The competition to nab the overall win for the 80th Sydney to Hobart yacht race is heating up, with defending champion Celestial V70 no longer in contention for a back-to-back victory.
Since midnight, more than a dozen yachts have crossed the finish line — bringing the total number of boats that have completed the 2025 race to over 30.
Oroton Drumfire cruised into Hobart on Tuesday morning. (ABC News)
This included the first Tasmanian boat over the line, AdvantEdge.
Celestial V70 had been hoping to defend its title after sailing into Hobart’s Constitution Dock early on Monday morning.
It’s all smiles for the crew on MWF Kayle as they near the finish line. (Supplied: Making Waves Foundation)
As of 11am, New Caledonian double-handed BNC was the clubhouse leader, after sailing into Hobart at 10:40am.
However, with a number of contenders for handicap honours still out at sea, a victory is far from locked in.
A double-handed boat, which only has two crew members, has never won the Sydney to Hobart since they got their own division in 2021.
Cruz and Min River, also double-handed boats, are also high on the leaderboards and expected to finish today.
Unlike line honours, which is awarded to the first boat across the finish line, the overall winner takes into account handicap, such as boat size.
BNC crew members Michael Quintin and Yann Rigal on their way into Hobart this morning. (Supplied: CYCA / Salty Dingo)
The fleet as at 7:45am on Tuesday, as they race around the Tasman Peninsula and Tasman Island. (Supplied: Sydneu to Hobart Yacht Race)
Race worth getting emotional about
Ron Epstein, the skipper of Bacchanal, which also sailed in this morning, said his crew had had “unfinished business” after a “disappointing” attempt during its debut in the Sydney to Hobart race last year.
The yacht was forced to retire after its boom broke.
US Entry Bacchanal made it to Constitution Dock just after 6am on Tuesday. (Supplied: CYCA/ Salty Dingo)
Epstein said he had watched this race for “decades” and always wanted to participate.
“And now here I am, having done something I’ve only watched on TV before,” he said.
Sailors tell of ‘horrendous’ ordeal in yacht race
He said there was “a little bit of an emotional moment” when the crew crossed the finish line.
“But I think it’s perfectly reasonable when you’ve sought to do something that really stretches you in this way, pushes you in this way, and to get it done with such a group of guys you’ve been through the wars with.
“It’s something worthy to get emotional about.”Race to beat impending southerly
The crew of First Light are hoping to reach Tasman Island before the bad weather hits. (Supplied: CYCA)
Among the yachts still working their way through the course is First Light, the only all-female crew in this year’s race.
As of Tuesday morning, the 40-foot racing yacht was making its way down Tasmania’s east coast and towards the Tasman Peninsula.
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Skipper Elizabeth Tucker said the team was hustling to beat an onslaught of southerly winds expected this afternoon.
“We’re pushing quite hard to get to Tasman Island and round into Storm Bay before this southerly comes through,” she said.
“If we hit that, it’s going to be similar conditions to the first few days so we’re trying to get in before then.”
Yachts are trying to round Tasman Island before southerly winds hit later today. (Supplied: Rolex/Kurt Arrigo)
Yachts faced bruising conditions early on in this year’s Sydney to Hobart, with more than a quarter of competitors retiring by the end of day three — with many citing boat damage and seasickness as the cause.
Tucker said Monday had brought “champagne sailing” conditions, which were “chalk and cheese” compared to days one and two.
“We’re going to push hard, see what we can do. We can only go as fast as we can, but hopefully we’ll get round.
“And if not, we’ll just brace ourselves for another hard slog in.”
Line honours was taken out by 100-footer Comanche on Sunday evening.
Follow the yachts as they sail for Hobart with the official race tracker