It may not have been a race record run, and it wasn’t a daylight finish. Still, the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was a thriller from start to finish, with Andoo Comanche taking Line Honours, crossing the Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart at 12:56.48am in the time of 1 day 11 hours 56 minutes 48 seconds.

Up until the final miles, it was still any of the four 100-footers' race to take, although Andoo Comanche led for almost the entirety of a captivating race.

The John 'Herman' Winning Jr-skippered yacht becomes the first in the history of the race to take Line Honours under three different owners. And despite the hour, he and his 24-strong crew, including his father, John 'Woody' Winning, were the recipients of cheers from the huge crowd gathered at the dock and along the banks of the Derwent.

American Jim Clark and his Australian wife, Kristy Hinze Clark, the original owners of the yacht designed by Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP, launched Comanche in 2015 and took Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart that year.

The Clarks sold the boat to Jim Cooney and his wife Samantha Grant, who renamed the yacht LDV Comanche and took Line Honours and the race record of 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes 24 seconds in 2017, returning to the start as Comanche in 2019, to take Line Honours again.

Winning, whose father, John Winning is also aboard, was fortunate that the wind gods on the Derwent decided to provide a breeze, albeit light, to help them to the finish after they rounded Tasman Island at 2216 hours, (11.53pm) on Tuesday evening.

Also aboard are brothers Nathan and Peter Dean, who lost their father tragically in the 1998 race aboard Winston Churchill.

This was Nathan’s first Sydney Hobart and his younger brother Peter’s second – his first was with Herman in 2018 on Winning Appliances when they finished fourth overall.

Christian Beck's LawConnect was the second boat across the line in a time of 1 day 12 hours 20 minutes 35 seconds. Both LawConnect and Andoo Comanche are flying protest flags.

The race started with drama when the four maxis converged at the first mark of the course and resulted in both Andoo Comanche and Hamilton Island Wild Oats taking penalty turns. At the time, Hamilton Island Wild Oats crew were heard on the live coverage discussing whether they would take the turn and elected to do so "just in case".

Di Pearson/RSHYR media

The utterly stellar Sydney-Hobart course record set by Irish-Australian Jim Cooney (his people are from Ballivor in County Meath) and Samantha Grant, racing the super-maxi LDV Comanche in 2017, is staying firmly in place for another year. Five years ago, Comanche under the Cooney-Grant command roared down the 628 miles course (it’s 627.84 nautical miles if you want to be completely precise) in an almost unbelievable 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, and it’s a time that now looks simply unassailable.

But then we used to say the same thing about the Round Ireland record set in Steve Fossett’s 60ft trimaran Lakota - with the likes of Con Murphy and Cathy Mc Aleavey in the crew - in September 1993. And for sure it did stand for 23 years. But then in the Round Ireland Race of 2016, the three internationally-campaigned MOD 70s trimarans descended upon us, and tore round the Emerald Isle to such good effect that all three broke through the Lakota barrier.

However, today (Irish time) in John Winning’s ownership and under the name of Adoo Comanche, the mightiest super-maxi on the planet will be finishing first in the 2022 race, which started on Monday to provide downwind sailing all the way. But though she is undoubtedly still the boat that gets “the mostest there the fastest’, her Ballivor Time of 2017 is still the magic and seemingly unassailable target.

In fact, unless there’s a change of attitude by the rather conservative Organising Committee in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia - who have organised this classic annually since 1945 - we really can’t see the 2017 Comanche time being dented, as you surely would need a multi-hull - which is currently not countenanced - or else something like the recently-launched Mark Mills-designed Italian-built hybrid between the latest foiling America’s Cup boats and the most technically advanced keeled offshore racers. The consideration of this off-the-wall machine’s validity for entry would surely cause much sucking of teeth and pursing of thoughtful mouths in the committee room at Rushcutters Bay.

TWO-HANDERS COMPLETE DEBUT SEES LIMERICK’S CONDELL WELL-PLACED THIRD

As it is, it is only this year which has finally seen the debut of the Two-Handed Division as valid participants for the Hobart Race’s real Holy Grail, the Tattersalls Cup for the overall IRC winner. They were allowed to do the race in recent years, but were outsiders in the overall results. Perhaps their previous exclusion was to save rugged Hobart veterans embarrassment - when the Two-Handers were allowed open season in the RORC Fastnet Race, almost immediately one of them emerged as overall winner.

