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Antipodes from near non-starter to finish line in sight

Home 2025 Antipodes from near non-starter to finish line in sight

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Antipodes nearly didn’t make the Rolex Sydney Hobart start line on Boxing Day; a keel bolt was cracked and needed replacing after the Santa Cruz 72 shaved land near Clark Island in December’s Cabbage Tree Island Race.

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Time & Date: 29/12/2025 – 1030 hours (69.5 hours after the start)   

A week out, Antipodes owner, Geoff Hill, was not giving up, but in his gut, felt their race was over before it began. 

Antipodes in Sydney Harbour - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic.

However, thanks to three people, the Hong Kong yacht is not only in the race, but is still racing – and all going well – will finish around 2000 hours Monday.  

Hill said at the time, “I can’t thank Pantaenius (Australia, a boat insurance company) enough, in particular Jamie MacPhail, who went above and beyond to help me. Then Brad Kellett (an Antipodes crew member) and his father David stepped in and the boat was repaired in time,” a grateful Hill said. 

Night time view - Antipodes pic.

David Kellett, with an AM after his name, is CEO of Woolwich Dock, which undertook the repair. Apart from his highly credentialled background in sailing, he is a past Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Commodore (host of the RSHYR) with 48 Hobarts behind him, inclusive of two Line Honours and an Overall win. In other words, he understands all that goes into doing the race.  

Some of Hill’s chief concerns were for crew. His daughter, Natasha Parker, who is co-skipper for the first time in the race, Ralph Carlier, who is sailing a milestone 40th Sydney Hobart and Brad Kellett, who is sailing his 33rd consecutive race. Kellett is the only one who could beat Lindsay May’s 50 straight races – provided the former keeps going. Others aboard are racking up big 30 plus numbers too. 

Natasha and Geoff Hill - ROLEX/Andrea Francolini pic.

Antipodes is still out there, making her way towards the Castray Esplanade finish line and to amuse themselves, as yachties always do, are remembering funny stories about past and present yachties they have sailed with.  

“Crew are telling the team stories of the great race over morning coffee while our 25 Sydney Hobart team member (Craig Malouf) was steering all morning while the sun was rising.  

“May the stories of antics at sea and in Hobart last forever and may they be passed on to the future sailors of the Great Race so its history never dies,” said Kellett, who won’t divulge any details. 

“It was a lovely brisk starlit night, last night, with hardly a cloud in the sky,” Kellett said. “The crew were enjoying the easy downwind slide in a 10-12 knot northerly that finally filled in after we found our own little parking lot yesterday, watching our competitors from behind slip closer and closer.” 

Larry Jamieson going crazy on his 39th Sydney Hobart - Antipodes pic.

Once Antipodes got going, the crew were able to hoist the A2 spinnaker and start slipping towards Tasmania.  

“We are currently in a pack that will be racing to Hobart for 11th on line honours behind the faster boats that jumped out on our group the first night,” Kellett said. 

He reported this morning that the rounding of Tasman Island looks fresh with 30 knot northerly easterlies between the island and Cape Raoul, then easing off in Storm Bay before the trials of the Derwent.  

“It’s a beautiful clear day - an18 knot northerly with some cloud on the shoreline peaks indicating some katabatic (powerful gravity driven winds, caused by cold dense air flowing downslope) breeze later, coming out of the Hunter Valley and along the NSW northern coastal ranges,” Kellett said. 

Di Pearson/RSHYR media