Sydney to Hobart race 2022 news, strange facts, yachts entered, distance, history and record

A few years ago the distance of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race suddenly got shorter. Now, despite yacht entries rising, crew numbers are shrinking. So what’s happening to the famous race?

Scallywag racing in the last event. The supermaxi will not be racing in 2022.

Just a few years ago 21 yachts in a division in the Sydney to Hobart would have been raced south by around 150 plus sailors.

Now, as officials prepare for the start of the 2022 event on Boxing Day, that number has been slashed to just 42.

The introduction of the two-handed class has helped reinvigorate interest in the old race and in 2022 has bolstered the fleet numbers with 21 two-handers entered.

On the flip side, less sailors than a normal 100 plus sized fleet will be competing due to the rule change which now allows boats crewed by just two - instead of the previous minimum of five.

It’s just one of the quirky facts about this famous race which started in 1945 and has only been stopped in its tracks by one thing - a global pandemic back in 2020.

Wendy Tuck and Campbell Greeves raced two-handed in the last Sydney to Hobart. Pic: Andrea Francolini

Another is the fact the Sydney to Hobart used to be around 632 nautical miles according officials at the time.

But with the accuracy of GPS improving the course was found to be somewhat shorter and is now recognised as 628nm.

At the close of entries, 120 yachts had entered. But this number will also change significant in the lead-up to the race.

The natural attrition pre race is around 10 per cent for a variety of reasons.

The Hong Kong entry Scallywag will be missing from the fleet in 2022, leaving just four 100-footers racing.

Some crews are unable to get their paperwork done in time, others loose team members, a skippers work and family circumstances could change or sponsorships fall through.

Often yachts are unable to race the clock to get damage sustained in lead-up events repaired in time for the 1pm start on December 26.

Still others enter boats “just in case’’ then change their minds while others are entered in case they are required for charter.

So while 120 boats have officially entered, the starting fleet is more likely to be closer to 110.

Stefan Racing during the 2021 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. Pic: ROLEX/Andrea Francolini

Last year 88 yachts started - including 17 double-handers.

The first night a staggering 38 yachts retired form the race. in all, 40 failed to finish in a race of high attrition.

The Mark Bradford skippered Black Jack beat LawConnect and SHK Scallywag 100 in the race for the line honours win.

Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban created history with a second consecutive overall to join an elite club of three -time winners with Freya and Love & War.

Jules Hall and Jan Scholten were the inaugural winners of the Two-Handed Division.

The 100-footer LDV Comanches, this year racing as Andoo Comanche, set the race record of one day, nine hours, 15 minutes 24 seconds back in 2017.

SYDNEY TO HOBART 2022 RACE FLEET, SAIL NUMBERS, STATE

NAME, SAIL NUMBER, STATE, DESIGN

Alegria Republic A6 QLD Ker Sydney Gts 43, Alive 52566 TAS Reichel Pugh 66

Allegro 6723 NSW Warwick 67, Andoo Comanche CAY007 NSW VPLP 100, Anjo

38117 QLD Beneteau First 40, Antipodes GBR 2888L NSW Santa Cruz 72, Ariki Tai (TH)

CIG16 NSW Cigale 16, Avalanche (TH), 2400 NSW Hick 40, Bacardi SM377 VIC Peterson 44, Black Jack 525100 QLD RP100, Blink B40 NSW Beneteau First 40, Blue Planet (TH)

AUS110 NSW J99, Bowline 10447 SA Beneteau First 44.7, Caro CAY52 New Zealand Botin 52, Cassiopeia 68 HUN 68 Hungary Marten 68, Celestial 9535 NSW TP 52, Chutzpah

R33 VIC Caprice 40, Ciao Bella SM888 NSW Hanse 505, Cinquante 5038 NSW Sydney 38, Coopers 3810 QLD Jeanneau 53, Crush F0052 WA J/V Tp52, Crux (TH) MYC 8 NSW S & S 34, Crystal Cutter III 6661 NSW Beneteau 40.7, Currawong (TH) 7374 NSW Currawong 30,

Cyan Moon B47 VIC Beneteau Oceanis 473, Denali 52569 NSW TP52, Enterprise Next Generation, F1701 WA Botin Carkeek Gp42, Esprit 8455 QLD Wauquiez C45, Eye Candy