As it is, the Tattersalls factor added greatly to the Two-Handers attraction, with 20 of them making the starting line. And while Lee Condell of Limerick and his mate Linscoln Dews were back at 11th at one stage in their Sun Fast 330 Sun Fast racing, they’ve settled down into the flat-out racing mode in open water, and are currently lying third, which is good going for Condell’s first Hobart Race.

Ripe to race– Lee Condell’s Sun Fast 330 Sun Fast Racing in Sydney, ready to roll in the Hobart Race in which he currently lies third in the Two-handed Division

WHERE IS ADRIENNE CAHALANE?

For the fact is that experience of previous Hobart Races ranks exceptionally high, as no two stagings are the same. So as 2022 is Offaly-born Australian sailing superstar Adrienne Cahalane’s 30th time out, interest was exceptional as to which boat she was on board, and on Christmas Day a rumour began circulating to the effect that she had transferred from Tom Kneen’s Fastnet Race overall winner, the JPK 1180 Sunrise from Plymouth, to Chris Sheehan’s Connecticut-based all-conquering TP52 Warrior Won.

We ran this rumour story with all the caveats you could fit into one paragraph, but now our “normally reliable source” is not at all sure as to whether or not Adrienne is on Sunrise or Warrior Won.

Nice guys can finish first……Tom Kneen (seen here in the National YC in Dun Laoghaire) currently leads Division 3 in the Sydney-Hobart Race in his JPK 1180 Sunrise. Photo: Brian Turvey

But as it happens, it doesn’t matter all that much in relation to her performance record, as both boats are doing mighty well. The astonishing and wonderful Sunrise is currently lying sixth overall despite it currently being a big boat race, and is of course clear leading in Division 3, while Warrior One is third overall and second in Division 1. All of which would seem to indicate that the lightest brushing of that Cahalane stardust is all that you need…..

IRISH IN THE HUNT

We ran through the Irish sailors to be found throughout the fleet on Saturday, and today they’re headed on the water by Justin Slattery on Adoo Comanche, while Cian Guilfoyle of Dun Laoghaire is having a ball in the hyper-hot new Kiwi TP52 Caro (Max Klinch RNZYS) as they dice for the lead in Div 1 and the TP 52s with the likes of Celestial and Warrior One.

The saltiest of them all, Gordon Maguire aboard Sean Langman’s much modified RP69 Moneypenny, has seen things settling down nicely to have them currently placed second on CT in Div 0 with 140 miles to go, and they’re handicapping ahead of Jim Cooney’s current mount, the higher-rated (1.628) Volvo 70 Willow which has 120 miles to go.

If that 1.628 seems a rather stratospheric handicap, spare a thought for the lads and lasses on Adoo Comanche. They’ve one of the highest IRC ratings in the world at 2.047. That means they woild have had to get down to Hobart in about half the time it will take Tom Kneen to get there in Sunrise if they were going to be in serious contention for the Tattersals Cup.

Race Tracker here: https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker/

1700hrs (AEDT) | Tuesday 27 December - The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fleet is revelling in the downwind run to Tasmania thanks to the north-to-north easterly winds of Monday’s action-packed start prevailing.

By mid-afternoon today, the four maxis were continuing to make their charge across Bass Strait in their bid for Line Honours victory in the early hours of tomorrow morning and outside the race record time of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds, set by LDV Comanche in 2017.

At 3pm, Andoo Comanche (John Winning Jr) was still in the lead with 179 nautical miles to go to make the finish line in Hobart. It was 80 nautical miles east of St Helens Point and, like its main rivals, LawConnect, Black Jack and Hamilton Island Wild Oats, was well east of the rhumb line.

Andoo Comanche was still in the box seat, but all four 100-footers were in contention to finish first in the 628 nautical mile race, organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

Andoo Comanche’s navigator, Justin Shaffer, said it was hard to predict a finish time but added that they might reach the Iron Pot at the mouth of the Derwent River at about 10pm.

Reporting 150 nautical miles from Tasman Island, Shaffer said: "It depends on the pressure between here and Tasman Light. We can’t see any of the other boats, but we believe LawConnect is around 20 miles behind.

