Tasmania's Sullivans Cove gets into Sydney Hobart Race mode

by Peter Campbell on 24 Dec 2009
Sullivans Cove, the historic port precinct of Hobart, the capital city of Australia's island State of Tasmania, is in yachting mode with the expected arrival early next week of some 170 yachts competing in the annual ocean races from Sydney, Melbourne and Launceston.

If they all complete the four separate races to Hobart that start over the weekend, it will be the biggest fleet to moor in Sullivans Cove, including Constitution Dock, since the 50th Sydney Hobart Race in 1994.

One hundred boats will set sail from Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day (Saturday, 26 December) in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Club, then on Sunday, 27 December, more than 35 yachts will start in the two Heemskirk Consolidated
Melbourne to Hobart Races, one fleet sailing down the Tasmanian East Coast, the other down the West Coast. At the same time, a smaller fleet will head across Bass Strait in the Melbourne to Launceston Race, finishing at Low Head at the mouth of the Tamar River in a race first held more than a century ago.

The same day, a fleet of 35 Tasmanian yachts will set sail from Beauty Point, six nautical miles upstream from Low Head in the Sargisons Launceston to Hobart Race, Australia's newest long ocean race. Their course will be eastwards in Bass Strait, through Banks Strait that separates the Furneaux Group of Islands from the north-east tip of Tasmania, then down the Tasmanian East Coast, sailing inside of Maria Island before rounding Tasman Island and heading across Storm Bay to the Derwent River and Hobart.

By next Monday or Tuesday, the East Coast of Tasmania, from Eddystone Point to Tasman Island, will be the busiest stretch of water off the Australian coastline.

All four fleets racing to Hobart will finish off Castray Esplanade, below historic Battery Point, where a cannon will thunder out the signal that the first yacht has finished the 628 nautical mile race from Hobart. Volunteers from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmanian and the Derwent Sailing Squadron will man the Castray finish box 24 hours a day from the time the line honours winner crosses the line until the very last boat sails up the River Derwent.

Tasmanians are showing unprecedented interest in the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, in particular, the line honours clash between five 100-footers. Local newspapers each day have been publishing extensive reports and pictures of the fortunes and misfortunes of the super maxis in the lead-up to Boxing Day and of the clash of several favourites for overall victory in the Rolex Trophy series. ABC radio and local television also running daily reports and the ABC's Tasmanian sports reporters Peter Newlinds and Alastair Nicholson are leading the national broadcaster's reports on the race. Sail-world.com has the keenest following of any sailing website among Tasmanian internet users.

Tasmania also has eight entrants in the Sydney Hobart, the biggest number since the 50th race, including the sole woman owner/skipper in the fleet, successful Hobart yachtswoman Sally Rattle in her successful Archambault 35,
Archie, from the Derwent Sailing Squadron. Sean Langman, who has business interests in southern Tasmania, has entered his 100-footer LOYAL under the burgee of the Huon Yacht Club.

Flag poles around the waterfront of Sullivans Cove are already fluttering with Rolex flags although the snow storms in Europe have delayed the arrival of the sponsor's display technician. The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania's Liaison Centre alongside Constitution Dock was officially opened earlier this week and as from Boxing Day will be displaying regular reports on the progress of the fleet from Sydney, including a big screen telecast of the start.

Reports will be relayed to the Taste of Tasmania at the other side of Sullivans Cove, the hugely popular feast of Tasmanian produce - from scallop pies to Huon Valley mushrooms, smoked salmon the State's vast variety of fine wines - and many other magnificent Tassie food and beverages.

The Hobart pubs so popular with the visiting yachties, the Customs House in Sullivans Cove and the Shipwrights Arms at Battery Point, have been spruced up and stocks of beer, wine and spirits brought in to meet the biggest
influx of yachties, the families and friends from around Australia, and indeed the world, in a decade and a half. All residential hotels in Hobart have been booked out for months.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart and the other events and races its success has spurned over the years, not only brings yachties to Hobart but has also stimulated tourism, injecting millions of dollars into the Tasmanian economy. Cruise ships are a regular sight in Sullivans Cove, with one alongside this week.

As it should, the Tasmanian Government is now showing growing support for the Rolex Sydney Hobart, with the Hobart City Council and TasPorts clearing the decks around the waterfront.

Earlier this week, the Tasmanian Premier, David Bartlett, launched the first stage of works to improve access to Hobart's waterfront and the quality of public space on Franklin Wharf.

'Hobart's waterfront is a magnet for many thousands of Tasmanians and tourists every year, Mr Bartlett said. 'The focal point of the first stage of the waterfront improvements is the northern side of the Constitution Dock Bridge next to the heritage steam crane.'

'This development incorporates the existing waterside landing with new tiered seating and a viewing platform, while a graphic treatment on the Wharf apron highlights the 1897 heritage steam crane. 'These works will become a home for the festivities associated with the finish of the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race as well as improving the experience of all visitors to Hobart's waterfront,' the Premier added.

Describing the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race as 'one of the world's greatest and most challenging yacht races and an iconic Australian sporting, cultural and tourism event,' the Premier said this year marked the 65th race.

(The new works will allow the public vastly improved views when the line honours winner comes alongside and the winning skipper received the Illingworth Cup and a Rolex watch and later will be site for the announcement of the Overall winner and divisional winners)

'The improvements program, which has been managed by the Sullivans Cove Waterfront Authority in conjunction with Tasports, will not only improve the quality of the public space, but will enhance the historic and cultural values of the waterfront and support the working port,' the Premier added.

Old photographs show Sullivans Cove a mass of wooden masts towering above wooden sailing ships moored alongside the long piers that ran out into the River Derwent. Photographs next week will show a mass of masts, many carbon fibre, above the yachts moored in Constitution Dock, alongside the Elizabeth Street Pier (the sole remaining pier wharf and now converted to apartments and restaurants) and in the relatively new Kings Street marina.

While it is 65 years since Captain John Illingworth RN skippered Rani to victory in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Race in 1945, the welcome for the yachts and their crews remains unprecedented for any long ocean yacht race in the world. No matter the time of day or night, thousands will crowd the waterfront to greet the line honours winners, yet days later there will still be a warm welcome for the very last yacht to cross the line and then come through the lifting bridge to a berth in Constitution Dock.

In many ways, that's what the Sydney Hobart Race is all about - along with, of course, the huge farewell from Sydney Harbour. In between it will be wet and windy, but that's why yachties go to sea in this great race south, year
after year. As Bruce Gould, sailing in his 40th Hobart said, it's all about mateship at sea; a challenge by yachts and yachties against the toughest conditions the Tasman Sea can produce.

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