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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE: PROOF PERFECT OF ABILITY

Hobart, 31 December 2022 – One of the world's great sportsmen once said: “Winning takes care of everything”. For Sam Haynes, the Australian owner of Celestial and recipient of the Tattersall Cup for overall victory on corrected time at the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, never have truer words been spoken. To a lesser degree, and without any intended pun on his name, the quote also reflects John Winning Jr’s line honours success with Andoo Comanche.

The 77th Rolex Sydney Hobart started on 26 December, its traditional slot in the global sporting calendar. Once again hundreds of thousands of people crowded the shores of Sydney Harbour, or watched from the water as well as live on television and over the internet. The departure from the familiar setting did not disappoint. 109 yachts, comprising professionals and Corinthians, and some 20 double handed or two-person crews, set off under blue skies and bright sunshine. A 10 – 15 knot north north-easterly meant a beat out to the heads, before spinnakers were hoisted and close to 48 hours of uninterrupted downwind sailing began.

With an international repute that transcends sailing’s perceived boundaries, the Rolex Sydney Hobart is an icon in the sport and has been supported by Rolex for over 20 years. The organizing club, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), works tirelessly with its partner the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania to ensure the race remains at the pinnacle of classic 600 mile offshore competition. Supporting dynamic yacht clubs like the CYCA, institutions essential to the evolution of sailing, is a core facet of Rolex’s relationship with yachting.

Success at the “Great Race South” is dependent upon so many factors. Paul Cayard, legendary yachtsman and Rolex Testimonee, is clear on the qualities required:

“ Success in offshore racing requires rigorous preparation, tactical skill and an unyielding determination to push through to the finish. ”  

A veteran of 11 previous campaigns, Sam Haynes agrees:

“ You have to arrive on the 26 December completely ready. That is the only way to approach a race like this .  Testing, training, analysis ,  getting prepared involves a lot of people who are not even on the race boat. ”

John Winning Jr speaks in a similar vein. His first thoughts on realising his would be first boat to finish the 628nm course turned to who and what had made it possible:

“ This boat is all about line honours and we have done what we set out to achieve. I reflected on all the people in the support crew, the team onboard, the time spent training, doing what it took to make the boat go faster, on everything we did to have the best chance possible to achieve our aim. ”

Ahead of the race, Winning Jr had said about the battle to be first home:

"Second place will not do. It is win or nothing ."

In a race like this, ‘nothing’ is only a heartbeat away. Shortly after the congested start, where the four competing 100ft (30.5m) maxis traded tacks in their concerted effort to be first into open water, Andoo Comanche struck a mark of the course. Recognising their error, the crew performed two 360 degree turns in quick succession to purge the infringement. Failure to do so could have led to a fatal penalty at the end of the race. The pre-race favourite needed to reset and re-focus.

Once in the Tasman Sea, the skilled crew of Andoo Comanche set to work reeling in the yachts ahead and establishing a small but vital lead over their closest pursuers. Winning Jr acknowledged the determination witnessed in the battle for line honours and the J.H. Illingworth Challenge Cup.

"It is an incredible ocean race, something quite special. Equal amounts of effort will have gone into all the yachts competing in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The three other 100 footers especially kept us honest, and I would like to congratulate them for an amazing competition. "

Andoo Comanche completed the course in a time of one day 11 hours 56 minutes 48 seconds, two hours outside the race record established in 2017.

The hurdle faced by Celestial came a year earlier and was substantial. Turning the clock back 12 months, Haynes, Vice Commodore of the CYCA and a passionate sailor, admitted to being crushed by finishing second overall after a rule infringement late in the 2021 race resulted in his team being demoted from top spot.

"After last year, I was ready to walk away from the sport. Talking to my family and key people on the team, I realised it was not the right way to go. I wanted to try again, to step up to the challenge. ”

As the race unfolded it was clear no crew would have a straight-forward time. The initial downwind sleighride was brutal and tiring, boats racing at speed and on the edge, with race-ending damage a split second away. For the smaller entries, there was an additional, cruel twist as the wind turned on day three forcing them to beat upwind to the southernmost point of the course at Tasman Island, slowing down their progress and effectively removing any chance of overall victory on handicap.

Onboard Celestial the mindset was singular, as Haynes explains:

"We had done our homework. We had done a lot of training, so we could be absolutely confident in the boat and ourselves. At our final pre-race briefing I told the crew we are going to push as fast as we possibly can because we have to do that to beat the other boats.”

