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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: Latest updates and live boat cam coverage

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Live Tracker & Positions Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

Tracker Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker/

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How to follow the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

• Toby Heppell
• December 19, 2022

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is due to set off on boxing day once again in 2022, with an impressive 111 boats due to take to the startline

Sydney sailors are counting down the days – not until December 25, but the 26, for the much-anticipated Rolex Sydney Hobart Race .

The blue riband offshore classic was cancelled for the first time in its 76 years in 2020, but bounced back in 2021 and will go ahead one more this year with an impressive fleet of 111 boats entered for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1pm Monday 26 December.

As is often the case in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, the bulk of the fleet is made up of Australian boats and teams, but there are 8 international boats participating this year, including entrants from Germany ( Orione ), Hong Kong ( Antipodes ), Hungary ( Cassiopeia 68 ), New Caledonia ( Eye Candy and Poulpito ), New Zealand ( Caro ), the United Kingdom ( Sunrise ) and the United States of America ( Warrior Won ).

At the sharp end of the fleet, four 100-foot maxis will lead the charge for Line Honours – Andoo Comanche , Black Jack , Hamilton Island Wild Oats and LawConnect . On current form, Andoo Comanche is likely to be favourite to cross the finish line first.

The start of the Sydney Hobart Race means a congested Sydney Harbour. Photo: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

Black Jack won Line Honours in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, while Andoo Comanche holds the race record (1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds) and Hamilton Island Wild Oats (formerly Wild Oats XI ) has the most Line Honours wins in race history, with nine.

Two-handed entrants will for the first time be eligible to win the Tattersall Cup (the prize given to the winner of the race on handicap). A total of 21 two-handed boats are preparing to race, including those that finished second and third respectively in the race’s inaugural Two-Handed Division last year – Crux (Carlos Aydos/Peter Grayson) and Speedwell (Campbell Geeves/Wendy Tuck).

How to follow the 2022 Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race

• In Australia Sydney is expected to send off the fleet in style when the race starts at 1300hrs (local time) on Saturday, 26 December.

Spectator boats can watch the start from the eastern channel and follow the fleet down the Harbour to the Heads. Spectator boats wanting to remain in the Harbour may remain in the western side. Exclusion zones will be in place from 1200-1400.

• On television The race start will be broadcast live via the Seven Network, through 7Mate around Australia.

Live coverage will also be webcast on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website, with replays available shortly after. See  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/

• On social Follow the event on twitter for race updates and via  Facebook

• On race tracker The live race tracker will be viewable at  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker

• Play along on Virtual Regatta

There is also a Virtual Regatta edition for the race, allowing you to virtually pit yourself against thousands over the same course, see  https://www.virtualregatta.com/en/offshore-game/

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE 2022 - HOW TO FOLLOW

Rolex sydney hobart race 2022: how to follow the 628-mile offshore classic, race weather preview from chris bedford and must-save links.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is one of our sport’s revered offshore races. Each Boxing Day, hundreds of sailors, watched by thousands of shoreside spectators, depart Sydney Harbour for the trek to Hobart. For the past 76 editions, the 628nm route has challenged competitors from Corinthian family programs to some of the highest-profile names in sailing, and this year will be no different. The 2022 race features 100+ boats that are chomping at the bit to get to the “The Great Race” underway.

North Sails, and our Sydney loft, in particular, has a rich history with the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Our Australian-based teams have collectively sailed in hundreds of races, while North clients have consistently found themselves at the top of leaderboards over the years.

We asked our friend, meteorologist Chris Bedford to provide insight into this year’s race conditions. Read on for the forecast and details on how to follow the start on December 26th.

Chris Bedford’s Weather Forecast:

Bedford is respected worldwide for his experience and expertise in marine and coastal meteorology. He, through his business Sailing Weather Service , provides customized weather solutions to some of the world’s leading competitive sailing teams and events. Here is Bedford’s preview for the race:

For anyone following the weather around southeast Australia, Tasmania, and the adjacent waters, you know it has been quite unusual this Spring – with record rains and cold temperatures. Indeed this unusual weather pattern has been a challenge to predict as well, and locals have been voicing their frustration with the weather forecasts relentlessly.

Interestingly, while many blame the La Nina pattern of cooler waters over the Pacific Ocean, the actual culprit is something called the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). This IOD is an index relating the temperatures over two areas in the western and eastern Indian Ocean to weather over Australia. Indeed the IOD Index has been strongly negative for much of the Spring, which correlates directly with the unusually wet and cool weather experienced over southeastern Australia. However, over the last few weeks, the index has trended back to neutral, which suggests a return to more typical weather patterns for the Australian summer and race period.

