Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: Christmas classic started - rough weather ahead

The fleet of spectators was even larger than usual when the field of 103 boats opened the 78th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race at 3 a.m. German time on Boxing Day. The skies over Sydney began to darken shortly before the four starts. In initial north-easterly winds of five to ten knots, it was straight down to business between the hundred-foot maxis competing for line honours this year.

Four 100-foot Maxis wanted to fight for line honours

The defending Line Honours title holders on "Andoo Comanche" protested after a port-starboard incident against the team on "SHK Scallywag", who exonerated themselves with a 720-degree penalty curl off the famous Bondi Beach. As the field headed south down the Australian coast, the harbingers of the thunderstorms predicted for the first two days of the Christmas Classic could already be seen.

The winds are expected to shift to the south-west by Wednesday, while a series of lows and a cold front move through. The maxis, TP52 racing yachts and other boats started the 628 nautical mile Legends Race on the front row. Four powerful maxi crews wanted to fight for victory in terms of time sailed: "HSK Scallywag", "Wild Thing 100", "LawConnect" and "Andoo Comanche".

Bowsprit broken: early end for "SHK Scallywag"

The latter had initially built up a six-nautical-mile lead over "Law Connect" just a few hours after the start. 20 nautical miles behind, the team on "Wild Thing 100" struggled to catch up with the top two. The team on "SHK Scallywag", on the other hand, had a nasty surprise when they gave up on the morning of Boxing Day German time and started the difficult journey back to Sydney.

The crew on "SHK Scallywag" were hugely disappointed after the bowsprit broke. An initial statement from on board read: "The Sun Hung Kai Scallywag 100 has retired from the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2023 with a broken bowsprit. The team is naturally very disappointed given the great progress we have made, but grateful that no one was injured and we were able to safely recover all sails set. The team is currently on its way back to Sydney."

Arriving is the goal: "Rockall XIII" on course for Hobart

Christopher Opielok's crew on the JPK 10.80 "Rockall VIII", which was purchased especially for this race, opened the race in midfield. The Hamburg-based owner and skipper was the first crew to have to abandon the 2017 race at the first attempt due to rudder damage. Now Christopher Opielok wants to give it another go with a crew mix of German, British and Australian sailors. For his second attempt, he has chosen a powerful JPK, the ex-"Atomic Blonde".

Here YACHT online reported on the "Unfinished Business" and Christopher Opielok's comeback in the 78th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Boris Herrmann's friend and companion Felix Oehme on board

Boris Herrmann's friend and companion Felix Oehme and sailmaker Klaas Simon are also fighting with Christopher Opielok on "Rockall VIII" for the best possible arrival in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The destination harbour is Hobart in Tasmania. Felix Oehme was Boris Herrmann's co-skipper in the first victorious circumnavigation in the Portimão Global Race 2008/2009.

The "Rockall VIII" crew spent a total of six days training with the boat, which was purchased second-hand in Australia and prepared by Tom Swift. Opielok's crew celebrated Christmas in Sydney before the starting shot was fired on Boxing Day. Christopher Opielok wants one thing above all else in this race: to arrive and leave the "unfinished business" of 2017 behind him!

After a sunny start: severe weather ahead! The Christmas classic got underway despite warnings of thunderstorms and even hail.

The start of the 78th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in the replay:

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