Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - An enduring spirit

In order to handle the unpredictable weather, difficult se states and fatigue, preparation is everything. From the boat to the mindset © Kurt Arrigo

This year marks the 80th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, a proud milestone for an event defined by courage, endurance and human achievement.

Since its inception in 1945, it has transcended sailing to become a global icon woven into maritime and sporting history. Title Sponsor since 2002, Rolex enjoys a partnership with race organizer the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia that is a cornerstone of the Swiss watchmaker's near 70-year association with yachting.

The line-up for the 2025 race is one of the largest and most eagerly anticipated this century, with more than 130 yachts registered, including a selection of the world's leading maxi yachts. The fleet also boasts an array of former race winners and a broad spread of elite international talent.

Sailors are drawn annually to the race's irresistible appeal. One such example is Australian sporting legend and Rolex Testimonee Tom Slingsby. His passion for the race is deep rooted and forms a significant part of his journey in the sport. Growing up north of Sydney, Slingsby would join hundreds of thousands of spectators watching the start from land and water or on television. Having achieved his Olympic dream in 2012, winning gold in the laser class, Slingsby turned his attention to fulfilling a long-held ambition and has gone on to compete in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race on five occasions, including taking line honours in 2016, and breaking the then race record.

"The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race always captured my imagination. It is a massive part of Australian sailing heritage and sporting culture. As a young sailor, I admired the skill and determination it took to compete in such a challenging event. I soon realized it was something I needed on my CV to regard myself a true sailor."

The story of this illustrious contest has humble beginnings. A casual invitation to join a cruise to Hobart in late 1945, led to a response of historic consequence. British Navy Captain John Illingworth's simple reply of "I will, if you make a race of it" ignited a tradition that has endured for 80 remarkable years.

Illingworth's original adventurous spirit continues to resonate. The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race stands as one of offshore sailing's ultimate proving grounds, a stern examination of each competitor's nautical prowess and mental fortitude - something acknowledged by Rolex Testimonee Sir Ben Ainslie, the most decorated Olympic sailor of all time. Like Slingsby, Ainslie recognized the 628-nautical mile (1,163 kilometres) race as one of his sport's greatest challenges, renowned for its relentless demands and rich heritage, and felt the need to test his skills at the revered event.

"Participating in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race taught me valuable lessons about risk management, teamwork and personal resilience. The demanding nature of the race pushes you to your limits in the face of ever-changing conditions. It reinforces the importance of trust in your teammates and maintaining composure under extreme pressure, skills that I have continued to develop throughout my sailing career."

One of the world's most celebrated sporting traditions, each year on 26 December the race begins from Sydney Harbour. After exiting Sydney Heads, the fleet tracks south along the New South Wales coast before crossing Bass Strait, a stretch of water known for its volatility and power. The final approach from Tasman Island and up the Derwent River to the Tasmanian capital of Hobart often proves decisive, with the city offering a famously warm welcome to every finisher.

The Tattersall Cup, the race's historic perpetual trophy and its most coveted prize, is awarded to the overall winner on handicap. The trophy has no respect for size or reputation. It goes to the best sailed yacht, the one that outperforms the competition whatever the conditions. The smallest yachts to have won it are the 9.2 metre (30 foot) Screw Loose in 1979 and Zeus II in 1981, the largest, the 30.5 m (100 ft) Wild Oats XI in 2005 and again in 2012. The 11.96 m (39 ft) Freya is the only yacht to have won the trophy on three consecutive occasions, doing so in 1963, 1964 and 1965. In recent years, winning the race has become a habit with the past six editions won twice each by three different skippers, namely Philip Turner, Matt Allen and Dr Sam Haynes. In each case, success came after many years of persistence, the result of expertise built over time.

The second main prize is the chase for line honours, which draws significant public and media interest given the power and speed of the fastest yachts that compete for the glory of being first to finish. They have two targets. First and foremost is to reach Hobart ahead of their expertly drilled opponents; second, to better the course record time, which currently stands at 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche. The line honours battle this year is shaping as an epic. It features LawConnect, triumphant at the past two editions, as well as Master Lock Comanche, SHK Scallywag 100, Wild Thing 100 and a first appearance for Palm Beach XI, the former Wild Oats XI, a two-time overall race winner, past race record holder and multiple line honours winner.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race unites sailors from every background - professional and Corinthian, young and seasoned, men and women - all sharing a single purpose: to challenge themselves in one of the world's great ocean races. Participation alone is a badge of honour; completion, a lifelong memory. For decades, it has been career-defining for sailors, inspired generations and embodied the qualities at the core of the Rolex ethos: excellence, perseverance, respect for tradition.

As the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race commemorates its 80th edition, Illingworth's original spirit endures. More than just a yacht race, it has become a celebration of human endeavour, courage and accomplishment. While Rolex celebrates the journey undertaken by all competing crews, the outstanding achievement of the overall winning team is recognized by a specially engraved Rolex timepiece.