Hobart Heroes

Hobart Heroes

To 'do a Hobart' is the goal of many yachties, but there's a diehard group of 'Hobart Heros' who come back year after year to take on the blue water classic, notching up 25 or more races over the decades.

  • Tony Cable holds the record for the most number of Sydney Hobarts (53 in 2019) Tony Cable holds the record for the most number of Sydney Hobarts (53 in 2019)
  • Ian ‘Barney’ Walker, Peter Fletcher, Gavin Gourlay, Robert Moore and Peter Inchbold receiving their 25 year medallions at the official prizegiving of the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Ian ‘Barney’ Walker, Peter Fletcher, Gavin Gourlay, Robert Moore and Peter Inchbold receiving their 25 year medallions at the official prizegiving of the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart
  • Syd Fischer, Bruce Gould, Tony Ellis and Bill Ratcliff - all of whom have completed 40 plus Hobarts Syd Fischer, Bruce Gould, Tony Ellis and Bill Ratcliff - all of whom have completed 40 plus Hobarts

134 yachtsmen and yachtswomen have competed in 25 or more Sydney Hobarts, with 4 reaching the 50 races milestone and a further 10 reaching the 40 races milestone.

Each person has their name engraved on the beautiful Huon Pine map of Tasmania that celebrates reaching the 25 Hobart milestone - it hangs in the foyer of the Coasters Retreat. 

The original honour board was carved by prisoners at Risdon Prison in Tasmania, and a second one was commissioned in 2011.  The Quiet Little Drink is an annual event that recognises significant milestones achieved by yachtsmen and women participating in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, including those that get to 25 races.  

The list of 'Hobart Heroes' up to and including 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is:

  • Tony Cable (NSW) - 53 since 1961 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Tony Ellis (NSW) - 52 since 1963 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Colin Wildman (NSW) - 51 since 1963 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Bill Ratcliff (NSW) - 50 since 1963
  • Syd Fischer (NSW) - 47 since 1962 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Bruce Gould (NSW) - 46 since 1963 (2 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • Lindsay May (NSW) - 46 since 1973 (3 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • David Kellett (NSW) - 46 since 1968 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • John 'The Fish' Bennetto (TAS, dec) - 44 since 1947 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Lou Abrahams (VIC, dec) - 44 since 1963 (2 overall wins)
  • Michael Spies (NSW) - 43 since 1976 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Mike Green (NSW) - 41 since 1977 (3 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • Richard 'Sightie' Hammond (NSW, dec) - 40 since 1952 (2 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • Bernie Case (VIC) - 40 since 1962 (1 line honours)
  • Roger Hickman (NSW, dec) - 39 since 1974 - (3 overall wins)
  • Bruce Taylor (VIC) - 39 since 1980
  • Ed Psaltis (NSW) - 38 since 1979 (1 overall win)
  • Kingsley Piesse (VIC) - 37 since 1983
  • Ralph Carlier (NSW) - 36 since 1973
  • Colin Tipney (NSW) - 36 since 1979 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Jack Goluzd (NSW) - 36 since 1978 (2 overall wins, 3 line honours)
  • Phil Eadie (NSW) - 35 since 1972 (3 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • Peter Green (NSW, dec) - 35 races since 1947 (1 overall win)
  • Richard Norman (NSW) - 35 since 1955 (2 overall wins)
  • Fraser Johnston (NSW) - 35 since 1963 (2 overall wins)
  • Tony Kirby (NSW) - 35 since 1983
  • Robert Case (NSW) - 35 since 1985 (1 overall win)
  • Colin Betts (NSW) - 34 since 1955 (3 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • Don Mickleborough (NSW, dec) - 34 since 1958 (1 line honours)
  • Colin Anderson (VIC) - 34 since 1973 (2 overall wins)
  • Kim Jaggar (NSW) - 34 since 1977
  • Carl Crafoord (NSW) - 34 since 1980 (4 overall wins)
  • Larry Jamieson (NSW) - 34 since 1983 (2 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • David Lawson (NSW, dec) - 33 since 1961 (1 line honours)
  • Geoff Rouvray (NSW) - 33 since 1967 
  • Roger Howlett (TAS) - 33 since 1969
  • Tony Hearder (NSW) - 33 since 1975 (3 line honours)
  • John Woodford (NSW) - 33 since 1979 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Noel Drennan - 33 since 1980 (2 overall wins, 3 line honours)
  • Gavin Gourlay (VIC) - 33 since 1984
  • Adam Brown (NSW) - 33 since 1985 (3 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • James Permezel - 33 since 1985
  • Peter Fletcher (VIC) - 33 since 1987
  • Don Lang (VIC, dec) - 32 races since 1952 (1 overall win)
  • Maurice Cameron (NSW) - 32 since 1974
  • Steve Jarvin (NSW) - 31 since 1981 (2 overall wins, 14 line honours)
  • Ian (Barney) Walker (VIC) - 32 since 1983 (3 overall wins, 3 line honours)
  • Damian Parkes (NSW) - 32 since 1976 (1 line honours)
  • Peter Inchbold (NSW) - 32 since 1980 (1 overall win)
  • Alby Burgin (NSW, dec) - 31 since 1955 (1 overall win)
  • Peter Shipway (NSW) - 31 since 1968 (2 overall wins, 5 line honours)
  • John Harris (NSW) - 31 since 1971 (2 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • Michael Coxon (NSW) - 31 since 1979 (1 overall win, 5 line honours)
  • Bill Sykes - 31 since 1981 (1 overall win)
  • Julian Freeman - 31 since 1982 (2 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • David Blanchfield - 31 since 1985 (1 overall win)
  • Max Crafoord (NSW, dec) - 30 races since 1953 (3 line honours)
  • Albert Mitchell (NSW) - 30 since 1954 (2 overall wins)
  • Peter Kurts (NSW, dec) - 30 races since 1964 (2 overall wins)
  • Magnus Halvorsen (NSW, dec) - 30 since 1946 (5 overall wins, 3 line honours)
  • Lester Nibbs (TAS) - 30 since 1960
  • Rod Jackman (TAS) - 30 since 1971
  • Geoff Barter (NSW) - 30 since 1974
  • Robbie Burns (NSW) - 30 since 1974 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Ian Potter (NSW) - 30 since 1976 (1 line honours)
  • David Ellis (NSW) - 30 since 1977 (2 overall wins, 3 line honours)
  • Peter Messenger (NSW) - 30 since 1980 (4 overall wins)
  • Matt Allen (NSW) - 30 since 1980 (3 overall wins)
  • Richard Grimes - 30 since 1983
  • Bruce Jackson (NSW) - 29 since 1952
  • John Solomon (TAS) - 29 since 1967
  • Peter Duffield (NSW) - 29 since 1968
  • Graeme Fraser (NSW, dec) - 29 since 1973
  • Phil Molony - 29 since 1975
  • Greg Prescott (TAS) - 29 since 1980
  • Hugh Brodie (NSW) - 29 since 1982 (1 overall win)
  • Sean Langman (NSW) - 29 since 1982
  • Robert Moore (NSW) - 29 since 1985
  • Sven Runow (NSW) - 29 since 1985 (4 overall wins, 8 line honours)
  • Erik Adriaanse - 29 since 1986 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Steve Grellis - 29 since 1987
  • Bill Thompson (NSW, dec) - 28 since 1956 (2 line honours)
  • Hugh Treharne (NSW) - 28 since 1968 (2 overall wins)
  • Bob Fraser (NSW) - 28 since 1973 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Michael Bellingham - 28 since 1976 (1 overall win)
  • Ian Davis - 28 since 1977 (2 overall wins)
  • Greg Johnson (NSW) - 28 since 1980 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • David Hodgson (NSW) - 28 since 1981 (5 line honours)
  • Adrienne Cahalan (NSW) - 28 since 1984 (2 overall wins, 6 line honours)
  • Bruce Clarke (NSW) - 28 since 1986 (2 overall wins, 4 line honours)
  • Andrew Taylor - 28 since 1986
  • Peter Sheldrick - 28 since 1987 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Bob Thomas - 28 since 1988 (1 overall win)
  • Brad Kellett (NSW) - 28 since 1992 (1 overall win, 1 line honours)
  • Stan Darling (NSW, dec) - 27 since 1947 (5 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • Des O'Connell (NSW, dec) - 27 since 1947
  • Rolfe Mische (NSW, dec) - 27 races since 1963 (1 line honours)
  • Mike Hesse (NSW) - 27 since 1965 (2 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • Josko Grubic (SA, dec) - 27 since 1966
  • Peter Joubert (VIC, dec) - 27 since 1968
  • Richard Bearman (NSW) - 27 since 1969
  • John Mooney (VIC) - 27 since 1969
  • Graeme Freeman (TAS/NSW, dec) - 27 since 1970 (4 line honours)
  • Simon Firth (TAS) - 27 since 1973 (1 overall win)
  • Lew Carter (NSW, dec) - 27 since 1973
  • Michael Formosa (NSW) - 27 since 1981
  • Jeremy Rae - 27 since 1992 (2 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • Alan Butler (VIC, dec) - 26 since 1946 (3 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • Warren Anderson (NSW) - 26 since 1970
  • Jim Dunstan (NSW) - 26 since 1972 (1 overall win)
  • Bill Watson (TAS, dec) - 26 since 1973 (3 line honours)
  • Colin O'Connor - 26 since 1974
  • John Williams - 26 since 1975
  • Iain Murray (NSW) - 26 since 1977 (3 overall wins, 9 line honours)
  • Peter Hopkins (TAS) - 26 since 1982
  • Grant Wharrington (VIC) - 27 since 1982 (1 line honours)
  • Darren Senogles (NSW) - 26 since 1987 (2 overall wins, 2 line honours)
  • John Whitfeld - 26 since 1990 (1 overall win)
  • Jim Nixon - 26 since 1992
  • Sam Hunt (NSW) - 26 since 1993 (2 overall wins, 1 line honours)
  • Russell Evans (VIC, dec) - 25 since 1958
  • Robert Green (VIC)  - 25 since 1965
  • Ian Treharne (NSW) - 25 since 1967
  • Toby Richardson (TAS) - 25 since 1973 (3 overall wins, 3 line honours)
  • George Snow (NSW) - 25 since 1975 (1 overall win, 2 line honours)
  • Graeme Ainley - 25 since 1975
  • Hugo van Kretschmar (NSW) - 25 since 1976 (3 line honours)
  • Bill Riley (NSW) - 25 since 1976
  • Tony Poole (NSW) - 25 since 1977
  • Hugh O'Neill (NSW) - 25 since 1981
  • John Walker (NSW, dec) - 25 since 1981
  • Robbie Naismith - 25 since 1984 (2 overall wins, 12 line honours)
  • Jim Holley (NSW, dec) - 25 since 1986
  • Matt Shillingtpn - 25 since 1989 (2 overall wins, 9 line honours)

