This year’s Sydney Hobart yacht race will go ahead, but the kaleidoscope of colour on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day is likely to be dulled a little with spectators encouraged to watch online rather than from the shoreline or boats on the water.
Key points:
- The start of the race will look vastly different, with a limit on spectator craft
- Crew briefings will be conducted online for the first time
- The 2019 line honours was won by Comanche, with Ichi Ban the overall winner
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia confirmed on Wednesday afternoon this year’s race would go ahead, following the announcement by the Tasmanian Government that the state’s borders would be open to travellers from New South Wales from Friday.
The Boxing Day start of the race inside Sydney Harbour provides one of the most iconic scenes in Australian sport, as more than a hundred yachts clamour to be first outside Sydney heads.
A near equal amount of spectator craft inside the harbour usually adds to the spectacle, but this year they will be severely limited due to social distancing requirements, while restrictions will also be placed on those hoping to watch from the shoreline and headlands.
Instead, organisers want fans of the race to watch via a digital livestream — one of a number of significant changes expected for this year’s event.
Crew briefings will be conducted online for the first time, while lead-up functions and parties have been cancelled.
Weary sailors will be allowed to set foot on Constitution Dock upon arrival in Hobart, but the traditional race village will be restructured in accordance with public health guidelines.
The Commodore of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Noel Cornish AM, pointed to a desire to “help communities return to a sense of normality” and for the sailing world to “help support various governments in economic recovery” as reasons why this year’s race wasn’t cancelled.
Duncan Hine, the Tasmanian skipper of 2018 overall winner Alive, is relieved his crew’s months-long preparations have not been in vain
He believes the smaller fleet, and the inclusion of just two super-maxis could lead to a race fit for sailing purists.
“My tip on line honours, I’m going to go with Black Jack. But my tip on corrected, I’m going with Alive. We’re a sure thing,” he said.
This year’s race marks the 75th year of participation of women sailors in the Sydney to Hobart.
