Please select your home edition
Edition
Switch One Design

Reinstated Sydney Noumea Race draws fleet of 24

by Lisa Ratcliff 16 May 2018 03:40 PDT 2 June 2018
Tony Kirby's Patrice - Land Rover Sydney to Gold Coast © Andrea Francolini

Entries for the 2018 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race have closed and on Saturday June 2, following a 25-year hiatus, a multi-state Australian and New Caledonian fleet of 24 boats will bring life back to one of Australia's oldest ocean odysseys.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia organised the first Sydney Noumea Race in 1953 at the invitation of the New Caledonian government at the time. George Brenac's 48-foot cutter White Cloud set the course record in seven days, 10 hours and 50 minutes.

George Snow's Farr 65 Brindabella set the fastest time of five days, 21 hours and 35 minutes for the 1,064 nautical mile course in 1991, one Snow still holds more than a quarter of a century on.

In the early 1990s lifestyle and sailing trends shifted and greater support for shorter passages signalled the end of an era and the CYCA's longest offshore race. After the 1993 Sydney Noumea Race the endurance event went on the backburner for decades, until the club's sailing committee approached the membership a few years' back to gauge interest in a potential revival.

"There was a lot of sentiment attached to the Sydney Noumea Race, for those who had competed in the past," CYCA Commodore John Markos said. "Past commodore John Cameron and director Tony Kirby in particular persisted with the idea and have since proven there is support. The entry list augers well for the state of ocean racing in Australia and we hope it will grow."

Tony Kirby sees the line honours contest playing out between his Ker 46 Patrice, Mick Martin's TP52 Frantic, Sebastian Bohm's Rogers 46 Smuggler and Mark and Louis Ryckman's Welbourn 50 GPB Yeah Baby. It will take a fraction over eight knots of average boat speed to break the enduring record and once in the tradewinds any of the line honours contenders can maintain this speed.

In terms of handicap, the field is wide open. "There is a healthy fleet of production Beneteaus and Zoe Taylor with Grace O'Malley is always competitive on handicap," Kirby said. "Smuggler will be hard to beat on handicap in light airs, Frantic has got the legs in a reaching race, Yeah Baby will stretch out if it's upwind all the way and we have the legs on them downwind."

From the weather models he has studied Kirby anticipates between four-and-a-half and six days for Patrice to reach the race finish off the capital of the French territory and South Pacific archipelago, the same finish line for the coinciding Auckland Noumea race conducted by Royal Akarana Yacht Club.

A few days' rest and a crew change later and Patrice, plus a number of other Sydney Noumea and Auckland Noumea challengers, will take their place alongside the local fleet for the Cercle Nautique Calédonien Yacht Club's biennial 654 nautical mile New Caledonia Groupama Race starting June 17.

PONANT is supporting the re-established Sydney Noumea Yacht Race. "We have signed up as sponsors because we feel a positive synergy between the CYCA and PONANT, the French owned and operated luxury cruise line and world leader in expedition cruising," said Monique Ponfoort, vice president PONANT Asia Pacific. "This is the perfect link between sponsor and event. Of course, the race ending in French Caledonia adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the appeal.

"PONANT's Le Ponant, a classic three masted yacht, is the company's first vessel and represents the close ties that the founder and CEO Jean-Emmanuel Sauvée continues to have with sailing," she added.

Once complete, the CYCA sailing committee will review the concept and decide whether to offer a regular race to Noumea as part of its bluewater calendar, and like the Newport Bermuda and Rolex Fastnet races make the event biennial, or possibly triennial.

For more information visit PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race website.

Related Articles

Admiral's Cup 2025 | Interview with the CYCA Team
A highly experienced team for the revived Admiral's Cup regatta from July 17 The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia is fielding a highly experienced team for the revived Admiral's Cup regatta that will be run from Cowes on the Isle of Wight in the UK, from 17th July 2025. Posted on 1 Jul
Introduction to the Admiral's Cup/Fastnet 2025
After a 22 year abscence, the renowned Admiral's Cup is back. After a break of 22 years, the renowned Admiral's Cup is returning to the international yacht racing scene in July 2025. One short ocean race, three days of inshore racing, and then the fabled Fastnet to finish Posted on 29 Jun
CYCA Publishes report reviewing 3 incidents
In the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart and Commits to Implementing Safety Recommendations The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has published the full independent review report into the three incidents in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which tragically saw two fatalities and a man overboard (MOB) incident. Posted on 13 Jun
Admiral's Cup vs. Rolex Fastnet Interclub Trophy
CYCA is proud to be competing in two prestigious interclub competitions The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is proud to be competing in two prestigious interclub competitions — the revived Admiral's Cup and the Martin Illingworth Trophy — as part of the 2025 Rolex Fastnet Race. Posted on 12 Jun
New Caledonian duo set sights on RSHYR
Two French sailors based in New Caledonia will take on the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race When Yann Rigal and Michel Quintin began sailing Double Handed in 2020, Rigal had his doubts. "When Michel called me and said, 'Are you in?' I was like, 'Wow, that's crazy but yes, let's go'," Rigal laughed. Posted on 11 Jun
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race gathers steam
Over 50 registrations for the CYCA's event that starts on Saturday 26 July The Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race has received over 50 registrations, for the CYCA's event that starts on Saturday 26 July. Posted on 11 Jun
CYCA and RFBYC announce partnership
To host Australia's premier match racing events The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club are pleased to announce a joint partnership between the two Clubs to host Australia's premier match racing events in January each year. Posted on 5 Jun
The call of the mighty
See the words Admiral's Cup and you immediately think approachable, real, hardcore action See the words Admiral's Cup and you immediately think approachable, real, hardcore action, braving the elements, and glory for the victorious. As an Australian, you have King Louie (the late Lou Abrahams), and the late Sir Jim Hardy as the poster boys. Posted on 1 Jun
PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race draws to a close
With all three competing yachts now officially retired The 2025 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race has concluded with all three competing yachts now officially retired. Posted on 1 Jun
Ponant Sydney Noumea Race Start in Images
A light and variable breeze got the three-boat fleet away in the afternoon light It was a quiet start to the Ponant Sydney Noumea Race, with the fleet the leaving Sydney Harbour in a light and variable breeze. Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert's Wild Thing 100 led the fleet of three down the harbour on a close reach Posted on 31 May
C-Tech 2021 America's Cup 728x90 BOTTOMHenri-Lloyd Dynamic RangeNorth Sails Loft 57 Podcast