Leading Yachtswomen

Yachtswomen have been sailing in the Sydney Hobart since the very early days of the bluewater classic, with one (Adrienne Cahalan) already past the 25 race milestone.

Nineteen women have competed in 10 or more, but less than 25, races:

  • Felicity Nelson (NSW) - 24 since 1987
  • Vanessa Dudley (NSW) - 23 since 1984
  • Gail Harland (NSW) - 22 since 1990 (1 overall win)
  • Mary Holley (NSW) - 16 since 1997
  • Sue Crafer (NSW) - 16 since 1990
  • Sally Gordon (NSW, dec) - 15 since 1994 (1 overall win)
  • Jan Howard (NSW) - 14 since 1978
  • Louise Stevenson (NSW) - 14 since 1994
  • Annie Lawrence - 14 since 2005
  • Wendy Tuck (NSW) - 13 since 2006
  • Amanda Wilmot (NSW) - 12 since 1987
  • Audrey Brown (NSW) - 12 since 1987
  • Julie Hodder (NSW) - 12 since 1984
  • Stacey Jackson - 12 since 2001 (1 line honours)
  • Cathy Josling (NSW) - 11 since 1992
  • Dinah Eagle (NSW) - 11 since 2002
  • Lee Meyer (NSW) - 10 since 1992
  • Kerry Goudge (NSW) - 10 since 1985
  • Jane Roberts - 10 since 2004