"We’ve had a great night, a dream run. The crew is holding up well, and so is the boat. We are in a 13-knot nor-easterly."

While Andoo Comanche was in the box seat 10 nautical miles ahead of her rivals, the other three were still well in the race. Only three nautical miles separate the second, third and fourth-placed boats.

The top four had spent all morning sailing at mid-20 knot speeds, but by lunchtime they were averaging 16 to 17 knots. However, winds are expected to increase late this afternoon.

Anticipation remains high that by early morning the four boats will all find themselves on the 11-nautical mile run up the Derwent River, each vying for Line Honours.

Christian Beck, the owner and skipper of LawConnect, was in high spirits early this morning. While crossing the Bass Strait at about 22 knots of boat speed, he projected a finish time of midnight. But that will no longer be the case.

"We track the competition pretty well. We know what they are doing on the tracker. We follow it religiously," he told Channel 7's Sunrise.

Asked if he felt LawConnect could claim Line Honours, he said: "We are going to try. You never know when you get into the Derwent. All the boats have a chance at the moment."

Earlier, LawConnect sailing master Tony Mutter was equally positive as they sailed with the other maxis in sight.

"We had a pretty decent morning coming across Bass Strait," he said.

Mutter was expecting the winds to strengthen later today, but was unsure if the crew would make any sail changes to optimise their chances.

"We’ll see what the timing is like," Mutter said. "Obviously, if you do a sail change, you have a bit of downtime, so you’ll need to make up your miles lost.

"So, we’ll try and judge how long the 30-plus knot weather is, or if we just ride it out with what we’ve got, which is a bit marginal; or we change down a gear and approach it that way."

Meanwhile, back in the fleet, Steve Kemp, a veteran of 23 Sydney Hobarts and navigator on the David Gotze-owned and skippered Reichel Pugh 63, No Limit, was happy.

"Good running conditions this morning with low 20s now. The team had more freeze-dried this morning – chicken is the favourite," reported Kemp.

Only two boats retired from the fleet on the first day at sea. The two-handed Avalanche (James Murchison/James Francis) retired with a broken bowsprit and Louis and Marc Ryckman’s Yeah Baby with rudder damage from a sunfish strike.

This afternoon, the fleet was reduced to 106 boats with the retirement of the TP52 Koa, co-owned by Peter Wrigley and Andy Kearnan, after losing its rudder and calling for assistance.

The Anthony Kirke and Andrew Nuttman-owned Botin/Carkeek GP42, Enterprise Next Generation from Western Australia, went to stand by Koa to offer any help. Meanwhile, NSW Water Police were dispatched to help the yacht.

All crew on Koa were reported as safe and sound. The Race Committee of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has this afternoon lodged a Request for Redress for Enterprise Next Generation, which will be held at 1600 hours on Thursday 29 December.

Rupert Guinness/RSHYR Media

Andoo Comanche (John Winning Jr) continues to lead the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this morning, but the other three 100-footers are keeping her honest, with LawConnect (Christian Beck) giving chase just nine nautical miles off Andoo Comanche’s transom.

Peter Harburg’s defending Line Honours champion, Black Jack and the Oatley family’s Hamilton Island Wild Oats, are not out of the picture either, a further five nautical miles behind as the top four continue to sail in good running conditions. Winning’s boat was travelling at 21 knots around 6am, but by 6.30am had picked up the pace to 26 knots.

The top four are sailing out to sea, well east of the rhumbline, 44 nautical miles behind LDV Comanche’s 2017 race record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 secs, but it won’t take long to catch the record up today if the wind holds in as predicted.

The Bureau of Meteorology expects the north/north-easterly to build throughout the day to 33-plus knots, making for strong running conditions which may change up the results.

While competitors enjoy the thrill of sailing downwind, caution will come into play in the stronger winds to avoid breakages and damage to spinnakers. The old adage, "you have to finish to win" will be in the minds of those hoping to take Line Honours or win the race overall for the Tattersall Cup.

It's early days for the overall results, but Sam Haynes’ TP52, Celestial, which finished second overall last year, has led the race for the Tattersall Cup since yesterday afternoon. Four other TP52s are hunting her; the US entry Warrior Won (Christopher Sheehan), Matt Donald/Chris Townsend’s Gweilo (NSW) and Caro, the New Zealand entry skippered by Max Klink.

