PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race postponed until 2024
by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 14 Mar 2022 22:00 PDT
Michael Martin's TP52 Donovan Frantic took Line Honours in the 2018 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race © Bryan Gauvan
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) - organiser of the bi-annual race - made the difficult decision due to ongoing challenges resulting from the Covid pandemic, including uncertainty around international travel restrictions and the logistics and planning demands placed on entrants.
The PONANT Sydney Noumea has been rescheduled for 2024 to ensure the race remains aligned with the New Caledonia Groupama Race, which is a natural follow-up event for competitors in the CYCA's longest ocean race.
CYCA Commodore Noel Cornish AM said: "The PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race is one of the CYCA's greatest offshore racing tests, with some of the most ardent sailors from across Australia and abroad having taken on the 1,064 nautical mile journey.
"We look forward to restoring this highly-anticipated event to the CYCA's sailing calendar in 2024.
"The Club thanks our Race Sponsor PONANT and Race Finishing Partner, Cercle Nautique Calédonien (CNC), for their unwavering support over the last two years as we continue to navigate the challenges of the Covid pandemic."
The PONANT Sydney Noumea was last run in 2018, with Seb Bohm's Rogers 46 Smuggler winning on all handicaps and Michael Martin's TP52 Donovan Frantic taking Line Honours.
For more information and updates in the build-up to the 2024 race, visit noumea.cycaracing.com.