Sydney to Hobart yacht race: Debutants, two-handed sailors in pictures ahead of Boxing Day start

Sunburnt, salt stained or groomed. Top photographer Andrea Francolini captures the faces of the men and women doing the Sydney to Hobart - and some special teams this year.

Fabulous pictures from leading sailing photographer Andrea Francolini of some of the Sydney to Hobart first timers and double handed sailors.

They are ordinary people - your next door neighbour, teacher, old school mate or student - about to do an extraordinary thing.

On Sunday, around 1000 people - mostly Australian due to Covid – will set sail in one of the toughest and most rugged ocean races in the world.

Among them are numerous first timers and sailors who will pioneer a new class - two-handed sailors.

Harry Smith from URM. Pic: Andrea Francolini

Rebecca Gmuer Hornell from Zen. Pic: Andrea Francolini

Leading sailing and portrait photographer Andrea Francolini from Sydney’s inner west has a passion project to capture the faces of those doing the race.

For three years he has met with old salts, debutants, teenagers, women and veterans to capture the spirit of the Sydney to Hobart

Peter Franki (sitting), Drew Jones from Salt Shaker.

Jules Hall and Jan Scholten from Disko Trooper.

As different as they are, the faces of the first-timers and two-handed sailing teams Francolini has shot this year all share a commonality - they glow.

This year in particular, as the race returns from its 2020 Covid cancellation, Francolin says he can sense and see the excitement in the faces of sailors - and sometimes their trepidations.

Jen Linkova and Jason Cummings from Flat White

Kate Lynch from REVE.

“There is a lot of excitement in the faces of both, the first-timers and the to-handers,” he said.

“I was worried, a little perplexed, about shooting people together and how to show their chemistry together.

“But it worked. You can see the connection these two handed teams have even when they are off the water. That’s pretty cool.’’

Campbell Geeves and Wendy Tuck from Speedwell.

Michael (front) and Matthew Bell from Kayimai

Francolini, who has also worked on America’s Cups and round the world races in the past, said he encourages the sailors to turn up “as they are”, whether it be clean shaven or grizzled from a few days at sea.

Elizabeth Tucker from Eve.

Kate Troupe from Eve.

“The idea is to capture the race, the spirit of it, without showing a boat.’’

Despite Covid scares among the fleet and border restrictions in the lead-up to the 2021 event, the ocean classic is still forging ahead.

On Sunday, the starting canon will fire at 1pm to set the fleet on its way to Hobart.

Michael Davies from Secret Men’s Business.

Mathieu Girolet from Philosopher.

In it will be 18 double-handed boats racing for the first time after a rule change to allow them to compete, three supermaxis, eight female skippers or co-owners, multiple Olympians and five sailors who will become “Hobart Heroes” for doing 25 races south.

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