It was quiet overnight, with no further retirements, leaving 107 boats at sea, inclusive of 19 two-handed entries.

Yesterday afternoon, the two-handed Avalanche (James Murchison/James Francis) retired with a broken bowsprit and later Louis and Marc Ryckman’s Yeah Baby was forced out after a sunfish damaged her rudder.

An obviously disappointed Murchison explained, "The boats were bunched up as happens in this race and I suddenly found myself with nowhere to go and our prod (bowsprit) hit the back of Llama II. It’s nobody’s fault, it just happens sometimes. I’ll just have to come back next year and try again."

From Llama II, crew member Scott Alle, commented, "Clearing the Harbour was not without incident. Avalanche made a very late call and tried to duck us at the first mark but misjudged it and hit our stern. We did everything we could to avoid a collision and did a 720 (turn) and only have some minor cosmetic scraping."

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race got off to a fast and dramatic start today off Australia's south coast. The assisting downwind conditions, once the boats turned right at the Heads, could see the first boat cross the finish line as early as tomorrow night.

The 1pm start on Sydney Harbour got underway in north to northeasterly 10-15 knot winds under glorious sun and blue skies, belying the thick fog that blanketed Sydney at dawn.

Moments after the fleet of 109 boats began their 628 nautical mile race, the race between the four maxis was impacted by drama.

Three of the maxis took the western channel on Sydney Harbour – Andoo Comanche, Black Jack and LawConnect; while Hamilton Island Wild Oats immediately tacked for the eastern side. From there, the fleet regularly tacked up the Harbour to make their way out of the Heads.

Amidst the action that also saw the mid to small-size boats make the best of their starts, a standout sight was that of the John Winning Jr-skippered Andoo Comanche executing a 720-degree penalty turn due to a possible protest against them.
Hamilton Island Wild Oats, skippered by Mark Richards, also undertook a penalty turn, despite not knowing if it had been required to or not – perhaps they were remembering 2017 when a rule infringement cost them Line Honours and the race record to LDV Comanche.

By 3 pm, the race also had its first dropout, with the Hick 40 Avalanche, a two-handed entry owned by James Murchison and co-skippered by James Francis, reporting a broken bowsprit, reducing the fleet to 108 boats and 19 two-handed entries.
The four maxis were so close in the race to the Heads, they looked set for a thrilling scenario towards the finish down the Derwent River in Hobart, with a couple of red protest flags seen fluttering. The honour of being first out went to LawConnect, ahead of Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

Black Jack, the Botin 80 Stefan Racing, the Reichel/Pugh 72 URM Group, Andoo Comanche and the Reichel/Pugh 69 Moneypenny were next out in that order. Following close behind were the dozen TP52s, led by Celestial.

The sight of the fleet heading south towards Tasmania was superb, especially amidst the heightened anticipation of whether or not the Line Honours record would be broken or not. LDV Comanche (then owned by Jim Cooney/Samantha Grant) currently holds the record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds.

Today’s Rolex Sydney Hobart race start lived up to every expectation on so many fronts. The brilliant summer conditions aside, it attracted a huge spectator fleet, made up of boats of all sizes. Meanwhile, crowds flocked to the key vantage point on land, especially at South Head.

The race, in a fleet that included 20 two-handed entries, was as fast and spectacular as expected once the yachts turned right for Hobart, with the wind behind them.

At the 1pm start, the boats jockeyed for position from four designated start lines, assigned depending on their size and class.

Rupert Guinness/RSHYR Media

The Line Honours race record is there for the taking in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, so long as the forecast of downwind conditions prevail through to the finish.

That is the view of Mark Richards, skipper of the nine-time Line Honours-winning maxi, Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

Richards made the declaration today after Gabrielle Woodhouse from the NSW Bureau of Meteorology confirmed the forecast of north-easterly winds for Monday’s start onwards.

Woodhouse said the race start in Sydney Harbour at 1 pm should see north to north-easterly winds of about 10-15 knots, with an increase to 20 knots as the fleet turns south out of Sydney Heads. The winds should strengthen on Tuesday and Wednesday, by which time the big boats should have finished in Hobart.

