Entries open for PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race

Seb Bohm and his team on board Smuggler as they left Sydney Harbour for their overall race winning run © Andrea Francolini

Entries are now open for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's 2020 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race, the Club's longest ocean race spanning 1064 nautical miles.

Following the reintroduction of the race after a 20-year hiatus, the 2018 PONANT Sydney Noumea was widely regarded as a great success by the 22 entrants and the Club in general - with the event paving the way for the 2020 race.

The Notice of Race for the 2020 PONANT Sydney Noumea has been released, with entrants encouraged to start preparations early to give themselves the best chance of success.

The 2020 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race will start on Saturday 6 June 2020, on Sydney Harbour with boats heading north east for a finish at the Cercle Nautique Caledonien in Noumea, New Caledonia. The PONANT Sydney Noumea also acts as a gateway event to the Groupama Race around New Caledonia, which commences on 17 June 2018.

"The PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race is one of the Cruising Yacht Club's great adventures - and one of offshore racing's biggest tests," CYCA Commodore Paul Billingham says.

"We encourage entrants from our Club, across Australia and around the world to enter the 1064-nautical-mile mission. We can't wait for June 2020."

PONANT have been the proud naming-rights partner of the race since 2017, signing an extension in December 2018 to again back the 2020 race to Noumea.

"The Sydney Noumea race is an exciting event for serious competitors, sailing through a range of challenging navigation and sea conditions for 1,064 nautical miles. Following our involvement last year, and working together, we appreciate even more the benefits both organisations receive through this continued partnership," Vice President PONANT, Asia Pacific, Monique Ponfoort, says.

"There is a positive synergy with the CYCA, as yachting is part of PONANT's DNA and 30-year heritage maintained through our three-masted sailing yacht, Le Ponant, and the rest of the small ship fleet. It seem only fitting that we can portray this further through our involvement with this exciting race."

The overall winner of the 2018 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race was Sebastian Bohm's Smuggler in a time of 5 days, 6 hours and 44 minutes. Michael Martin's Frantic claimed line honours in a time of 4 days, 2 hours, 23 minutes.

For more information about PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race visit www.noumea.cyca.com.au