Remaking of a Classic

Crosbie Lorimer reports on a dramatic Rolex Sydney Hobart race

- By Crosbie Lorimer

What constitutes a ‘classic’ Sydney Hobart Race? There are almost as many answers as there are sailors who’ve taken up the challenge of this 630-mile ocean racing test over its 77-year history. But few would disagree that to be a true test, somewhere in the mix there needs to be a solid bash into a big southerly blow.

Sure enough, it was clear the crews of the 74 starters in the 2021 edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – including those in the inaugural two-handed division – were not going to be eased gently into the race after their Boxing Day start. The forecast for a building southeasterly on the first night at sea, with winds gusting to 25 knots, didn’t appear to be causing undue concern on the dock. But it was the short, confused seas on the first night offshore that did major damage to this year’s fleet, with more than a third of the starters retiring by the beginning of the second day. The high attrition rate may have been exacerbated by a lack of boat and crew preparation, caused by the lengthy lockdowns in Australia in late 2021.

Nor did the drama end as the conditions began to ease. Some crews had to carry out major running repairs just to stay in the race, maritime safety authorities had to deal with numerous personal locator beacons (PLBs) that were accidentally activated, and flares were set off to attract attention when boat-to-boat VHF communication had failed. Even after the finish, the Sydney Hobart Race continued to deliver its share of drama, with the final overall IRC result decided in the protest room.

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