For the four maxis in the 628 nautical mile race, organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), the forecast sets the scene for a lightning fast run down the coast.

The Line Honours record is 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, 24 seconds, set by LDV Comanche (now Andoo Comanche) in 2017.

Richards believes the record could be beatable, so long as the northerly winds continue at strength and that there is still a breeze down the Derwent River to the finish.

"It's a race that could definitely rack up a record, especially with Andoo Comanche [in the race]," said Richards today.

"It all depends on the actual conditions. But if it’s dead the whole way, I'd say not; but then it only has to change a couple of degrees and all of a sudden, it's all on.

"If there's breeze in the Derwent absolutely," the record-breaking skipper said.

Richards is certainly excited about the forecast and Hamilton Island Wild Oats’ suitability for it: "We put all our eggs in one basket this year and prepared the best we could for a downwind race.

"Someone shone down on us and we’ve got a fantastic forecast for exactly that."

Richards and the Hamilton Island Wild Oats crew are not alone in smiling about the forecast.

Spirits are high on board the three other maxis in the fleet that numbers 109 boats - Andoo Comanche, Black Jack and LawConnect.

Mark Bradford, skipper of the Peter Harburg-owned Black Jack, which won Line Honours last year, predicts a nail-biting race between the maxis right up to the run down the Derwent River.

"The boats … should technically get from A to B – B being Tasman Island – at roughly the same time, but the journey along the way will be very different directions," Bradford said.

"We'll see everyone commit to their boats and their modes. Then we'll get to Tasman Light within eyesight of each other. It'll be light on the Derwent and we'll figure it out from there."

John Winning Jr, skipper of Andoo Comanche, was rubbing his hands over the forecast.

"We are pretty happy," he said. "I was down in Hobart last weekend, checking out the local area and the Derwent and the forecast was for a good breeze down the Derwent, so that should be good.

"It was windy last weekend. So, it should be windy on Tuesday or Wednesday whenever we're going to get there … hopefully sometime from Tuesday afternoon and we’ll go from there."

Chris Lewis, the American navigator on Christian Beck’s LawConnect, is thrilled about the prospect of a high-speed race south.

"It's just going to be so incredibly exciting to see all the boats - not just us - ripping down the coast. It's going to be quite a sleigh ride," said Lewis, for whom this will be a fourth start.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race history is full of stories that stem from the inherent challenges of high seas, strong winds, rain, sleet, seasickness and general discomfort.

For onshore followers of the 628 nautical mile race, this often begs the question: Why do crew return, especially after an inevitably eye-opening and sometimes harrowing debut?

This year several key Irish sailors are competing, as Afloat reports here

But when asked the question, Sydney sailor Doug Sturrock reflects on the passion of so many people who have experienced sailing in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia-organised race.

"It's like climbing a mountain," Sturrock explained. "It's an adventure. It's the buzz … like how our ancestors sailed off into the horizon, and you think you're never going to come back."

Sturrock has sailed in five Sydney Hobarts since his debut in 1976 on the Cole43 Wainunu IV. For his sixth start this year, he will crew for the first time with his son, Henry, on the Beneteau 40.7 Crystal Cutter III, owned by Charles Parry-Okeden. Henry Sturrock debuted last year on the Cheoy Lee 47ft Ketch, Zara, that withdrew on the first night off Jervis Bay.

Sturrock understands his son’s wish to return now. "He had a failed attempt last year. I said, 'Let's get on a decent boat, do it; and Charles Parry-Okeden provided Crystal Cutter III."

The reasons for returning to sail in the Sydney Hobart are many and varied among sailors.

For Hamilton Island Wild Oats navigator, Stan Honey, it was purely unfinished business after a disappointing debut in 2006 on the Volvo 70 ABN AMRO when they lost their rigging.

"That made me want to come back and get it right. We were ahead when we lost our rig," Honey said on Tuesday.

Andoo Comanche navigator Justin Shaffer’s one previous Rolex Sydney Hobart was in 2018.

That year, the American sailed on the Carkeek 60, Winning Appliances, that placed second in division behind the Reichel Pugh 63 Voodoo, fourth overall and ninth over the line.

"I still think about the gybe we could have done to get around Voodoo," Shaffer reflected.

