Sydney Hobart – A very ordinary Hobart
by John Curnow, Sail-World.com AUS Editor 30 Dec 2025 17:02 PST
MIN RIVER - Jiang Lin and Alexis Loison representing the host club, CYCA © Rolex / Kurt Arrigo
Now don’t get me wrong. That’s a not a description of the on-water action from the 80th rendition of the Boxing Day Classic. Far from it, actually. Rather, it is a reflection upon that fact that an ‘ordinary’ Hobart invariably involves a mix of a couple of days on the breeze, with cold air and big water being the soup du jour, and then the de rigueur moments in the sun. The latter are the ones that would let you say to yourself, ‘I’ll line up for that again!’
When it looked like a ‘small boat’ race, many (including this Scribe) looked at the 40-footers, because the running later in their multi-day race would suit a boat capable of going square and using its LWL. A very few went for the 30-somethings, like count them on one hand. Clearly, they were right.
The Double-Handers have been a fleet of 20 or thereabouts since the Division was created, and there are lot of 30-somethings in there, including ones that are very good at using the stiff breeze when aft of the beam. Twin rudders, advanced sail tech, some old school kite pole type stuff, water ballast, were just some of the variables to determine where you wanted to sit on the rating spectrum. In other words, many are in the same speed bracket, and even faster, than many a 40. Yes. Times do change.
So, it is really of no surprise that a Double-Hander got the Wonka ticket, when you see that most of that Division comprised the very craft that Huey anointed to the top status for the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. A fully crewed 30-footer could have done it too, but did not.
The doubles had a ding-dong battle the whole way, with lead changes about as quickly as you could hit refresh. They went in, they went out. They were West of the Rhumbline. They stayed East of it, especially in the early days, and never went across it when they came back in on Port. Make the most of the EAC for as long as you can stand the pain of tide against wind. Rack ‘em. Pack ‘em. And stack ‘em.
Now the absolute latest generations of the slick 30s that amazed in the Fastnet were not here for the Hobart, but it certainly did not mean there were no well-credentialled craft and crew around. Previous Fastnet winners. Previous Hobart winners. Totally optimised IRC production gems. Vessels that have already one or more laps of the planet. As for the sailors, in amongst them were seasoned short-handed pros from the European circuit, so you only had to join the dots to get the picture.
The Wonka Ticket
In reality, once the River Derwent closed down and held Celestial up for a handful of hours, the writing became pretty clear, like someone had passed the black light over the invisible ink. There was a moment when the Ocean Graders looked to be a chance briefly, but as the pocket of Nor’easter grew in both size and intensity, and the bulk of the 30s made a good transition from Flinders Island to St Helens, it became a lot like watching the coach move the names on the magnets around the steel board. Shuffle, shuffle, shuffle…
Looking at IRC Overall, and the first big boat (MRV at 61 feet) is in 14th place (including all finishers). You have Love & War at 47, then a couple of 40s and the rest are 30 somethings, seven of which are doubles. It is more about generational change than anything else, and this will continue. Just look at the latest Leon (JPK 1050) and Rahan (enhanced Beneteau First 36, and hello to our mate Charlie BTW). This is a critical point. When you have a 33 that can punch out to 26 knots SOG as a blast speed in the ocean, 12 or so just isn’t in the same league. Then you add that in for a few hours or days, well, you get the point. The Hobart IS a Windward/Leeward, and this has just been proven rather emphatically.
Min River gets up for the overall win and the Tattersall Cup. Not bad for 10 years out sailing and just the five Hobarts for owner, Jiang Lin.
Forget the Daily Double!
Also, what a Trifecta for Alexis Loison. La Solitaire du Figaro, The Fastnet and now Hobart, all in the one year. What’s that going to be paying out? And what price is he going to be able to command for his services moving forward? Hat’s off to both sailors, all right. JPK must be loving the podium, as well, me thinks…
There will always be a discussion around the full crewed vessels versus the doubles, and it needs to be said that before you go on, go out and try it. It is not just tiredness. It is not hand steering, a lot. It is not sail changes on your own. It is that sometimes you’ll go one and a half or two gears in a change, and you’ll go early, simply because it is harder and takes longer.
So yes, good to see friends remain friends. Good to see sense and sensitivity win the day. And next year, everyone gets to do it all over again. Who’s up for it?
Sorry for all the retirees. Just not your year. Almost all home as we write, and some will get in for the fireworks (on paper at least), with the remainder slugging it out for a bit longer yet, so that means it’s not so much a wrap as it is a ‘still to close off’.
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Earlier 2025 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race Editorials:
New rulebook?
A new measurement system
Double is not nothing
Moment in the sun?
They will! Huey playing nicely
Will they? Won't they?
New leader as SHK Scallywag comes to the fore
War of attrition as the plateau arrives
Surprised it took this long
I should be so...
Death Valley or Plateau of Pain
Ocean Graders' Delight in the Sydney Hobart Race
New and improved Swiss Army Knife (now with steroids)
Like watching a big front build
Who let the dogs out?
And so, it begins…