placed second in division in the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Race.
Alongside fellow crew members Annie Stevenson, Bayley Taylor, Malin Ludwig and Madeline Lyons, Tucker aims to build depth, confidence and leadership across every role onboard, with the broader goal of increasing women’s participation in offshore sailing by giving them structured access to the experience required to progress.
We spoke to navigator Annie Stevenson about her journey to the all- female crew.
“I’ve known Elizabeth for a few years,” said Stevenson, “and I was watching her journey back from Spain on Instagram as most people were. When she opened her program, I thought it sounded great. My initial thoughts about Sydney Hobart have been about excitement and adventure. The more people I speak to though, the more people ask me if I’m scared. 
And I’m thinking, should I be scared?”
“I think you have to be prepared, and know things could end up being crazy. We’re all really competent sailors and between us we’ve done 10 or 15 Hobart’s. We’re ready to go.”
“Hopefully we’ll be able to see what the bigger boats are doing, where they’re going, how they’re racing. You really have to rely on the models and all our navigation systems being okay on the day!”
Originally from the  U.K. we asked Stevenson how she made the leap to sailing on the other side of the world.
“I’m from Yorkshire, 
so my experience of sailing in the U.K. was dinghy sailing in reservoirs. In winter we’d have to pour boiling water on our sheets because they’d freeze! What I love about the Australian sailing community is just how welcoming everyone is and how everyone is willing to teach you and it doesn’t really matter where you come from.”
“I think what I love about sailing is we’re all on this same adventure together. We all have the same mentality of giving something your best shot.”
“There’s obviously reasons why we want to be an all- women crew and there’s obviously reasons to highlight the boundaries that exist, but there have also been so many men who have helped us along the way. They really want the boat to succeed!”
First Light had passed through the Bass Strait and was on track to finish when this article went to press.
URM Group
URM Group had strong results in previous years, but was the fourth boat to retire in 2024 after dismasting near Montague Island. In 2023 URM finished third behind LawConnect and Andoo Comanche in Line Honours. Owned by Johnston brothers Anthony and David since 2019, this year their three brothers are also on board making a total of five Johnstons for the race.
We spoke to well-known bowman and crew member John Flannery as he prepped just before take off.
“Apparently it’s going to be a difficult first night,” said Flannery. “It will be bumpy going into Jervis Bay, but that’s what we’re here for. And we’ll be releasing the rose petals for Bondi as we go past.”
“This is my 18th Sydney Hobart. I’m always looking to win. And looking forward to a drink in Hobart. It’s New Years with your mates and the Christmas festive season. Everyone gets together from all around the world. There’s nothing better.”
URM Group, was forced to retire after sustaining bulkhead damage in heavy seas.
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BNC- MY::NET
This is not the first Rolex Sydney Hobart for this New Caledonian yacht, but it is the first time it will be taken down to Hobart double handed. Skippers Michel Quintin and Yann Rigal have both completed the race before. Quintin a former windsurfing world champ, skippered the boat in 2017 under a different name: Banque De Nouvelle-Caledonie. That year they set the race record for yachts under 11 metres which still stands; 3 days 3 hours 22 minutes and 9 seconds. The pair met in 2015 when Rigal was cleaning the yacht’s hull.Â
“I dived this morning,” said Rigal. “Michel doesn’t want me to do it, he wants to pay somebody, but I really like to do it so I know it’s done properly. It’s a process, and it’s good mental preparation.” We asked if he was in charge of the cleaning at home. “Don’t say that to my wife!” he said. Sometimes I clean the boat more than I clean the kitchen!”
Irresistible asked Quentin and Rigal how they were feeling on the big day.
BNC- MY::NET has sailed to Double Handed Line Honours with a time of 3 days 21 hours 40 minutes 5 seconds.
HIGH (SEAS) DRAMA UPDATE: since going to press a protest was launched by another boat Min River and the Race Committee. There was a claim of a breach of Australian Sailing Racing Rule of Sailing 55.3(a), and was about a pole that was pushing a sail out and set up incorrectly. A penalty of 1 hour and 5 minutes was opposed, which meant that BNC- MY::NET lost their title and Min River became the Overall winner of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Aragon
Representing the Netherlands, Aragon arrived in Australia in November, and got on with preparing for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Not only is the boat maybe the most international in the race, with Dutch, French, Polish, Belgian, and American crew, but Aragon also has more than its fair share of sailing celebrities. Not only is Carolijn Brouwer on board, but so is Adrienne Cahalan as navigator, who is the most decorated female sailor in the RSHYR history, winning Line Honours six times and winning overall 3 times. The crew also includes owner and skipper Andries Verder’s daughter Nina and son Lout. Â
Aragon won its divisions in the 2020 Middle Sea Race. They have also competed in the Caribbean 600 in February 2024, the Newport Bermuda Race in June 2024 and finished 31st overall in the 2025 Transpac Race, as part of a 2- year offshore campaign which is culminating at RSHYR.Â
Irresistible chatted Andries Verder on the morning of his first Sydney Hobart.
“I’m feeling excited,” said Verder. “I’ve got a lot of energy and I’m feeling pretty confident. You can expect anything though. The boats has done well in some other races.”
Until recently there were two families who were involved with Aragon but now the Verder family is the only owner. “The other family are very good friends. I wanted to do more racing so it made sense for me to take it over. But the other family  are here and joining us for the race. I can’t wait.”
Aragon has finished Rolex Sydney Hobart with a time of 3 days 3 hours 44 minutes 21 seconds and is placed 9th in Line Honours.
Ocean Crusaders J-Bird
The Thomsons have spent three years restoring Ocean Crusaders, converting it to an electric drive, powered purely off renewable energy, and a zero carbon emission race yacht- the first of its kind. Their mission is to see electric engines become the norm, while having a vessel capable of sailing the world and racing competitively.
They have worked to remove 1 million kilos of waste from Australia’s waterways to help protect the oceans, and for their endeavours, the Thomsons won the Sustainability Award at the 2023 Australian Sailing Awards.
In 2024 Ocean Crusaders J-Bird finished third in Division 1 last year, with Annika Thomson winning the Jane Tate Memorial Trophy for an unprecedented third time – and three in a row. In 2022, she and husband, Ian, raced two-handed and finished fastest two-hander over the line and 12th overall – an incredible result on a TP52.
Irresistible spoke to Annika Thomson in the lead up to Sydney Hobart at one of the Women in Sailing events.Â
“Ocean Crusaders J-Bird is 24 years old this year,” said Thomson. 
”We took a decent engine out and put an electric drive into it. We’ve done incredibly well the last 3 years, but this year, we have some tough competition. I’ve got some big shoes to fill!”Â
“Through our charity we are literally picking up rubbish all year round from Australian waterways. We travel around Sydney, Melbourne, Southeast Queensland, and all the way up the coast. 
This year, we cleaned all the way up to the Whitsundays, and next year we’ll going beyond that.”
“I’ve been working as a commercial skipper for 20 years and the rubbish is getting worse and worse. 
In some places you’re literally standing knee deep in plastic waste!”
Annika and Ian Thomson’s Ocean Crusaders J-Bird was forced to retire due to hull damage.
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 26th December 2025
