Master Lock Comanche wins opening race in Australian Maxi Championship

Master Lock Comanche leaving Sydney Harbour - 2025 Australian Maxi Championship © CYCA | Andrea Francolini

The 2025 Australian Maxi Championship is officially under way, following a powerful start overnight with the Cabbage Tree Island Race, the opening act of the championship. Master Lock Comanche claimed the first win on handicap of the championship, with URM Group and Moneypenny close behind, setting the tone for a fiercely contested week of racing.

Master Lock Comanche co-skipper Matt Allen said the team is relishing the opportunity for high-stakes competition so close to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

"We are really looking forward to the next few days. It is an important part of the preparation for Hobart. While the style of racing is different, it all helps. We sail big, complicated boats, so the more time we spend actually sailing, is important for us. We have the best fleet of ocean-going maxis here that has ever been assembled and that is exciting. Throwing around the big boats is a lot of fun and adrenaline. We have a great line-up of boats and crew, so this competition is hard to find anywhere else in the world. It is about peaking at the right time."

Master Lock Comanche navigator Andy Green, a CYCA Youth Sailing Academy alumnus and part of the afterguard aboard Master Lock Comanche, reflected on the strategic calls that shaped their Cabbage Tree Island Race performance.

"The plan during the night was to work the shifts in the wind field, while also protecting our lane against LawConnect and SHK Scallywag 100." he said.

Green noted that one of the early pivotal decisions centred on when to extend offshore to stay clear of Stockton Bight. "It was forecast to go quite light in there in the early morning, and some of the observation stations were already hinting at that. Crew experience plays a big part in interpreting those moments."

He added that another defining moment came on the return leg. "Getting the timing of our gybe towards Sydney Heads right was crucial. The breeze looked like it might trend lighter toward the finish, so we didn't want to go too early."

Missing from the leaderboard at this stage is Grant Wharington's Wild Thing 100, which withdrew from the race shortly before the start due to a gear malfunction. The 100-footer will rejoin the fleet for the remainder of the championship.

What's next

Over the coming days, Australia's leading Maxi and Mini Maxi yachts will go head-to-head across a mix of offshore and inshore challenges as they chase the coveted title of 2025 Australian Maxi Champion.

With two days of high-intensity passage racing to come (Sunday 7 and Monday 8 December) and the iconic SOLAS Big Boat Challenge set to bring the regatta to a spectacular close on Tuesday 9 December, the stage is set for another unforgettable showdown on Sydney Harbour.

Australian Maxi Championship Competitors

• Master Lock Comanche
  Now in its second year under stewardship of James Mayo and Matt Allen, Master Lock Comanche is aiming to defend their picket fence of Line Honours finishes for all four races in the 2024 Australian Maxi Championship.
• Moneypenny
  Acquired last year by Rob Appleyard, Moneypenny will compete in the Australian Maxi Championship and SOLAS Big Boat Challenge for its second time under Appleyard. Moneypenny, has had a blistering start to this year’s Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore and proves to be a seriously competitive boat after finishing third across the AMC in 2024.

• No Limit
  David Gotze’s Reichel/Pugh 62 No Limit is an all-round boat, closely resembling the 2011 Hobart winner, Loki. The yacht competes all year round, in major regattas. In his program are the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, Australian Maxi Championship, including the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge.

• LawConnect
  While Beck has definetly lost his underdog status after winning Line Honours in the past two Rolex Sydney Hobarts, the team is ready to take on the competition. LawConnect achieved stellar results in last year’s Australian Maxi Championship, narrowly missing out on the Line Honours top spot to Master Lock Comanche.

• SHK Scallywag 100
  This 100-foot maxi makes its return to Sydney Harbour after leaving its mark on the European circuit over the past two years. After she claimed her largest victory in 2024, winning Line Honours in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, team management decided it was time to return Down Under to seek redemption after her retirement in the 2023 Hobart. Under the management of Skipper David Witt, the yacht has refined its systems, crew and made drastic improvements to the boat’s overall strength.

• URM Group
  Anthony and David Johnston’s URM Group returns as a strong contender for the Australia Maxi Championship, the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge and the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Taking both crowns on IRC in 2023, the team will be back in 2025. The Reichel/Pugh 72 is sporting a new rig and sail wardrobe after it dismasted in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

• Wild Thing 100
  Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert’s Wild Thing 100 made its debut as a 100 footer in the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, having been delivered straight from the Gold Coast to Sydney with a few finishing touches still being added on the way. Formerly an 80-footer, the boat raced with its original rig which has been replaced by a full- sized 100 foot rig. This edition of the Australian Maxi Championship it will be the first time she goes head-to-head with other 100-footers since she has upgraded her rig.

Full results available here.