FRA-9777 New Caledonia Sydney 38, Yeah Baby A5 QLD Welbourn 50, Flying Cloud, 6808 NSW, Beneteau First 40, Flying Fish Arctos 7551 NSW McIntyre 55, Fruit Salid 3, RQ334 QLD Beneteau First 40, Gun Runner 3867 NSW Jarkan 925, Gunshot NZL 8425 NSW Elliot 52, Gweilo 052 NSW TP 52, Wild Oats 10001 NSW RP100m Hasta la Vista 25 NSW Sydney 38, Helsal 3 262 NSW Adams 20, Hip-Nautic (TH), 7811 TAS Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300, Huntress 888 TAS Sydney 39cr Mod, Ichi Ban AUS001 NSW Botin 52, Ichi Ban AUS01 NSW Carkeek 60, Imalizard (TH) 6893 NSW Welbourn 12, Insomnia 65007 NSW JV 42

Inukshuk (TH) SA982, SA Northshore 38, Joss RF177 NSW J122, Jucasta E1 WA Beneteau First 45, KD4 (TH) 99 NSW Dehler 44, Khaleesi 46 NSW DK 46, Kialoa II AUS 742, NSW S & S Yawl, King Billy 4966 NSW John King/Custom, Koa 5215 2 NSW, TP52, Kraken (TH)

33 TAS Jeanneau Sunfast 3300, Kraken 42S D099 TAS Cookson 12, LawConnect SYD 1000 NSW Juan-K 100, Llama II 7126 NSW Dehler 46, Mako N40 NSW Sydney 40, Maluka

A19 NSW Ranger, Maritimo USA 16 QLD Schumacher 54, Maritimo SYC 52 QLD Tp52.

Mayfair M16 QLD, Rogers 46, Midnight Rambler ST 36 TAS, Sydney 36, Millennium Falcon

M888 NSW Sparkman And Stephens 39, Minnie (TH) 424 NSW Jones 42, Mister Lucky (TH), RQ3 600 QLD Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600, Mistral (TH) 1 NSW Lombard 34.

Mondo 5656 NSW Sydney 38, Moneypenny AUS 1 NSW Reichal Pugh 69, navy One 0404 NSW Beneteau First 40, No Limit AUS 98888 NSW Reichel Pugh 63, Ocean Crusaders J-Bird (TH) OC52 QLD TP52, Orione ITA 16054 Germany Grand Soleil 45, Pacman (TH) 110 QLD Young 11, Papillon 6841 SA Archambault A40rc, Patrice AUS 52 NSW TP52, Patrice Six 7779 NSW X-41, Pekljus 6419 NSW Radford 50, Philosopher 20 NSW Sydney 36.

CR Poulpito, FRA 6900 New Caledonia Sydney 38, Pretty Woman 545 NSW, IC 45 MOD, Quantock 1195 NSW Elliott 13, Quest 52002 NSW TP 52, Reve 5930 NSW Beneteau First 45F5, Rum Rebellion (TH) 1808 NSW J/99, Rumchaser (TH) 0122 NSW J122e.

Rush B45 VIC Farr 45, Sail Exchange 7709 NSW Cookson 12, Salt Lines GBR 5672L NSW Shipwright 70, Scaramouche 43 VIC X43, Secret Mens Business 8300 NSW Murray-Burns-Dovell 42, She 4924 QLD Olsen 40, Silver Fern NZL 6702 QLD Birdsall 72, Sintara YC110S SA Beneteau 47.7, Smuggler 6952 NSW JV TP52, South Brittany 7447 NSW Beneteau First 44.7, Speedwell (TH), B347 NSW Beneteau 34.7, Stefan Racing AUS 80 QLD Botin 80, Stella Polaris 8339 NSW Hick 35, Sun Fast Racing (TH) RQ3301 NSW, Sun Fast 3300, Sunrise GBR 888 XGreat Britain Jpk 1180, Supernova 6499 NSW Sydney 36, Toybox 2

MH442 NSWXP 44, Transcendence Crento (TH), AUS 3300 NSW Jeanneau Sunfast 3300,

Trouble & Strife 8009 NSW Cookson12, TSA Management MH60 NSW Sydney 38.

Tumbleweed (TH) 077 NSW Jeanneau Sunfast 3300, Uprising Brightside Marine (TH)

N5915 NSW Jeanneau 36, URM Group AUS 72 NSW Reichel Pugh Maxi 72, Warrior Won

60564 USA TP52, Whisper AUS13 NSW JV 62, White Bay 6 Azzurro 3430 NSW S & S 34, White Noise SM1245 VIC M.A.T 1245, Wild Oats 4343 NSW Farr 43, Willow ITA 70 NSW Volvo 70, XS Moment BNMH 11744 NSW XP44, Yeah Baby 112 NSW Akilaria Rc2, Yolla

R1030 VIC, JPK 1030 Z7 AUS 7771 NSW Beneteau First 45, Zen 52001 NSW TP52.