For the Sydney to Hobart Race, there are usually two basic weather scenarios under consideration:

• High pressure over the Tasman Sea at the start and a cold front approaching from the Australian Bight. Ahead of the front, NE/N winds around the western side of the high and down the NSW coast mean a relatively quick downwind start. Depending on how advanced the high and/or front are, it is possible that the fleet encounters the front with abruptly shifting winds bringing SW/S conditions, squalls, much colder air, and rough seas. These fronts make up the so-call Southly Buster that can quickly expose both the prepared and unprepared teams in this race.
• The other scenario is when the front has already moved through Sydney and lies east of the Rhumb line. In this scenario, upwind S/SW winds prevail out of the start and much of the way south across the Bass Strait. Often, high-pressure building east from the Australian Bight eases winds with distance south, making for a lighter, more shifty, and more challenging finish.

Real life is never perfectly described by these scenarios, and reality will likely be something in between. Crews will be considering the impact of thermal sea breezes (daytime onshore flow) and land breezes (nighttime offshore flow) close to the NSW and Tasmanian coasts. In addition, the East Australian Current (EAC), which generally runs north to south along and east of the Rhumb line – offers a possible favorable push if the weather and route line up appropriately. That said, the EAC breaks away from the coast in loops and eddies, which can create a zone of adverse current to be avoided along the way.

While at this point, it is not clear which of the above scenarios will dominate, the latest consensus is that some variation of the first scenario – downwind once outside Sydney Heads – will define the 2022 race. There is plenty of time for this to change, and just a few hours of realignment could shift the race into the second scenario (upwind start). Crews will be studying the weather forecasts closely over the next few days to see whether the trends will favor or sour their expectations for a quick race south to Hobart.

If you’re in Sydney:

Spectator boats positioned in the eastern channel can watch the race start and then follow the fleet down the harbor to the iconic Sydney Heads before heading out to sea. Once underway, the fleet will move quickly, so it’s recommended to get a ways down the harbor towards Middle Head before the start to see the leaders sail through the Heads. At the Heads, make sure to keep well clear of the rounding marks.

If you only plan on watching the start, head to the western side of the harbor. Good vantage points for spectator boats include: Taylors Bay, Chowder Bay, Obelisk Bay, and North Head on the west and Rose Bay, Watsons Bay, Camp Cove, and South Head on the east.

For our global audience watching from home:

Watch the race start live right on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race homepage .

If you miss the live webcast, a replay of the start program will be available on the website as well. Additionally, on the website is the complete list of yachts entered in the 2022 edition of the race. You can also view past race data, including previous results, historical reports, and statistical information; boat designers of line and overall winners; as well as profiles of some of the race personalities over the years.

Follow along on Social:

Official race social channels will keep followers updated from race start through finish. There will be a live stream of the start, as well as race updates, Line Honors announcements, an Overall Winner Declaration, as well as a Regatta Recap.

Rolex Sydney Hobart @Officialrolexsydneyhobart @RolexSydneyHobart

North Sails @North_Sails @NorthSailsWorldwide

Track the fleet:

Each competing yacht is fitted with a tracker that uses the GPS satellite network to automatically update the yacht’s latitude, longitude, course over ground, and speed over ground. The yacht tracker system also shows distance to finish and progressive corrected time positions under the IRC, ORCi, and PHS handicap divisions.

Follow the 2022 fleet from start to finish with the Yacht Tracker . Yacht Tracker uses a specially designed tool that calculates the predicted results for each and every boat in the fleet, so you can see how each boat is performing.

Line honors and progressive predicted corrected times under the IRC, PHS, and ORCi handicap categories are updated every 10 minutes.

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

How to follow the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart

• 23 Dec, 2021 07:42:00 AM

With live broadcasts, a race tracker, on board footage, world-class photography and much more, stay tuned for extensive coverage of the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Watch the race start

The 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart starts at 1pm (AEDT) on Sunday 26 December.

Viewers in Australia can watch the action LIVE on 7Mate or 7Plus from 12.30pm.

The 7 Network's live broadcast will also be shown on the CYCA TV YouTube channel and available to view on the home page of rolexsydneyhobart.com  for international viewers. 

Follow the live tracker

Visit the tracker page to keep an eye on the fleet as they make their way down to Hobart.

The interactive tracker allows you to filter boats by division, select your favourites and find a boat's position with just one click. 

The tracker also regularly updates a boat's speed, the wind speed, the distance to the finish line and the distance to the leader.

Live standings

Visit the standings page to monitor the provisional standings throughout the race. 

