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

Home Race 2002 Recap

2002 Race Recap

Quest (AUS6606) - 2002 RSHYR Program - CYCA Archives

Overall Winner Quest

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2002

The 58th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race not only introduced a new sponsor but also made history as a result of the weather.  In taking line honours, the newly launched 90-footer Alfa Romeo set the second fastest elapsed time ever by a line honours winner - 2 days 4 hours 58 minutes 52 seconds.  It was also the fastest 628 nautical mile dash south by the entire fleet and one of these rare occasions when there was not a single retirement from the race at sea.

The only casualties were forced retirements of Trump Card from Queensland and Valheru from Tasmania after collisions at, and soon after, the start.  Afer four tough passages in the previous four races, starting with the tragic 1998 race, the fleet of 55 that made it out through Sydney Heads had a most enjoyable race. Apart from a couple of tacks up the Derwent River for a few boats, it was straight sailing to Hobart.  

The crew of Quest had to wait 25 hours to confirm their Overall IMS win as the veteran sloop Zeus II slowly sailed up the Derwent; less than a mile from the finish line her time ran out but she finished a great second overall, 21 years after she won the race in 1981.  One elapsed time record was set - the 32-footer Krakatoa achieving the fastest time ever for a boat of her size.

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 2002 Edition is here.    

Weather

The winds came consistently out of the eastern half of the compass, from the east, south-east and north-east for almost the entire race, never getting above 30 knots.  Not a single southerly or south-westerly front was experienced, only minimal damage was reported.  For line honours winner Alfa Romeo, the breeze was exceptionally kind.  Sailing well wide of the rhumbline, Alfa Romeo experienced the best of the easterly and south-easterly breezes down the New South Wales south coast, across Bass Strait and down the Tasmanian East Coast.