ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE 2024 PREVIEW
North Sails supports dozens of boats across the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet with tailored products and best-in-class support. Mark Bradford, Managing Director of North Sales Australia, provides this year's race preview.
Bradford knows the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race inside out. The two-time winner has competed in over 16 race editions and skippered Blackjack to Line Honors in 2021. He is the perfect guide to understanding this offshore classic, set to start, as always, on December 26.
This race is probably the most challenging short-course ocean race in the world. Over the years, people have always asked me why, and my answer has always been the same.
I'm sure everyone's come across a movie called Finding Nemo. In Finding Nemo, they talk about the EAC, the East Australian Current, a phenomenon that happens when the wind blows quite hard from the south, and the current comes from the north. So, the wind against the current generates enormous waves. And because the sea conditions are not favorable for sailing boats, you see a lot of breakages. And the conditions are not much more favorable for human beings either. All in all, it's a brutal, physical race on boats and bodies.
Historically, you would bash to Hobart with a southerly, but there's been a downwind race trend in recent years. And that means an upwind start in the harbor, which makes for a pretty spectacular send-off. You have to tack up Sydney Harbor, where you get close to the thousands of spectator boats, bouncing off the boundaries with lots of maneuvering. Possibly because the boats are getting faster, but the boundaries seem shorter and shorter. It makes for an inspiring atmosphere.
Growing up in Australia, I know this race is huge. Like everyone worldwide, Aussies love sports; the two significant events are the Boxing Day Test in cricket and the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Growing up, I remember watching the race on TV every year and then sailing in the race myself. It dominates your pre-Christmas and your Christmas thinking because that's all in the back of your mind. It's a daunting challenge. But then when you do the race, the thing that stands out is the incredible atmosphere that's like no other.
Thousands of boats and people are lining the shore on your way out of the harbor, with yelling, cannons, helicopters, and all sorts of noise. Then you exit the harbor and head offshore, where it quickly changes to dead quiet.
The Sydney Hobart is a tough race. You can get to the bottom of the Australian mainland in pretty good shape, but then you have to take on the Bass Strait, and that's daunting. You're still determining what will happen next, and the outcome depends heavily on the skill of the people on board. The result of this race is never guaranteed, and the winners are often different than what you predict.
From amateur adventures to pro racers, entrants sign up for different reasons. Some set out to win their division, others with ambitions to claim an overall race win, while the big boats are racing for Line Honors. Regardless of your reason for competing in this great race, North Sails is on hand to support our clients in accomplishing their goals.
Usually, North Sails-powered programs fill most of the podium in those categories. Within North Sails we have a wealth of experience and expertise to support the fleet. We have experts in 2-Handed and shorthanded sailing. We also have offshore experts with Ocean Race experience. In our office alone, four or five people have done that race.
SAILS THE OUTLAST THE ADVENTURE:
There's a real depth of knowledge across all different aspects of sailing, and we pair our clients with the North Sails expert who is experienced in that field to help them excel. From there, we fit them with the right product and get them race ready. Whether you're a hundred-foot maxi or a family crew looking to do something special, North Sails has the right product. It's about understanding your products and listening to the clients.
Because of our involvement, we become part of their journey, and it's important to outfit the boats with bespoke sails for their boat and specific needs.
Some people want durability; some people wish for all-out performance.
This race suits North 3Di; whether it's RAW or ENDURANCE, 3Di sails are engineered to withstand the elements you encounter during this race. In a harsh race like the Sydney-Hobart, success is getting to the finish line safely with everyone intact. The results come afterward.
I've personally sailed within the hundred-foot scene since 2005. We used to have big inventories on board because backup sails were required in case of sail failures and the specific wind ranges to get from Sydney to Hobart.
North Sails Sydney works with Master Lock Comanche, Blackjack, Scallywag, Wild Oats, and Lucky. We've made this hybrid family of sails where these big boats now take as few as five sails. North 3Di sails are durable, lightweight, and versatile- you can change the sail's shape easily through the different loads, and they're easy to handle.
The reduced inventory has really changed the hundred-foot scene. I remember in the first couple of editions, we'd get to the finish, and the mainsail would be toast, but we now see mainsails lasting multiple seasons and holding their performance. For example, we just replaced a Blackjack mainsail after sailing three Rolex Sydney Hobarts, a Rolex Middle Sea Race, and nearly every other European offshore race for the last three years. The inherent durability of 3Di is unreal.
RACE PREDICTIONS:
The 2-Handed division will be exciting this year. Rupert Henry is a North Sails client with a fantastic inventory of sails, and he's done some real lateral thinking. I'll be looking out at Rupert for certainly a two-handed 2-Handed win, but maybe an Overall win, which could be the first time that a 2-Handed boat has done it, which is a feat just getting from Sydney to Hobart in a 2-Handed 35-foot boat.
No Limit, a Reichel Pugh 63 that's been around for a while, had a massive refit this year and changed the total configuration with new thinking. They've got real potential.
Then, the obvious one that everyone likes to talk about is Master Lock Comanche, and we've done some pretty funky sails. Iain Murray has pushed us to leave our comfort zone with geometries this year, and we're seeing that boat perform better than ever. So I'm looking forward to seeing that yacht get out and stretch its legs.
Ultimately, safety is the number one priority for the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Getting there in one piece, not losing anyone, and keeping the asset together. That's the real key to success in this race. And never give up!
Last year Law Connect was about 10 miles behind at one point and then they won the race by 51 seconds. The Derwent is challenging; the tide is constantly flowing outwards. And when the wind gets light, it gets real light, especially with the tide pushing you back to where you came from. So, the timing of when you go up to Derwent is critical.
Bring on December 26th! It's shaping up to be another classic.