This information is available approximately three hours after the race start and obtains positions by a report from a GPS transceiver on the yachts. 

You can understand how a boat's position changes throughout the race and view the divisional frontrunners. 

Race from the comfort of your home

Thanks to Virtual Regatta, you can take a virtual trip to Hobart.

The annual online race allows you to sail the 628 nautical miles in real time, using current weather data and your navigational skills.

A record virtual fleet of 175,000 eSailors made the trip south in 2020.

Find out more and sign up . There are some great prizes on offer!

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

PHOTOS | Day 5 Morning - Tasman Island and Storm Bay

PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 9

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 8

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 7

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

Official rolex sydney hobart merchandise.

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE: PROOF PERFECT OF ABILITY

Hobart, 31 December 2022 – One of the world's great sportsmen once said: “Winning takes care of everything”. For Sam Haynes, the Australian owner of Celestial and recipient of the Tattersall Cup for overall victory on corrected time at the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, never have truer words been spoken. To a lesser degree, and without any intended pun on his name, the quote also reflects John Winning Jr’s line honours success with Andoo Comanche.

The 77th Rolex Sydney Hobart started on 26 December, its traditional slot in the global sporting calendar. Once again hundreds of thousands of people crowded the shores of Sydney Harbour, or watched from the water as well as live on television and over the internet. The departure from the familiar setting did not disappoint. 109 yachts, comprising professionals and Corinthians, and some 20 double handed or two-person crews, set off under blue skies and bright sunshine. A 10 – 15 knot north north-easterly meant a beat out to the heads, before spinnakers were hoisted and close to 48 hours of uninterrupted downwind sailing began.

With an international repute that transcends sailing’s perceived boundaries, the Rolex Sydney Hobart is an icon in the sport and has been supported by Rolex for over 20 years. The organizing club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), works tirelessly with its partner the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania to ensure the race remains at the pinnacle of classic 600 mile offshore competition. Supporting dynamic yacht clubs like the CYCA, institutions essential to the evolution of sailing, is a core facet of Rolex’s relationship with yachting.

Success at the “Great Race South” is dependent upon so many factors. Paul Cayard, legendary yachtsman and Rolex Testimonee, is clear on the qualities required:

“ Success in offshore racing requires rigorous preparation, tactical skill and an unyielding determination to push through to the finish. ”  

A veteran of 11 previous campaigns, Sam Haynes agrees:

“ You have to arrive on the 26 December completely ready. That is the only way to approach a race like this .  Testing, training, analysis ,  getting prepared involves a lot of people who are not even on the race boat. ”

John Winning Jr speaks in a similar vein. His first thoughts on realising his would be first boat to finish the 628nm course turned to who and what had made it possible:

“ This boat is all about line honours and we have done what we set out to achieve. I reflected on all the people in the support crew, the team onboard, the time spent training, doing what it took to make the boat go faster, on everything we did to have the best chance possible to achieve our aim. ”

Ahead of the race, Winning Jr had said about the battle to be first home:

"Second place will not do. It is win or nothing ."

In a race like this, ‘nothing’ is only a heartbeat away. Shortly after the congested start, where the four competing 100ft (30.5m) maxis traded tacks in their concerted effort to be first into open water, Andoo Comanche struck a mark of the course. Recognising their error, the crew performed two 360 degree turns in quick succession to purge the infringement. Failure to do so could have led to a fatal penalty at the end of the race. The pre-race favourite needed to reset and re-focus.

Once in the Tasman Sea, the skilled crew of Andoo Comanche set to work reeling in the yachts ahead and establishing a small but vital lead over their closest pursuers. Winning Jr acknowledged the determination witnessed in the battle for line honours and the J.H. Illingworth Challenge Cup.

"It is an incredible ocean race, something quite special. Equal amounts of effort will have gone into all the yachts competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The three other 100 footers especially kept us honest, and I would like to congratulate them for an amazing competition. "

Andoo Comanche completed the course in a time of one day 11 hours 56 minutes 48 seconds, two hours outside the race record established in 2017.

The hurdle faced by Celestial came a year earlier and was substantial. Turning the clock back 12 months, Haynes, Vice Commodore of the CYCA and a passionate sailor, admitted to being crushed by finishing second overall after a rule infringement late in the 2021 race resulted in his team being demoted from top spot.

