The 2025 Sydney to Hobart yacht race is underway — follow here for live rolling updates.
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3.00PM AEDT, 27/12: MORE RETIREMENTS, BASS STRAIT LOOMS
Boat damage and seasickness have forced more retirements in the Sydney to Hobart as nasty sea conditions inflict a rough race on the southbound fleet.
As of 3pm, Master Lock Comanche was still leading by about four nautical miles from fellow supermaxi and back-to-back defending champion LawConnect.
Elsewhere, double hander Roaring Forty became the second yacht to retire due to seasickness.
The list of retirements stands at eight mostly due to damage: Wild Thing 100, White Noise, Trouble and Strife, Troubadour, Roaring Forty, Inukshuk, Hutchies Yeah Baby and Awen.
Inukshuk had to retire after being caught in a fishing net.
Moneypenny, a former third overall and division winner, then had to retire while sitting eighth for line honours due to equipment issues.
7.00AM AEDT, 27/12: WILD THING OUT, MASTER LOCK COMANCHE LEADS
100-foot supermaxi Wild Thing is out of the Sydney to Hobart, after skipper Grant Wharington reported rigging damage from a rough first night at sea in the race.
Wild Thing became the latest victim of a night where crews were battling upwind sailing and large swells.
Meanwhile, Master Lock Comanche and defending back-to-back line honours winner LawConnect were engaged in a battle as the leaders raced towards Bass Strait. LawConnect also suffered overnight damage, skipper Christian Beck told CODE Sports.
“We had a few things that slowed us down,” he said. “It’s pretty calm now in comparison to last night.”
In what threatened to become one of the closest races ever seen, the supermaxis were in view of each other at times before Master Lock Comanche stole a march heading into the second day of the battle. Master Lock Comanche is about four nautical miles in front.
Scallywag, Lucky and Palm Beach X1 are next, about nine, 11 and 14 nautical miles respectively behind the leader.
Overall defending handicap champion Celestial was next.
Wild Thing 100 sails out of the harbour during the start of the 2025 Sydney to Hobart.Source: Getty Images
10:00PM AEDT, 26/12: CREWS BATTLING ROUGH SEAS AS LEADER EMERGES
Supermaxi LawConnect, who led the Sydney to Hobart fleet out of Sydney heads for the third year in a row, have battled some tough conditions.
“I’m lying down and I feel a lot better,“ skipper Christian Beck said to Code Sports.
“It’s pretty rugged. It’s quite bad out here”.
As for the leaderboard, LawConnect sit in second place behind only Master Lock Comanche.
In third is SHK Scallywag 100, followed by Lucky and Palm Beach XI.
Master Lock Comanche sails at the start of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.Source: AFP
7:00PM AEDT, 26/12: TOUCHING TRIBUTE TO BONDI VICTIMS – Eli Green, Newswire
Sailors in this year’s Sydney to Hobart yacht race have taken part in a touching tribute to the victims of the Bondi terror attack that claimed 15 lives.
Organisers had planned for rose petals to be scattered off the coast of Bondi in a “quiet, symbolic gesture”.
What they didn’t expect was for so many sailors to want to want to take part.
The gesture has grown beyond the initial plan of 15 boats, with “scores” of sailors across the entire fleet of 129 boats scattering the flowers.
Sailors on every boat racing this year spread the rose petals.Source: SuppliedThe iconic Boxing Day event is now under way. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki ShortSource: News Corp Australia
Olympian Ian Thorpe scattered roses from the back of the LawConnect boat with skipper Christian Beck.
The tribute is something that has resonated far beyond the sailing community, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia commodore Sam Haynes said at the compulsory race briefing.
“The tribute that we mentioned for the tragic events in Bondi has been very well received by the Jewish community but also internationally recognised worldwide and obviously here in Australia,” Mr Haynes told the assembled fleet.
Extra roses had been supplied by the flower company Mr Roses in anticipation of sailors wanting to take part.
“We actually have an abundance,” Mr Haynes said.
“Mr Roses has supplied extra in case we wanted them – which I think we do.”
The race is now under way, with the maxi yachts passing Coogee about 1.30pm.
Mr Roses supplied extra flower petals to ensure all sailors would get a chance to participate.Source: SuppliedScores of people gathered across the Sydney coastline to watch the start of the race. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki ShortSource: News Corp Australia
Sailors can expect a treacherous first night at sea, with hazardous surf conditions and strong southerly winds.
