Sydney Hobart – The rise of the plateau

by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 26 Dec 2025 09:07 PST

Neck and Neck out the Heads, as the bowmen stow the furler - won't be needing that for a while.. © Kurt Arrigo / Rolex

Here we are, about 15 hours into it all, and there is but 1.5nm separating race leader, Master Lock Comanche from LawConnect, with SHK Scallywag about another 1.5nm further adrift. Note that Lucky is right there too, and Callisto is in 12th place (first of the 50-footers and doing super well for a planning hull) which is why she leads Div1, with the heavier Margaret Rintoul V in 15th (which at over 14 metric tonnes you might refer to as the first of the Ocean Graders) leads Div2.

Note that Celestial is the current overall leader, and why wouldn’t they be with that talent on board. Great job team. Div3 is Team WhiteWave in the DK46, and Bacchanal are taking care of unfinished business so far, by leading Div4. Cool. Midnight Rambler is ahead in Div5, the venerable Love and War is in front of Div6. BNC – myNet presently lead over previous Double Handed winner, Mistral. Wild Thing 100 has retired with rigging damage, and to be surprised, we're just happy more have not suffered the same fate. No report as yet on the crew or specific damage, but we do hope all are well (as can be).

The Rise of the Plateau indeed - High taking up station and in no hurry to move on - photo © BoM

So, whilst the Antipodeans sleep, the crews are out there tacking away in lumpy seas, cold and wet, with the prospect of yet more of the same to come. Joyous. At the same time, the dominant High sits on its throne with nary a desire to move on. The rise of the Plateau…

The original thinking was for Line Honours in two days and 10 hours elapsed, and it might be slightly under that on paper presently, but the vagaries of Storm Bay and the River Derwent, especially at night, have to be accounted for at some point. Still, averaging say 11 knots in the kind of muck they have endured thus far is a cool effort.

Montague Island and the leaders have gone in for Fish and Chips at Narooma (not), and the leaders are inside to avoid the worst of the swell and make the best headway to the corner, where NSW meets VIC - photo © Predictwind.com

Our leaders are around Montague Island, near Narooma, and you could wonder why would you want to be dodging the bricks.

Well, firstly, there is going to be a lot more SW on offer, and very soon at that. So best to be right to receive that, than left and come back into it.

Good old Got A Bit On Island - Inshore it is 13s, Offshore it is more like 20 - photo © Predictwind.com

Next, it is not so much about now, as then. Simply put, making the leap from mainland Oz to Tassie is all about what it looks like down there, which is all about a whole lot of 25s, and they are much closer to the coast of the Apple Isle than they ever were to NSW, with a more significant seaway included.

Picnic at St Helens (NE corner of Tassie) - This is why everyone is sooooooo close to the NSW coast. It is not about now, it is about what is to come - photo © Predictwind.com

The dog watch is on about now. Those that have worked hard overnight can enjoy the sunrise. By the time the sun sets again, a very clear picture of the lay of the land will have emerged.

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