The approach was not without danger, particularly in the hours of darkness:

"There is always an element of extreme risk in fast offshore racing at night. It can be quite beautiful, but the second night east of Tasmania was gnarly with a big sea state and gusts of 30 – 35 knots. The boat was waist deep in water, regularly diving into waves, violently shaking, but still being driven right on its limits. ”

Celestial eventually crossed the finish line late in the morning of 28 December, establishing an unbeatable lead in the standings.

Fiercely challenging, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race offers a huge sense of personal achievement to those that complete it. Winning the race on corrected time guarantees a place in sailing folklore. Open to all, only the most determined entrants can truly aspire to this pinnacle of achievements. For this edition, the last words rest with Sam Haynes:

"To win a race like this is a massive, life changing achievement . It is a very hard trophy to win. However good you are there are a lot of reasons why you might not succeed. To finally hold the Tattersall Cup means everything .”

ROLEX AND YACHTING Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand's enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie. Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup. It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world's most famous harbours. Rolex's partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

• About the race
• Southern Cross Cup
• Race Reports
• Start & Finish Villages
• Hobart & Beyond

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will again start in accordance with tradition with the firing of a starting cannon. The start will be at 1.00pm on Boxing Day, 26 December.

The fleet will start from start lines off Nielsen Park with boats on the northern line rounding "Victor Mark" and boats on the southern lines rounding "X-Ray Mark", at the Heads, and all boats heading out to sea and rounding "Mark Zulu", one nautical mile east of the Heads. The larger boats in the fleet will start off the front line, just north of Shark Island. The rest of the fleet will start from the southern lines, 0.2 nautical miles between each. Having two rounding marks at Sydney Heads will compensate for the distance between the lines before the fleet heads to sea on the ocean voyage to Hobart.

To give the yachts a clear area in which to manoeuvre before the start and then ample room to tack or gybe as they race to the Heads, NSW Roads and Maritime Services have declared an exclusion zone from 12 noon to 2:20pm on Boxing Day. A 6 knot no-wash zone will cover the Harbour from Garden Island and Bradley's Head to a line between North Head and Macquarie Light. Spectator craft may not enter the exclusion zone between these times and once the race starts the yachts must sail within the zone until they clear Sydney Heads.

As the countdown to the start begins, the CYCA's historic cannons will be fired aboard the official starting vessel, Olympic Storm, to draw attention to the starting flag sequence as follows:

12.50pm: 10 minute Warning Signal - Event flag hoisted and cannon fired.

12.55pm: 5 minute Preparatory Signal - Code flag P hoisted and cannon fired.

1.00pm - Starting Signal - Event Flag and Code flag P dropped and cannon fired.

A further signal (Code flag X) and a single cannon fire may indicate premature (OCS - On Course Side) starts by individual yachts which must then return and re-start. Yachts which have started prematurely will also be advised by radio within 10 minutes of the start. There will be no general recall.

OFFICIAL ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MERCHANDISE

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

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At the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Women Are Making Their Mark

The event is attracting more female skippers than in previous years, and many own the boats.

By David Schmidt

The skippers competing in the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race dream of winning a top trophy in this challenging offshore race. This year, 10 of them will be women.

While a female-skippered team has not won the Tattersall Cup, which is awarded to the race’s overall winner, more women have been competing in the race as skippers the last few years. It reflects the expanding ranks in sailing of experienced women, the creation of the race’s two-handed class and an uptick in the number of female boat owners.

Women have been participating in the Sydney Hobart race since 1946, with Jane Tate aboard the Active and Dagmar O’Brien on the Connella. The first all-women’s team, skippered by Vicki Willman, raced in 1975 aboard Barbarian, a 38-foot yacht.

This year, 10 women plan to compete as skippers and co-skippers. This follows an upward trend: nine women raced in 2022 as skippers and co-skippers, and seven competed in 2021. In 2019, this number was six, while three competed in the 2017 and 2018 events.

“It is a changed world for the better,” said Adrienne Cahalan , a two-time Tattersall Cup-winning navigator. She plans to start her 31st race — a record for women — as navigator aboard the 66-foot yacht Alive this year.

“Women are accepted as equal players and leaders,” Cahalan said of the race, noting that women are underrepresented in the Sydney Hobart only among the professional and big-boat crews.

