2010 Race Recap

Secret Mens Business 3.5, Overall Winner in 2010.  Image: ROLEX/Daniel Forster

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2010

The 66th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was the most physically demanding since 2004, which had 56 boats retire, overcome by the conditions. The 2010 fleet withstood battering headwinds and gale-force conditions down the NSW coast and through the notorious Bass Strait.

A fleet of 87 started the 628 nautical mile race, but 69 crossed the finish line, with 18 yachts retiring, mostly bashed about by the southerly buster on the second day. Andrew Lawrence's Jazz Player was the first casualty on the first night at sea after she tore her mainsail.

Mid-southerly on the second day, Rolex photographer Carlo Borlenghi reported from a helicopter: "There are yachts with triple-reefs, some with storm headsails, and others racing bare-poles (no sails). In a decade of covering the race I've never seen seas like those."

Although all arrived in Hobart relatively unscathed, the race was not without incident. The first occurred just inside South Head shortly after the start when Grant Wharington's Wild Thing was involved in a collision with a media boat, but suffered no visible damage. 

Ludde Ingvall's YuuZoo lost two crewmen overboard within five hours of the start, but recovered them quickly.

During the southerly winds on December 27, Peter Rodgers, reported a crew with a head injury aboard She, who was taken to Ulladulla and a waiting ambulance. He was later released from hospital.

A Dodo crewman broke his arm and was transferred to Eden and taken to hospital, while 25-race veteran Bacardi, a sturdy 32 year-old Peterson 44, dropped her rig off the NSW south coast.

Commenting on the race conditions Ran encountered this time, as opposed to 2009, Zennstrom said, "I think I have now definitely seen what the race is all about.  It was tough crossing Bass Strait; 35 knots of wind and big seas. The whole experience has been fantastic."

Wild Oats XI ultimately won line honours for the fifth time after a fast ride up the Derwent. She crossed the finish line at 8.37pm in the time of two days, seven hours, 37 minutes, 20 seconds, well outside her 2005 record of 1day 18hr 40min 10sec.

South Australian Geoff Boettcher and his Secret Men's Business 3.5 crew were crowned the overall race winners and were the recipients of the Tattersall Cup and Rolex yacht Master time-piece. Boettcher's win follows the 2009 win of fellow South Australian Andrew Saies (Two True), who disappointingly retired from this race with engine problems.

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 2010 Edition is here.    

Race reports

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

February / March 2011 Offshore - see pages 24 to 50