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

Home Race 1997 Recap

1997 Race Recap

Beau Geste (Farr 49) - winner 1997 Sydney Hobart - Key West Race Week - Gavin Brady - CYCA Archives

Karl Kwok's Farr 49 Beau Geste, Tattersall Cup winner in 1997

Telstra Sydney to Hobart 1997

Weather

The 1997 race started in a north easterly breeze which quickly pushed the fleet down the NSW South Coast.  The dream ride was short lived with a brisk southerly front greeting the fleet on the first night at sea.  The 30 knot plus breeze abated on the second day and backed to the easterly quadrant.  The second night saw another front, this time with winds up to 40 knots.  The breeze once again lightened around daybreak as a high centred itself over the Northern Tasmanian coast.  This made for light and variable conditions down the NSW coast and across Bass Strait.

The two leading yachts, Brindabella and Exile, had a titanic struggle for line honours with the final accolades going to Brindabella. Any chance of a handicap win for Exile evaporated with a painfully slow trip up the River Derwent. This enabled Beau Geste and Ragamuffin to save their corrected time on the larger boats after crossing the line just seconds apart.

Race reports

After each race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's magazine Offshore Yachting contains reports and articles on the race.  Read on to access them.

February / March 1998 Offshore Yachting - see pages 4 to 13, 18