"After last year, I was ready to walk away from the sport. Talking to my family and key people on the team, I realised it was not the right way to go. I wanted to try again, to step up to the challenge. ”

As the race unfolded it was clear no crew would have a straight-forward time. The initial downwind sleighride was brutal and tiring, boats racing at speed and on the edge, with race-ending damage a split second away. For the smaller entries, there was an additional, cruel twist as the wind turned on day three forcing them to beat upwind to the southernmost point of the course at Tasman Island, slowing down their progress and effectively removing any chance of overall victory on handicap.

Onboard Celestial the mindset was singular, as Haynes explains:

"We had done our homework. We had done a lot of training, so we could be absolutely confident in the boat and ourselves. At our final pre-race briefing I told the crew we are going to push as fast as we possibly can because we have to do that to beat the other boats.”

The approach was not without danger, particularly in the hours of darkness:

"There is always an element of extreme risk in fast offshore racing at night. It can be quite beautiful, but the second night east of Tasmania was gnarly with a big sea state and gusts of 30 – 35 knots. The boat was waist deep in water, regularly diving into waves, violently shaking, but still being driven right on its limits. ”

Celestial eventually crossed the finish line late in the morning of 28 December, establishing an unbeatable lead in the standings.

Fiercely challenging, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race offers a huge sense of personal achievement to those that complete it. Winning the race on corrected time guarantees a place in sailing folklore. Open to all, only the most determined entrants can truly aspire to this pinnacle of achievements. For this edition, the last words rest with Sam Haynes:

"To win a race like this is a massive, life changing achievement . It is a very hard trophy to win. However good you are there are a lot of reasons why you might not succeed. To finally hold the Tattersall Cup means everything .”

ROLEX AND YACHTING Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand's enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world's most famous harbours. Rolex's partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

• Live Finish Tracker New
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• Tracker FAQ
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Legacy Tracker - How can I find a yacht in the fleet ?

How can i choose favourites , tracker (beta) - can i choose a particular race time, i only want to look at boats within one category or division, tracker (beta) - how can i view previous races, what's the rhumb line , i don’t know what the different coloured sails represent, when should i use the legacy tracker, legacy tracker - can i choose a particular race time, why are there two comanche's shown on the tracker map , legacy tracker - i want to compare the routes of multiple boats, legacy tracker - how can i view previous races, tracker (beta) - how can i find a yacht in the fleet.

Click (or tap for tablets and smartphones) the eye icon beside the name of the yacht.  You will see a green tracking line which represents the yacht's route from the start.

Click (or tap for tables and smartphones) the heart icon beside the name of the yacht.  Your list of favourites can then be found in the drop down selection which is found at the top of the fleet list.

Yes.  The race time for what you can see in the Yacht Tracker window is indicated in the bottom rights hand corner.  You can adjust that time in 10 minute increments by moving the slider under the map.  To show the last recorded timepoint move the slider to the right hand end.

Choose the category you want (IRC, ORCi, PHS, Corinthian, Veteran, Grand Veteran, Sydney 38) using the Filter (Tracker (Beta)) or the dropdown menu under Fleet (Legacy Tracker), then choose the division you want (or "All" if you want to see all the boats in the category).  The map will automatically populate with those boats competing in the category and division you have selected.

Select the race year in the drop down selection at the top of the Yacht Tracker window.  The map will open showing the last time point in the race, and you can adjust the presentation from there.   If you want to view a boat's entire race, select the relevant race year and then move the slider to the left hand end, which will then show all the boats at the time of the race start.  You can then advance the boats in 10 minute increments - see the explanation below.

The rhumb line is the most direct course between the start line in Sydney Harbour and the finish line in Hobart.

Go to the Legend bar under the Fleet and Race Time bars in the Legacy Tracker.

The Legacy Tracker has been retained for those users that find that the Tracker (Beta) does not open or operate properly, particularly if they are using older browsers such as Internet Explorer.

Yes.  Under the bar "Race Time" select the day, hour and minute (in 10 minute increments) and press "Show Earlier Time".  That will then show the position of each boat as at that time.  To revert to current race time for the current year press "Show Latest Time".

The orange coloured sail represents the position of the race record holder ( LDV Comanche ) at the same timepoint in 2017, when she set the current open record.

Choose the boats as favourites, then go to favourites (in the drop down box) and press Toggle Track.  

Select the race year in the drop down selection in the "Race Time" bar in the left hand column of the Tracker window.  From there the other controls work as usual.   If you want to view a boat's entire race, select a race time later than its finishing time in the drop down selection under the race year, and press "Show Earlier Time".  You can also use the Favourites functionality to compare the track of multiple boats, as explained above.

Click (or tap for tablets and smartphones) the row of that yacht in the table in Yacht Tracker.  A dialogue box will open with boat data and you will see a green tracking line which represents that yacht's route from the start