The Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race 2025 — co-hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) and Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC) and sponsored by Harken and Palm Beach Motor Yachts — continues across the Tasman following mixed fortunes for competitors.
At the front of the fleet sits RPAYC Commodore Rob McClelland, whose Jeanneau 57 First Picasso had entered the event’s new Rally for Cruisers Division, starting a week ahead of the main fleet. But McClelland’s journey came to an abrupt halt this week, just 111 nautical miles short of the Auckland finish line, when the yacht’s engine failed near the Bay of Islands.
“Tuesday, the engine ceased on us, so we pulled into the Bay of Islands,” McClelland explained this morning. “It’s going to take, I don’t know how long, to repair, so we’ll drive to Auckland tomorrow and leave the boat at the marina. These things happen.”
Despite the setback, the Commodore described the crossing as memorable for all aboard.
“We’ve had a fantastic trip. We motored for the first 16 hours — that’s allowed under the Rally rules — then Monday we ran into 45 knots and went down to a triple-reefed main only. We were in that for 24 hours. The next day we were in shorts and T-shirts having champagne and hors d’oeuvres. It was a first crossing for everyone except Virginia (my wife) and me, and everyone said how different each day was.”
Meanwhile, the racing fleet that left Sydney Harbour at 1 pm yesterday is pressing eastward in fresh but manageable conditions. Crews aboard Cooloola and Frantic reported lively sailing through the opening stages, capturing the essence of the 1,250-nautical-mile Tasman challenge.
