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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
COMING SOON
18 March, 2026
View Results

Home Race 1987 Recap

1987 Race Recap

Sovereign in the Derwent River in the 1987 Sydney Hobart

Sovereign, Line Honours and Overall Winner in 1987

AWA Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 1987

A history-making race, with the maxi Sovereign becoming the first Australian yacht to take out the double of line honours and first on corrected time overall. 

The race began with a magnificent nor'easter filling in to 25 knots before a 30 knot southerly hit the fleet in Bass Strait on the second morning at sea.  At that stage Sovereign had averaged 10.3 knots and was ahead of Kialoa's record.  However, as the southerly eased away the leaders were becalmed off the Tasmanian East Coast for five hours, before they picked up a light breeze to carry them around Tasman Island, across Bass Strait and up the Derwent.  Sovereign's time was seven hours outside the race record.

Race Program

Prior to each race Cruising Yacht Club of Australia publishes a separate official race program (with details of competing boats, the results of past races and articles about the race and its participants and other important events).  The 1987 Edition is here.