This will be Alchemy III’s first journey from Sydney to Hobart in race mode after completing the trip twice this year, cruising and crewed by the Ritchie family. Owner and skipper, Jarrod Ritchie, has maintained his childhood passion for sailing from competitive racing as a teenager to ownership of three yachts over the past twelve years, each expanding to accommodate a growing family. Alchemy III’s previous owners sailed the yacht from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, through the Pacific and onto Australia.

The racing crew (that will replace the four Ritchie children who usually have run of the deck) are a mix of experienced sailors who have experience in numerous Rolex Sydney Hobarts, Atlantic crossings and 18 Foot Skiff Championships, through to complete novices. Given the yacht’s pedigree, the owners are expecting a comfortable ride with a favourable breeze and heightening of competitive spirits on board, with hopes for a quick gallop south.