"I've been thinking about that for four years. I definitely want to resolve that this time around.

"But the other thing about 2018 was that it was the 20th anniversary of the ‘98 race.

"Herman [John Winning Jr] who put the Winning Appliances program and Andoo Comanche program together did that to honour John Dean [who lost his life in the 1998 race] and his kids.

"Being a part of that was a real honour. There's so much history with this race.

"It's really cool to see all of the energy that goes into safety which should be common everywhere.

"The Australians really do it to a level that’s quite impressive and to be a part of that is a pleasure."

Duncan McRae, navigator on the S&S34 White Bay 6 Azzurro, debuted on the three-quarter tonner Impeccable in 1996. He loves the bond of a crew handling tough conditions at sea.

"There were some very tough moments where you bond with the crew and you have some great friends," McRae says. "I still sail 20 years later with some of the same people.

"You definitely come away with camaraderie and the experience of the challenge."

Michael Bellingham, navigator on the TP52 Patrice, cited his 1976 debut on the Farr 36 footer Farr Out. The crew’s tight bond inspired his return to the race he has sailed 29 times.

"I still have good friends from 1976," Bellingham said. "There’s that special bond you get, whether it be the Fastnet or Hobart. Those bonds last for a lifetime."

Bryan Northcote, navigator of the XP44 ToyBox2, thinks back to 1983 for his debut as a 21-year-old on the 34-footer Moonlighter.

"It was like a boys' own annual," Northcote recalls. "I sailed the boat up [to Sydney] from Melbourne, three-handed. I think we pulled the fishing rod up out from Eden, as you do.

"We got to Sydney …then we did the Sydney Hobart. We won our division. I was hooked."

The race for Overall victory in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race can often remain wide open for several days and hinge on the slightest and most unexpected shift in weather conditions.

But for the first time, this year the race for the Tattersall Cup will be more open, with entries in the Two-Handed Division now eligible to compete for Overall victory.

The fleet numbers 111 for the race that is organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia and starts at 1 pm on Monday, 26 December. Of that number, 21 are two-handed entries.

The long-range weather forecast with a northerly wind for the start and the first two days of the race indicates that it will be a race for the big boats.

But there is still hope the forecast will change to better suit the mid-sized to smaller boats.

Brett Averay, skipper of the Petersen 44, Bacardi, that has sailed a record 28 Sydney Hobarts, says the expected downwind run would not suit the boat.

"She's a tough boat and has completed more Hobarts than any other," he said of Bacardi, loaned to Averay and crew by her owner, Martin Power.

"Its strength is when heading upwind, which we don't see too much of … unfortunately," he said of the Victorian boat.

"But there is still a fair bit of uncertainty about what's going to happen down the Tasmanian coast. It will be interesting to see how that pans out."

Likely to be in the fray among the smaller boats, should the forecast change, are the two-handed entries like Rupert Henry’s Lombard 34, Mistral, and Carlos Aydos’ S&S 34, Crux.

Henry, who is one of the world’s most credentialed sailors in short-handed racing, bought Mistral in early 2021. He is co-skippered by long time friend and sailing partner, Greg O’Shea. The pair won the recent Cabbage Tree Island Race overall.

"Double handed is a very important aspect of the sport," Henry said today.

"Whether a two-handed team can win Overall or not, remains to be seen. It's an important aspect of the sport internationally.

"The two-handed aspect of the sport is growing in Australia, which is really exciting and the CYCA has really accommodated that aspect of the sport over the past couple of years.

"Most of the two-handed boats tend to be at the small end of the fleet because having a smaller boat allows two people to sail the boat to its maximum potential.

"You can sail a larger boat two-handed, but you end up sailing the boat at between 70 and 80, maybe 85 per cent of its true capability.

"So, the fact that the vast majority of the two-handed boats have small boats, means the weather has to align for us to do well on corrected time."

Interest in two-handed racing is growing. Ed Psaltis, owner/skipper of the Sydney 36, Midnight Rambler, is considering a switch after racing his 40th Sydney Hobart this year.

The 1998 Sydney Hobart winner said: "I was thinking about retirement after this. My body is not getting any younger. My crook knees and other issues are causing me concern.