“It’s going to be cold, it’s going to be wet, it’s going to be bumpy, people are going to get seasick, and there will be incidents, and there probably will be injuries,” race director Lee Goddard said on Wednesday.
“Prepare yourself well for this. There will be retirements not only because of technical breakages but simply because people are going to get seasick or uncomfortable et cetera as well.”
The official race distance of the Sydney to Hobart is 628 nautical miles or about 1163km.
Finishing times vary year to year, with supermaxis generally finishing in about two days.
5:24PM AEDT, 26/12: FOUR YACHTS ARE OUT
Four yachts have been forced to retire from the 2025 Sydney to Hobart, ending their hopes of glory within four hours of the race’s start.
Yendys failed to start the race according to Code Sports, a yacht named as the backwards spelling of Sydney.
Joining that crew was Yeah Baby (headstay foil damage), White Noise (rigging damage) and Inukshuk (rudder damage).
Sumatra also had to stop due to hydraulic issues, but they have returned to the race after a lengthy two-hour delay.
Tough conditions have hampered the fleet competing in this year’s race, with two-metres seas and north of 25 knots of wind testing crews.
1.30PM AEDT, 26/12:LAWCONNECT FIRST OUT OF SYDNEY HEADS
Supermaxi LawConnect has led the Sydney to Hobart fleet out of Sydney heads for the third year in a row.
The line honours chance had an early tussle with Master Lock Comanche in the 80th addition of the race but cleared the heads first, while Lucky, Palm Beach 11, Scallywag and Wild Thing were in close pursuit.
A fleet of 129 yachts are racing this year and set off from four start lines in Sydney Harbour at 1pm AEDT.
The front line featured the race’s 13 biggest yachts, including five 100-footers.
LawConnect is chasing a third consecutive line honours win.
LawConnect sails out of the harbour during the start of the 2025 Sydney to Hobart.Source: Getty Images
NASTY WEATHER LOOMS FOR SYDNEY TO HOBART FLEET
There’s severe weather warnings for the 2025 Sydney to Hobart Yacht race as it celebrates its 80th anniversary, with up to 5m seas on the forecast.
Sailors in around 130 yachts will head south from 1pm in some of the toughest and torrid conditions including strong southerly winds.
When the fleet races through Sydney Heads and turns right they’ll encounter 20-25 knots of wind on the nose in what will make for hazardous and severely testing circumstances.
“It ain’t pretty. There will be retirements,” said Chris Nicholson of back-to-back defending line honours champion LawConnect.
“It’s more about the seas than the wind at this stage.”
2025 safety changes to SYD to HOB race | 03:00
100-footer Wild Thing ahead of the 2025 Sydney to Hobart yacht race. Picture: Richard DobsonSource: News Corp Australia
A core of the fleet is expected to stay closer inshore than normal to avoid the worst conditions.
Event director Lee Goddard forecasted adverse effects on racers.
“There will be incidents, and there probably will be injuries,” he said on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be cold, it’s going to be wet, it’s going to be bumpy, people are going to get seasick, and there will be incidents, and there probably will be injuries.
“Prepare yourself well for this. There will be retirements not only because of technical breakages, but simply because people are going to get seasick or uncomfortable, et cetera, as well.”
Read on for everything you need to know about the 2025 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.
Law Connect chasing three-peat honours | 03:47
What time does it start?
The race kicks off from Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Boxing Day.
What time does it end?
While it varies from year to year, a typical line hours race is completely in around 48 hours, therefore finishing on December 28-29.
The Sydney to Hobart line hours record is one day, nine hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LIV Comanche. But given this year’s choppy conditions, that record is highly unlikely to be broken.
How can I watch it?
It will be broadcast live on Channel 9 and the 9Now app. It will also be streamed live on the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s YouTube channel.
For those at the event, Sydney Harbour is a natural viewing spot, with numerous other vantage points including South Head, South Head Heritage Trail, North Head, Christison Park (Vaucluse), Watsons Bay and Lady Bay Beach.
Who are the favourites?
Master Lock Comanche is the favourite for line honours, while LawConnect is chasing a historic three-peat of line honours titles.
What is the prize for winning?
There is no prize as such for winning, outside of the two highly coveted sailing trophies.
The line honours winner receives the J.H. Illingworth Challenge Trophy, while the overall winner takes home the Tattersall Cup.