The 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race began in solid breeze and tight water.
Inside Sydney Harbour, breeze sat in the high teens, brushing 20 knots near the western channel pile. Sail choices across the fleet reflected an immediate respect for what lay south. Smaller headsails were the norm. Some mains were already reefed. This was never going to be a start raced for show.
For the super maxis, depth restrictions narrowed options almost immediately. Big keels compressed the usable water and raised the cost of any error. The run to the first turning mark was short, the second followed almost straight away, and within minutes the fleet was funnelled hard toward the Heads.
Harbour speed, then hard work
Conditions inside the harbour favoured pace. Tide assistance allowed boats to accelerate quickly, and reaching sails appeared almost as soon as the gun fired. Four start lines released the fleet cleanly, though congestion built rapidly beyond the lead group, particularly through the turning marks where traffic tightened and lanes vanished.
The transition at the Heads was abrupt.
Wind eased briefly under the land, but the sea state rose sharply. A short, disorganised swell stopped lighter boats dead and forced heavier boats to work hard to stay balanced. Those who exited cleanly were able to settle quickly. Others took longer to escape disturbed air and reflected chop.
From that point, the fleet separated.
Control at the front, battles everywhere else
LawConnect emerged first from the harbour, timing the start accurately and controlling the run to the Heads ahead of Master Lock Comanche. It marked the third consecutive year LawConnect has led the fleet clear, achieved through positioning and restraint rather than outright pace.
Lucky added a different shape to the early picture, starting further west and sailing a freer angle as the fleet spilled seaward. Palm Beach XI took a conservative approach, sailing upright and stable.
Behind them, the race fractured quickly.
URM Group led Celestial V70 around the second turning mark, holding SHK Scallywag close as the fleet began to stretch into multiple contests. Similar pairings formed throughout the field, with boats racing what was around them rather than what lay ahead.
A Kiwi slant, without the hype
New Zealand influence ran quietly through this opening phase.
Lucky and Callisto both sailed as honorary Kiwi boats, even if their ownership flags differ. Lucky may be American-owned, but she is crewed largely by New Zealand sailors and carries a deep Kiwi offshore pedigree, including Brad Butterworth. Her early positioning and pace suggested a well-drilled programme rather than a line honours threat.
Callisto, New Zealand flagged, carried a similar experience with Dean Barker aboard. Realistically, Callisto is not a contender for the front of the fleet, and short of something extraordinary unfolding later, she is unlikely to feature prominently overall. What she did show in the opening hour was clean execution and good judgment, which in this race often matters more than ambition.
Elsewhere, the New Zealand Vixen Racing team added depth to the Kiwi presence. None of these boats pose a realistic line honours threat, but several remain well placed to stay relevant as the race stretches and the handicap picture evolves.
Current, lanes and early compromise
Once southbound, attention shifted below the surface.
The East Coast Current, forecast to run strongly in places, immediately entered the tactical equation. Boats began committing earlier than usual to offshore or inshore lanes, aware that delayed decisions could leave them boxed in later.
Patchy breeze near the Heads complicated those choices. Traffic made escape difficult and disturbed air lingered longer than expected. Several boats paid early for poor lanes with lost momentum.
Through the middle and back of the fleet, the motion was already taxing. Short seas halted progress repeatedly, demanding constant trimming and concentration to keep boats moving.
A pause off Bondi
As the fleet passed Bondi, racing briefly gave way to reflection.
Fifteen boats from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia prepared to drop petals overboard in tribute to the victims of the Bondi tragedy on December 14. Among them was Love & War, carrying Grace Shipway on her first Hobart. It was a quiet moment, carried out without fuss as the fleet continued south.
What the first hour revealed
Within the first hour, the race had moved fully offshore.
Sea state was up and stronger breeze lay ahead. Fatigue and breakage were immediate risks.
At the front, control matter most. Elsewhere, clean air and sound decisions were critical as the fleet settled into the run south.