"It's either retiring and growing roses, which I don't really want to do, or potentially [sailing] two- handed.

"I'm not committing to it yet. I just like the whole concept, the simplicity of two-handed sailing and also the challenge, because it's you and there's no one else out there."

Carlos Aydos has owned Crux since 2018 and will co-skipper with Peter Grayson. They placed second in the Two-Handed Division in 2021.

Aydos has since placed second in the Two-Handed Division of the 2022 Flinders Islet Race and more recently they were fourth Overall in the inaugural Tollgate Islands Race.

What is the attraction of two-handed sailing? Aydos says: "Management of a two-handed crew is a lot simpler. Sailing with a full crew is harder in terms of having everyone in sync and pulling a crew together."

The maxi yachts should get off to a flying start in this year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, based on the NSW Bureau of Meteorology [BOM]’s long range weather forecast.

Northerly winds are expected for Monday's start, according to the forecast presented today at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, organisers of the 628 nautical mile race that includes a selection of competing Irish sailors.

Gabrielle Woodhouse, forecaster at the NSW Bureau of Meteorology, said the light east-to-north-easterly winds forecast for Monday’s 1 pm start should freshen later that afternoon.

Those winds are expected to continue into Tuesday, with a trough forecast on Wednesday, winds shifting to south-south easterly, and light rain showers developing.

"For those boats that will take a little bit longer, it's still unclear as to the timing of another trough that could come through during the second half of next week," Woodhouse said.

"But for the most part, we are looking at northerly winds and having those northerly winds increase through the first half of the race with the trough coming through on Wednesday."

The forecast augurs well for the big boats in the 111-strong fleet, especially the four maxi yachts – Andoo Comanche, Black Jack, Hamilton Island Wild Oats and LawConnect.

It could see the maxis sail to Hobart in one assisting weather pattern, while the rest of the fleet, from the mid-to-small sized boats, will have to battle through two or more patterns.

"The forecast is generally good for us as we like going downwind," said Andoo Comanche navigator, Justin Shaffer, who is sailing in his second Rolex Sydney Hobart.

"We'll be a good chance of being ahead [after the start]… by how much we'll see," Shaffer said.

Stan Honey has navigated on all four maxis, and this year, his eighth, will be on Hamilton Island Wild Oats.

He agrees the long-range forecast is made for a big boat start.

"At this point, it looks like it could be a big boat race," Honey said.

“It looks like the big boats will get through most of the race in the north-easterly.”

For the mid-sized boats, like the TP52 Patrice, the forecast indicates they will have to sail through at least two weather patterns before reaching the finish in Hobart.

Patrice navigator, Michael Bellingham, who has sailed in 29 Sydney Hobarts, concurred with Honey, saying: "The big boats will probably do this in one weather pattern.

"How this changes and pans out on Wednesday will affect how the fleet do in this race.

"It will be interesting to see what sort of wind strengths and sea conditions we get across Bass Strait."

Bryan Northcote, navigator on the XP44 ToyBox 2 and with 17 Sydney Hobarts to his name, is open-minded about which boats will eventually be favoured by the forecast.

"I think it's too early to call at this stage," he said.

"The weather's changing daily, as it always does, moving into Hobart. This far out... Sure, the big boats look favoured. But I think the race conditions are going to change.

"As always, if you read every newspaper from Hobart, they're going to break the race record. When it comes to Boxing Day, I think that might change."

Duncan McCrae, navigator on the S&S 34 White Bay 6 Azzurro and a veteran of 18 Sydney Hobarts, says the crew members are once again bracing themselves for myriad conditions.

"We're probably going through three weather patterns," he said. "It will depend how that trough [on Wednesday] pans out on the second day. We'll still be in Bass Strait at that point."

A strong fleet with an international flavour and multiple former winners and record holders is preparing to take on the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

118 boats are entered for the 77th edition of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) 628 nautical mile race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1 pm on Monday, 26 December.

Eight entrants are travelling to Australia, from Germany (Orione), Great Britain (Sunrise), Hong Kong (Antipodes), Hungary (Cassiopeia 68), New Caledonia (Eye Candy and Poulpito), New Zealand (Caro) and the USA (Warrior Won).

