Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2023: Women skippers in record numbers and a cat in a crew

The winners from last year’s race are back but it is a small group of women - and a cat - who will be making history when the 78th Sydney to Hobart fleets sets sail on Boxing Day.

Sylph VI skipper and owner Robert Williams with Oli who will sailing the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on board Sylph VI. Picture: Adam Yip

Their numbers are thin on the ground in the supermaxi ranks but 11 women - and a cat on an old boat - will race into nautical history books when the 2023 Sydney to Hobart yacht race starts on Boxing Day.

The biggest contingent of female skippers in the 78 year history of the Sydney to Hobart will head south as part of a fleet of around 110 yacht on December 26 with Oli the moggy to also claiming a slice of the limelight.

The record number of female skippers include co-skipper sisters Ena and Ali Ladd from Queensland aboard the oldest yacht in the fleet, the 1932 glamour Christina which also took line honours in 1946 just a year after the inception of the Sydney to Hobart.

Also racing are fellow two-handed skippers Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham on the little 30-footer Currawong from Sydney and Manly Yacht Club president Lisa Callaghan who is racing her yacht Mondo for only the second time in the race after damage in Bass Strait in 2022 forced her retirement.

“It’s awesome to have 11, it’s great,’’ said Clipper round the world race winner Wendy Tuck, who has skippered in numerous Sydney to Hobarts yachts in the past but this year is boat captain on Disco Trooper alongside a crew of CYCA Youth Academy sailors and skipper Jules Hall.

Sailing cat Oli on his owners Sydney to Hobart yacht.

Lisa Callaghan is one of 11 female skippers.

The exact number of women sailors in the 2023 fleet is yet to be calculated but defending line honours winner Andoo Comanche will have skipper John “Herman” Winning’s sister Jamie racing while Grant Wharington’s daughter Georgie will do her first race aboard his yacht Wild Thing 100.

Sydney’s Vanessa Dudley will also become only the third female to compete in 25th Sydney to Hobart races aboard Tilting at Windmills and former round the world navigator and speed record holder Adrienne Cahalan will do her 31st race aboard the former overall winner Alive form Hobart.

Bob Williams with his cat Oli who will sail in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race on board Sylph VI. Picture: Adam Yip

The start of the race is a stunning affair

Well known navigator Lindsay May will record the most Hobarts with his 506th trip south while Oli, who regularly sails aboard the old two-handed yacht Sylph V1 with owner Bob

Williams and his co-skipper Chris Warren - will be the first cat in the famous bluewater classic as the yacht makes it race comeback after 51 years

“He is a crew member of the boat. Oli’s been with me for about four years,’’ said Williams who revealed he had asked Warren to do the race for him “while buying jeans in Kmart’’.

“I have him on the boat as my companion animal.’’

Yachts come from across the world to compete in the Sydney to Hobart. Picture: Andrea Francolini.

This year’s fleet boast five previous overall winners of the Sydney to Hobart in Alive (2018)

Bumblebee V (2001), Love & War (1974, 1978, 2006), Christina and Wild Oats/Wild Rose (1993 and 2014 respectively).

The fleet is headlined by the 100 foot supermaxis Andoo Comanche, the Hong Kong entry Scallywag, LawConnect and Wild Thing.

There are 17 first time competitors and 20 boats racing in the two-handed category and 10 international entrants from New Zealand (Allegresse, Caro and Niksen), Hong Kong (Antipodes and SHK Scallywag), New Caledonia (Eye Candy), USA (Lenny), France (Teasing Machine), Germany (Rockall 8), and Ireland (Cinnamon Girl).

NSW has 60 yachts entered, Queensland 18, Victoria 15, Tasmania 7, Western Australia 2 and South Australia 1.

Originally published as Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2023: Women skippers in record numbers and a cat in a crew