Aussie superstar to miss Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2023 and SailGP Dubai

One of Australia’s greatest multi-talented athletes has pulled the pin on racing in the 2023 Sydney to Hobart yacht race to be by the side of his former Bachelor star wife.

Annette Sharp. Tom Slingsby and Helena Sauzier as seen on social media

He’s regarded as one of Australia’s greatest sailors but Tom Slingsby will be absent from Australia’s greatest ocean race in 2023 - for good reason.

The triple SailGP champion, London Olympic gold medallist multiple world titleholder and America’s Cup winner said he will be watching the December 26 start of the Sydney to Hobart race on his computer in Europe but may miss the finish due to the expected arrival of his first child a day later.

“The arrival date is December 27,” said race regular Slingsby, a former line honours winner and race record holder in the Sydney to Hobart on the supermaxi Loyal skippered by celebrity accountant Anthony Bell back in 2016.

Slingsby and wife Helena Sauzier, who appeared on The Bachelor in 2019, were married in Sydney this year and are expecting a baby boy.

UNEXPECTED AUSSIE WINS CADIZ SAILGP

Tom Slingsby and Helena Sauzier in a wedding photo on social media

Tom Slingsby (right) and owner Anthony Bell before the win in 2016.

“So I’m not doing the Sydney to Hobart this year, not even coming to Australia, just staying here in Barcelona for the birth,” he said. “We are so excited.”

But Slingsby will be back racing on Australian waters not long after in the Sydney Harbour leg of the SailGP series on February 24-25.

Australia SailGP Team racing on Sydney Harbour back in 2021.

Slingsby, now part of the New York Yacht Club’s American Magic campaign for the next America’s Cup, has skippered the Australian SailGP team into the lead of the current season of the international series.

Racing super fast, wing-foil F50s, Slingsby and his Australian teammates are in the box seat for the overall win but have yet to win an event in season four ahead of the Dubai round of the sailing series.

Slingsby, who hails from the NSW Central Coast, will miss this event given the impending birth of his first child.