Celestial skipper Sam Hayne’s animal welfare causes in bid for second Sydney to Hobart win
Skipper Sam Haynes has upsized for his tilt at winning a second Sydney to Hobart yacht race but had his news upstaged by a cute but unusual crew of celebrity guests.
Sydney skipper Sam Haynes has upsized for a tilt at winning a second Sydney to Hobart yacht race overall but had his news upstaged by a cute but unusual crew of special guests.
A skateboarding bulldog and some assistance dogs claimed the limelight from the well known sailor hoping to join an elite club as a multiple overall winner of the Sydney Hobart yacht race this year.
And while Giotto and assistance Dogs ambassadors Jojo and Maya won’t follow in the footsteps of Oli the famous sailing cat in racing to Hobart, they added an element of celebrity to Haynes’ new ownership launch.
Haynes, Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia which runs the Sydney to Hobart, has nabbed the round the world racer Willow for the Sydney to Hobart and renamed her Celestial 70 for the 79th edition of the race.
His goal is to claim a second overall honours victory after racing his previous Celestial yacht, a 52-footer, to victory in 2022.
This followed on from Haynes being penalised for a rule infraction a year earlier which saw him drop from first to second place in the overall race.
Haynes said he believes he has the right machine to potentially win the race again if the conditions are hard.
“It’s a very fast and competitive boat, especially if it gets windy,” he said.
“This one hasn’t won yet, but I think it can.
“I thought you can tick the box and you’ve done it (won overall) but as you get into this time of the year you are pretty happy to get back in there and give it another crack.
“It’s an epic race. The conditions that you see and the experiences that you have in the race are special.
The spirit of adventure is quite beautiful, to sail to Tasmania
“The actual race itself, the best of the best are in it, so you know you’re up against it.
“To be able to win it is an amazing experience.”
Celestial 70 comes with plenty of backstory and success, winning a leg in a previous the Volvo round the world race and then campaigned by famous Italian sailor Giovanni Soldini as Maserati before being sold to Sydney sailor Jim Cooney in 2016 and renamed Willow.
Crown Prince Pierre Casiraghi, the son of Princess Caroline of Hanover and the late Stefano Casiraghi, raced aboard Maserati with Goldini in the Sydney to Hobart.
Haynes has partnered with Assistance Dogs Australia and the Sydney Bulldog Clinic to raise awareness around their mission and operations.
Assistance Dogs Australia train and dogs with people in unique situations to help provide independence, self-esteem and help improved health and relationships.
The Sydney Bulldog Clinic works to enhance the lives of brachycephalic dogs - breeds, like Bulldogs, Pugs, and French Bulldogs - which have short, flat faces that can lead to unique health challenges.
A fleet of around 100 yachts will be on the Sydney Harbour start line of the 628 nautical mile race to Hobart on Boxing Day.
The fleet boasts a record 23 two-handed yachts and four supermaxis, including last year’s winner LawConnect and the record breaker MasterLock Comanche.
Also racing is the 2023 overall winner Alive, the Tasmanian yacht that already owns two Sydney to Hobart winners trophies.
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