Edition 72: What you need to know about the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart

• NEWS
• 26 Dec, 2016 07:01:00 AM

Edition 72: What you need to know about the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart

Boxing Day in Australia is the perfect excuse to fire up the barbeque, devour leftover Christmas feasts and kick back to watch one of the world’s toughest yacht races. The 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart will see an 89-strong fleet aiming to make it from Sydney, down Australia’s east coast, across Bass Strait and into Hobart. While a handful will race for line honours, every crew could potentially claim The Tattersall’s Cup – the coveted prize for the overall victor.

Here are the fast facts about this year’s race: 

Start time: 1pm AEDT

Where to watch: If you’re not sitting on the Aussie coastline, switch to Channel 7 at 12:30pm AEDT, or in Australia online via the PLUS7 App! or overseas via the race website.

You can also follow the yachts positions during the race on YACHT TRACKER, CLICK HERE.

Race Distance: 628 nautical miles/1,163 kilometres/722 miles. This distance represents what is known as the ‘rhumbline’, the most direct route from Sydney to Hobart.

Of course the rhumbline is not always the best way, so for many yachts, as they tack or gybe their way to Hobart, the course becomes longer than 628 nautical miles.

Route: Sydney Harbour to Castray Esplanade in Hobart. The final checkpoint on the Australian mainland is Green Cape, where all vessels must do a radio check confirming they are about to cross Bass Strait with their radio in working order.

Race time from start to finish: The race record is held by Wild Oats XI, which broke her own 2005 record in 2012 in One day, 18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds. This is the benchmark.  

In 2015 Comanche claimed line honours in two days, 8 hours, 58 minutes and 30 seconds, showing how different conditions and wind speeds can affect the time it takes to complete the course.

Who to watch, line honours: Wild Oats XI, Scallywag, Perpetual LOYAL and CQS are the four super maxis and all four are truly in contention this year.

Of the four big guns, Wild Oats XI has won line honours a record eight times, and CQS won in 2004 as the 90 footer Nicorette, but this year was extended to 100 foot, equalling the size of the other three super maxis.  

Who to watch, overall victory: It’s a diverse fleet this year, in which the weather may well determine the winner, although the early forecast favoured the big boats.

Defending champion Balance should be in the mix, as will fellow TP52s Ichi Ban, Koa and Ragamuffin. The larger Beau Geste and Chinese Whisper have shown strong form too.

Showing just how open the race will be, three-time winner, the 43 year-old Love & War is also a chance, as is Varuna VI, 2009 winner Two True, Black Sheep, Ariel, Chutzpah and the 34 foot 35 year-old Komatsu Azzurro.

Our best advice, find a keen sailing boffin and listen to what they have to say!

Odds and ends – Become an expert in 5 minutes!  

Size restriction: A vessel cannot be more than 100 foot. or less than 30 foot.

First female competitor: In 1946 Jane ‘Jenny’ Tate of Hobart raced alongside her husband, Horrie aboard Active. The ‘Jane Tate Memorial Trophy’ is awarded to the first female skipper to finish the race each year.

Dagmar O’Brien also competed in the same year with her husband Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Conella. They were forced to retire in Bass Strait.

International line honours winners: There have been 26 international line honours winners since the race began in 1945. Comanche (USA) was the last of those in 2015.

Biggest fleet: In the 50^th edition of the race in 1994 there were 371 starters, including 24 internationals, 309 finished.

Oldest Yacht in the fleet: Maluka of Kermandie, built in 1932. 

Slowest ever: In 1945 Wayfarer completed the race in an elapsed time of 11 days, six hours, 20 minutes (seven days, 19 hours, 43 minutes on corrected time).

Most successful boat designer: Bruce Farr and Farr Associates are credited with more overall winners than any other, a total of 21.

Between 1976 and 2003 he designed 15 winners, with an additional one in 2014. There are a further five wins attributed to ‘Farr Yacht Design’.

Radio Schedules: Each entrant must make three ‘SKEDS’, sailing jargon for ‘Scheduled Radio Check’, each day.

To ensure each crew stays within range there is the Radio Relay Vessel, ‘JBW’ that shadows the fleet throughout the race and docks in Hobart with the fleet.

How long has Rolex sponsored the race? The association began in 2002, making this year the 15^th time they have been involved.