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Winning the Rolex Sydney Hobart is no walk in the park

Home 2025 Winning the Rolex Sydney Hobart is no walk in the park

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Reigning Rolex Sydney Hobart champion, Dr Sam Haynes admitted today, “To hold the Tattersall Cup is special – and this year is the 80th race – that’s important, so to win it again…”

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Haynes, who is also Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, organiser of the race, has enjoyed the rare distinction of holding the Tattersall Cup twice – last year with the chartered V70, Celestial V70 and in 2022, winning overall with his TP52, Celestial.

The Tattersall Cup in all her beauty - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic.

He says to win the race, “It takes a great crew, a great boat, you have to be competitive and back each other up.”

Listening to this sage advice were two owners who have done the 628 nautical mile race before, but the win has eluded both. They are not alone and know it is no walk in the park to claim the Tattersall Cup.

Sam Haynes and the skateboard addict Giotto - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic.

Chris Dare, the owner of Ambition, a GP42, has come out of retirement to sail his 11th Hobart. Why?

“Lockie (his son) and I wanted to do one together. We do a lot of sailing together and we get on well. We sail a lot together on other boats like my J/70, also called Ambition.”  Dare agrees they will be sailing against arguably the toughest fleet of 40 footers for decades.

 “It’s a great 40 foot fleet. We’ll have a lot of boats around us, It’s a long race, so we’ll all get tired, but we’ll all push each other. We’re ready. Of course we’re ready,” Dare states.

Chris Dare in his element - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic. 

“We’ll be keeping an eye on Sean (Langman) and his crew. (Langman, from NSW also has a GP42, Back 2 Black). “We’ll be feeling each other out. We did that in the Cabbage Tree Island Race. They sneaked around the Island before us. They give us a bit of time (on handicap). There’ll be aspects where they will be better and others when we’ll be better.”

But as Dare points out, there are so many others, like Melburnian Rob Date. “He’s spent a lot of time and money on Scarlet Runner. I think we give them time, so we’ll have to watch them too.

Happy days at the Overall Contenders press conference - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic. 

“The other aspect for me is that a couple of people sailing with me didn’t make the finish last time they sailed, so it’s important to us to finish. It’d be nice to have a win, but you need to finish to do that.”

Dare, originally from Melbourne, moved down to Tasmania a couple of years ago. On their Sydney Hobart program he says, “I have a lot of confidence in the boat, but it’s been a tight nine months. It is what it is, but I would’ve liked more time.

“I’m really looking forward to the race and to sailing with my son and my partner, Claire (Cunningham),” he ended.

Anthony Johnston, co-owner of URM Group, has the same problem as Dare, but at the other end of the size spectrum.

URM Group's Anthony Johnston - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic. 

Johnston’s yacht is a RP72 and his competition includes Bryon Ehrhart’s multi-event winner, Lucky (USA), Rob Appleyard’s RP69, Moneypenny, a proven performer from Western Australia that finished third in the 2023 Hobart. And last year’s winner, Celestial V70.

Johnston, however, is more concerned about sailing URM Group to her maximum potential. After a year that went horribly wrong, culminating in the 72 footer being dismasted on the first night of the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart. He knows URM is capable of taking the Tattersall Trophy after finishing second overall in 2023.

 Marcus Ashley-Jones and Anthony Johnston on board the mighty URM Group -  CYCA/Salty Dingo pic. 

“Last year was tough,” Johnston concedes. “This year is better. Marcus (Ashley-Jones, URM’s skipper) did a great job of rebuilding the boat. The rig is operating the best it ever has.

“Yes, there’s a concentration of quality boats of 60 feet and over. I think Celestial will probably be the one to beat. In terms of rating, we are similar to them. Each of us performs differently in different conditions. It will be interesting to see what happens through the (wind) transitions.” 

Thumbs up for the Sydney Hobart! - CYCA/Salty Dingo pic. 

“I think the Australian Maxi Boat Championship and SOLAS Big Boat Challenge demonstrated the boat is well tuned and we are ready for the race,” said Johnston of those wins.

Di Pearson, RSHYR media