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

Home Race 1989 Recap

1989 Race Recap

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Lou Abraham's Ultimate Challenge, Overall Winner in 1989

Nortel Sydney to Hobart Race 1989

The 1989 Nortel Sydney to Hobart Race saw the introduction of the new IMS handicap category with yachts able to enter both categories if eligible. The race began in a fading 10 knot westerly with the entire fleet starting on port hand but as the leaders cleared the sea mark outside Sydney Heads, the breeze kicked in to a 20 knot nor'wester, giving the fleet a spinnaker run down the coast with a gale warning issued for strong nor'westers.  By the time Drumbeat had passed Port Kembla it had backed to the west again and during the first night to the south-west at 40 knots.

Throughout the next day the fleet two-sail reached down the NSW south coast in strong westerlies and southwesterlies of between 30 and 40 knots. Strong to gale force south-westers were howling across Bass Strait as the fleet headed into "the paddock" with several yachts suffering damage and a crew member of BP Flying Colours, Peter Taylor, receiving fatal head injuries when a runner broke and the rig collapsed.

While the winds eased for the leaders off the Tasmanian east coast a fresh nor'easter powered in again for the one-tonners, giving Ultimate Challenge and Sagacious V a boat-for-boat surfing ride to take the top honours on corrected time.  On an historic note, the overall winner of the inaugural IMS division was Challenge II, which in 1983 had been overall winner under IOR ratings.

Yachts were able to enter both IOR and IMS categories.

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 1989 Edition is here.