The four 100-foot maxis leading the charge for Line Honours are Black Jack, the 2021 Line Honours winner, Hamilton Island Wild Oats, which holds the record for most Line Honours wins with nine as Wild Oats XI, the race record holder Andoo Comanche, now skippered by John Winning Jr, and LawConnect, which was first over the line in the 2016 race as Perpetual LOYAL.

Black Jack skipper Mark Bradford will compete in the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Photo: Andrea Francolini/CYCA

Speaking at the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Media Launch at the CYCA on Wednesday, Black Jack skipper Mark Bradford said: "The best international sailors in the world will be here for the race.

"Achieving your goal in the race, whatever that is, does take some time to reflect on and I think for us that moment came when we decided to do it again.

"Weather is such a big part of the overall picture. We have seen over so many years all of us (100-foot maxis) getting to the Derwent at the same time somehow. I think this year will be no different to normal."

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr will compete in the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Photo: Andrea Francolini/CYCA

Andoo Comanche skipper John Winning Jr said: "I have to honour the boat and do it justice; it's had some fine form. I certainly back myself to be as good as anyone.

"We have to be ambitious and bullish. I've got an amazing crew around me and we're going to be pushing the boat as hard as we can to get the best result possible."

Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham are the first all-female two-handed crew to compete in the race.

The pair will sail on Veel's Currawong 30, Currawong, as one of 22 two-handed entrants, that for the first time are eligible to win the coveted Tattersall Cup, awarded to the overall winner on IRC corrected time.

Kathy Veel and Bridget Canham are the first all-female two-handed crew to compete in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Photo: Andrea Francolini/CYCA

Asked if she had second thoughts about taking on the race two-handed, 70-year-old Veel said: "Heaps! But sailing is something I love doing. I had a boat that was capable of it. I am in good enough health physically to be able to do it.

"With the Two-Handed Division introduced, all of a sudden it seemed something that was possible, with our really, really limited resources. I paid really small money for the boat and we have put in a bit since then, but I look at Comanche when we are out on the water at Woolwich and think, it’s such a different story."

The legendary challenge of the Rolex Sydney Hobart attracts a diverse range of competitors and boats.

At the other end of the spectrum to the 100-footers is the smallest and oldest boat in the fleet, Sean Langman’s 9-metre Ranger Maluka (built in 1932), which will be skippered by his son Peter.

"Maluka has a pretty special place in my heart," Langman said. "Whenever I finish a race on Maluka I feel it is an accomplishment. That is what dragged me back to the race.

"She is a safe boat and we are all pretty confident she will get there in one piece, she is in great condition."

The fleet of 52-foot grand prix racing yachts are expected to once again challenge for Overall honours.

Matt Allen’s Botin 52 Ichi Ban won three of the last four races. Allen announced this afternoon that he would not be doing the race this year.

"I feel like we're doing a bit of an Ash Barty in a way. It's time for me to do some other things. I've been busy with sailing and voluntary roles with the Australian Olympic Committee and World Sailing," said Allen, who has four Sydney Hobart victories and 31 Sydney Hobarts behind him.

"To some degree, I feel we've achieved what we set out to do with the boat. I'm conscious we've equalled the record of Freya and Love & War, and having known both skippers.

"I really want to thank my crews over the years. They have done a terrific job sailing it with me and helping to develop the boat. It's been an enormous privilege and adventure, and I've enjoyed every minute of it, but it's time to do other things."

Allen ended by saying, "I am leaving both boats entered in the race for the time being, in case someone wants to borrow either one."

A highly competitive group of 52-foot boats in this year's race features international entrants Caro and Warrior Won, as well as locals Celestial, Gweilo, Quest (two-time Overall winner as Quest and Balance) and Zen.

Gweilo co-owner and skipper Matt Donald said: "[The 52s] are in sight of each other the whole race. We will have to perform at our best every day.

"Each and every inch counts in our division. In the Rolex Sydney Hobart, it's about pushing as hard as you can and we won't hold back if we get the chance again.

"Anyone can win on any given day."

Some of the other former winners racing this year include Alive (Overall – 2018), Kialoa II (Line Honours – 1971) and Wild Oats (Overall as Wild Rose in 2014).

The St. Stephen's Day start of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will be broadcast live on the Seven Network throughout Australia and live-and-on-demand on the 7Plus app.