2018 Race Recap
/media/3441354/syho18cb_2831040.jpg)
Tasmanian boat Alive, Overall Winner in 2018. Image: ROLEX/Carlo Borlenghi
Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2018
The 74th race saw a close tussle for both the line honours victory but also the overall win. In the battle for first to cross the line Wild Oats XI, Comanche and Black Jack were all within sight as they made their way up the Derwent River and in to Constitution Dock. With the light winds of the early morning slowing the yachts as they neared the finish line, Wild Oats XI was able to make the most of the conditions and propel themselves to a victory with a 28 minute gap before the other two 100 foot super maxis crossed with just a minute of separation.
The battle for the Tattersall Cup came down to the two Reichel Pugh 66s in Alive and Wild Oats X. With a late charge from Alive, they were able to make the time needed to be able to jump the all female team aboard Wild Oats X and then sit and wait to see where the rest of the fleet would place.
Race Program
Prior to each race Cruising Yacht Club of Australia publishes a separate official race program (with details of competing boats, the results of past races and articles about the race and its participants and other important events). The 2018 Edition is here.
2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart - Race Documents
Amendment 1 to the Sailing Instructions
Amendment 2 to the Sailing Instructions
Protest No 1 - Race Committee v Wild Oats XI
Protest No 2 - Helsal 3 v Black Sheep
Race Briefing
There is a compulsory race briefing 2 days before the race. Watch it here:
Weather
A light Easterly breeze at the start developed into a hard NE'er by the time the leading yachts were on the far south coast of NSW.
The North Easter continued to build for a fast run across Bass Strait for the entire fleet; gradually swinging into the North and North West.
The maxi yachts experienced good winds until Maria Island when the breeze softened. The four leading maxi's were with four miles of one another rounding Tasman Island. Wild Oats XI and Comanche had swapped the lead several times. Wild Oats XI rounded Tasman Island first and went on to take Line Honours by 27 minutes.
The competitive 60 foot yachts carried the breeze to the finish when it shut down stalling the remainder of the fleet. Alive, the 66 foot canting keel yacht from Tasmania was declared the overall winner.
The bulk of the fleet experienced a 40 knot South / South-Westerly change on the 4th day.
Race reports
After each race, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's magazine Offshore contains reports and articles on the race. Read on to access it.