Sydney to Hobart 2021 Guide: Start time, how to watch, yachts, results, TV, tracker, distance, Covid
After the cancellation of the last Sydney to Hobart for the first time, the 2021 is sailing on. Here’s how to watch, the yachts, start time, the history and more in our GUIDE to the Boxing Day race.
NSW
Don't miss out on the headlines from NSW. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Last year the famous race was called off at the last minute. This year it’s going ahead with around 90 yachts and their crews heading south.
We take a look at the favourites, the yachts heading south and how to follow the famous race which starts at 1pm on Boxing Day.
SYD-HOB WEATHER: Latest forecast
ROLLING COVERAGE: Latest news on race
LINE HONOURS FAVOURITES
Big is best and there are three mighty big 100-footers - the maximum size for boats - in this edition in Sydney skipper Christian Beck’s LawConnect, Peter Harburg’s Black Jack and the David Witt skippered Scallywag which is usually based in Hong Kong.
THE OVERALL CONTENDERS
Until the weather forecast settles, it could be any one of a number of yachts.
There’s the former winner, Alive from Tasmania, and then the two-time winner Ichi Ban, raced by Matt Allen.
Other yachts showing good form in the lead-up include David Griffith’s Whisper, the Sydney yachts URM and Zen and even the supermaxi LawConnect.
If it is a small boat race there are a number of contenders inlcuding the smallest boat, the 30-footer Gun Runner.
HISTORY
The race started as a cruise to Hobart in 1945 with just nine yachts and their crews taking part.
It is now recognised as one of the great ocean races in the world despite there being no prizemoney for winners, just some impressive silverware.
COVID
Last year the race was cancelled on December 20 after a coronavirus cluster on the northern beaches of Sydney where many sailors reside.
This year all sailors must be double vaccinated and also do a Covid test 72 hours before the start to be eligible to race.
PREVIOUS OVERALL WINNERS IN THE 2021 RACE
Solveig – 1954, when owned by Trygve and Magnus Halvorsen, but taken to Hobart by Captain Stan Darling
Love & War – 1974, 1978, when owned by Peter Kurts and 2006 owned by Simon Kurts, but taken to Hobart by Lindsay May
Wild Oats (Farr 43) – 1993, owned by Roger Hickman/Bruce Foye/Lance Peckman and 2014 as Wild Rose, owned by Roger Hickman
Oskana – 2013 as Victoire when owned by Darryl Hodgkinson
Quest – 2008 owned by Bob Steel, and as Balance 2015 for Paul Clitheroe
Ichi Ban - 2017 and 2019, owned by Matt Allen
Alive - 2018, owned by Phillip Turner
THE START
The Sydney to Hobart fleet is sent on its way from a start line near Shark Island on Sydney Harbour.
The race is sent on its way when a canon fires at 1pm.
The fleet will start off different start lines off Nielsen Park with boats on the northern line rounding Victor Mark and boats on the southern lines rounding X-Ray Mark at the Heads.
all boats heading out to sea and rounding “Mark Zulu”, one nautical mile east of the Heads.
The larger boats in the fleet will start off the front line, just north of Shark Island. The rest of the fleet will start from the southern lines, 0.2 nautical miles between each.
Having two rounding marks at Sydney Heads will compensate for the distance between the lines before the fleet heads to sea on the ocean voyage to Hobart.
THE FLEET
The fleet ranges in size from 100 foot to 30 foot. For the first time a division of two-handed boats are competing in the Sydney to Hobart. However they are not eligible for the overall win.
VANTAGE POINTS
The start is just north of Shark Island and Bradley’s Head on Sydney Harbour.
The best vantage point looking straight down the line, is from Nielsen Park in the eastern suburbs.
On the other side of the harbour the pick is Bradleys Head.
Once the fleet has started, the areas at North and South Heads are the best viewing spots as is Middle Head.
Georges Head and Obelisk Bay headlands also provide a good view once the action is underway and the fleet storms up the harbour and out into open sea.
Watsons Bay and the area near the lighthouse are prime spots to watch the yachts head out to see and down the coast.
THE COURSE
The Sydney to Hobart fleet heads out through Sydney Heads, turns right and heads south down the coast.
Yachts then race across the infamous Bass Strait and down the east coast of Tasmania, through Storm Bay and on to the finish line on the Derwent River in Hobart.
RACE DISTANCE
The rhumb line - the shortest distance between Sydney and Hobart is 628 nautical miles. However, yachts will tack and gybe their way south dependant on wind direction and cover significantly more ground.
SYD-HOB WEATHER: Latest forecast
TOP GUN: Famous Syd-Hob debutant
HOW TO FOLLOW THE RACE
The course of yachts can be followed on a race tracker on the race website which is activated once the race has started.
The tracker obtains a position using the GPS satellite network and then transmits that position using the Iridium satellite network.
RECORD BREAKERS
Lime honours race records since 1945.
1945 - Rani (UK) 6 days 14hrs 22 Min 0secs
1946 - Morna (NSW) 5:02:53:33
1957 - Kurrewa IV (NSW) 3:18:30:9
1962 - Ondine (US) 3:03:49:16
1973 - Helsal (NSW) 3:01:32:09
1975 - Kialoa (US) 2:14:36:56
1999 - Nokia (Den/Aus) 1:19:48:12
2005 - Wild Oats XI (NSW) 1:18:40:10
2012 - Wild Oats XI (NSW) 1: 18. 23.12.
2016 - Perpetual Loyal (NSW) 1:13.31.20
2017 - LDV Comanche (NSW) 1:09.15.24
SYDNEY TO HOBART FACTS AND FIGURES
#The largest fleet set sail in 1994, the 50th Anniversary of the race. That year 371 yachts started
#This years’s fleet boasts a new double-handed class with the two-strong crews racing alongside fully crewed boats.
#The slowest winner was the yacht Christina which took six days, 18 hours, 51 minutes and 15 seconds to complete the 630nm journey in 1946.
#The closest finish was back in 1982 when just seven seconds separated Condor of Bermuda and Apollo.
#Freya which won the race three times in succession in 1963-64-65 boats the best Hobart record.
#The best line honours record is held by Morna which was first to Hobart in 1946-47-48 and when renamed Kurrewa IV was first home in 1954, 1956 and 1957.
SYDNEY TO HOBART TELEVISION
The start will be on Channel 7 through 7mate.
TOKYO OLYMPIAN: Wet and wild times ahead
CRAZY SAILORS: Heading out in Sydney to Hobart
More from AMANDA LULHAM and the Sydney to Hobart yacht race HERE
More Coverage
Originally published as Sydney to Hobart 2021 Guide: Start time, how to watch, yachts, results, TV, tracker, distance, Covid
America’s Cup women gearing up for new fight after shock loss
Shocked Australian sailors hugged and cried when bundled out of the women’s America’s Cup. A quick reset and they were gearing up for a new fight - and another crack at winning the event
Read more
Plan to transform ‘informal carpark’ into mega shop top apartments
A vacant block currently being used as an ‘informal carpark’ in a NSW south coast town could soon be transformed into a major shop top apartment complex if $10m plans are approved by a regional council. See the plans.
Read more