Bell launches Comanche as Tribeca LOYAL for 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race
by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 27 Oct 01:19 PDT
26 December 2026
Tribeca Loyal returns to the Rolex Sydney Hobart © Belinda Rolland Photography
Arguably the fastest monohull on the planet, the legendary Comanche has tacked back into Australian waters, returning as Anthony Bell's Tribeca LOYAL with sights set on Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Line Honours.
The 100-foot maxi will line up on Boxing Day under Bell's LOYAL program, bringing a formidable combination of proven offshore performance, elite sailing talent and high-profile personalities to the 628-nautical-mile challenge.
The campaign will once again support the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, continuing LOYAL and the LOYAL Foundation's commitment to raising funds for life-saving medical equipment for children in hospitals across Australia.
With Line Honours firmly in its sights, Tribeca LOYALwill be one of the leading contenders for the Illingworth Challenge Cup with Bell chasing another landmark result in one of the world's most celebrated ocean races.
Bell is no stranger to the pressure of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Having last raced a decade ago, he first claimed Line Honours onboard Investec LOYAL in 2011 and again in 2016 on Perpetual LOYAL. Perpetual LOYAL also set the then race record with a time of 1 day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds.
Now, Bell brings that winning pedigree to Comanche, a yacht synonymous with speed and record-breaking performances. As one of the race's most decorated yachts, Comanche holds the current record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds and has claimed five Line Honours victories. She was last skippered to victory in 2025.
The Tribeca LOYAL lineup features a star-studded crew of sailors, bringing together champions from three different Line Honours-winning campaigns. Headlining as Sailing Master is the Bonds Flying Roos SailGP CEO & Driver, America's Cup winner, and Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby. Slingsby previously sailed with Bell from 2013 through Perpetual LOYAL's Line Honours victory in 2016. Also returning from the original LOYAL program are sailing legends Anthony Nossiter and John Flannery.
Managing the program is North Sails' Mark Bradford, who previously skippered Black Jack to Rolex Sydney Hobart Line Honours in 2021. Bradford brings with him several crew members from the Black Jack campaign, including Liam Woulfe and Will McCarthy. Returning from Comanche's 2025 Line Honours win is Andy Green as navigator, Andrew Henderson, Craig Garnnett, Pablo Arrate, Sam Newton, Will Parker and Phil Jameson.
Returning to the campaign as confirmed TRIBECA LOYAL "super sailors" are Anthony Minichiello, former Sydney Roosters captain and NRL premiership-winning captain, who played 11 State of Origin matches for New South Wales and 19 Tests for Australia, and Phil Waugh, former Wallabies captain, 79-Test veteran and current Rugby Australia Chief Executive Officer
While the Rolex Sydney Hobart is known for its unpredictable conditions, Comanche's epic pace and Bell's exceptional crew make the campaign one to watch.
According to Slingsby, a favourable weather window could put the maxi in contention to challenge its own benchmark and rewrite the record books once again.
"Every boat has a certain condition that they're going to be strong in," the 3-time Rolex World Sailor of the Year said.
"Previously, people who've watched a Sydney Hobart, you've got your Wild Oats (XI) and your Black Jack's and boats that are very fast in lighter winds, and then you've got the boat that was previously LOYAL (most recently LawConnect) that likes a lot of wind.
"Comanche (Tribeca LOYAL) likes more wind. It's probably a bit more versatile than the old Loyal they had, in that it can go in lighter winds a little bit better, but the stronger the wind, this boat just keeps wanting to go faster and faster.
"My last ocean race I did was 2021, and I did it on this boat in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, which is starting in Malta, go up around Sicily, racing around Sicily and Italy, and back, and we broke the race record by nine hours, and they said that that record would never be broken.
"That just shows the capability of this boat if it gets the right conditions and that goes for the Sydney Hobart.
"This boat already owns the Sydney Hobart race record, but the conditions we could get if we get the right conditions, we can break that record by a lot.
"So, fingers crossed, you're dealing with Mother Nature, but I think this boat wants strong winds, and if we get the right conditions, we could definitely break that record by a bit."
The 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart kicks off Saturday 26 December at 1300 hours AEDT. The start and finish will be broadcast live on the race website and via CYCA's YouTube channel, CYCATV.