The race, which starts on Tuesday, began in 1945 and is a serious affair. Six sailors died and five yachts sank in the 1998 event. Veterans call it one of the world’s greatest, and hardest , offshore races.

The 628-nautical-mile course begins in Sydney Harbor . After exiting protected waters, teams turn south-southwest and race down the New South Wales coastline, before crossing Bass Strait. This shallow-water swath separates Australia from Tasmania and can sometimes create boat-breaking waves.

Then, navigators approach Tasman Island before the boats make the final 40-mile push across Storm Bay and up the River Derwent to Hobart.

For women, a big part of their overall increase as skippers, sailors said, was because of an inclusive and welcoming community that helped create opportunities.

“There’s a women’s sailing network in Sydney where there’s a lot of engagement from females,” said Lt. Tori Costello, who plans to co-skipper the Royal Australian Navy’s 40-foot Navy One this year. “There’s been so many more females just being involved, being given opportunities to get out there and race.”

Sailors said this change was helped by the creation of women’s sailing events, including the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta and the Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series. They also cite SheSails, an Australian organization that encourages female participation in sailing, and several active women’s-sailing Facebook groups and clubs, as contributing factors.

Internationally, they point to the Magenta Project, which works to create better equity and inclusion within sailing, as another important element.

“Just about every sailing club I know of has a women’s group actively educating and providing opportunities for women” said Kathy Veel, the owner and a skipper of the 30-foot Currawong and a three-time race veteran. “There are now many very skilled, experienced yachtswomen who seek the challenge of being in charge.”

Another catalyst, sailors say, was the creation of the race’s two-handed class, which debuted in 2021. While most boats racing to Hobart have a full crew, two-handed teams race with just two people.

“Even if you don’t own the boat, the second person in most cases is a co-skipper,” said Wendy Tuck, the first woman to win an around-the-world race as skipper and a two-time two-handed class veteran. “It is a great opportunity.”

While two-handed sailing doubles the number of skipper roles, it requires, and breeds, a high level of competency and trust.

“Two-handed racing is a great format for fast-tracking skills in all aspects of sailing and seamanship,” Veel said.

After all, one skipper often sleeps while the other stands watch.

Many yachts that compete in the two-handed class are about 30 to 40 feet long. This matters, as their smaller sails generate less load than the bigger yachts.

“The smaller size of most two-handed boats makes them very manageable for female sailors,” Bridget Canham said. In 2022, she and Veel became the first all-women’s two-handed team to complete the race; they plan to compete together again this year.

Annika Thomson, skipper and an owner of the 52-foot Ocean Crusaders J-Bird, said that it was not as daunting to race two-handed aboard the smaller boats. She would know: In 2022, Thomson and her husband, Ian, raced their 52-footer two-handed to Hobart.

She was skipper.

“It’s not recommended,” she said as a joke, of racing a big, powerful boat double-handed to Hobart. “We did it, now we forgot all about it.”

This year, Thomson plans to skipper her boat with a crew of 11, including her husband, who will navigate.

While professionally-run yachts often hire professional skippers, many amateur teams are led by owner-skippers.

“Sometimes to take on a leadership role a person needs to create their own opportunities,” Cahalan said. “For example, by buying or chartering your own boat and putting your own team together.”

She isn’t alone in this thinking: Seven of the nine female-led boats are racing with full crews.

“My thought is always, and always has been, if I want to skipper a yacht, I probably need to own it,” Thomson said. “The more women that own yachts, the more women who are encouraged to buy their own yachts.”

Case in point: Of the nine female-led yachts, seven are owned or co-owned by women. These include Thomson’s 52-footer, Hilary Arthure’s 35-foot Wyuna, and Jiang Lin’s 34-foot Min River.

There’s more than pride in vessel ownership at stake. The Sydney Hobart race can award dozens of trophies. Of these, three are specifically reserved for women

For some skippers, these aren’t enough.

“While these trophies are great in that they acknowledge the women who were pioneers and role models in the sport, the prize women really want to win now is the Tattersall Cup,” Veel said.

“I think it’s much more likely a female two-handed boat could win a division,” she said, pointing to the costs and complexities of campaigning a competitive yacht. “But I don’t want to rule anything out.”

Thomson was more optimistic. “It would be really cool if someone took it up this year,” she said, referring to the Tattersall Cup.

Still, she was realistic.

“How long is a piece of string?” she asked, using an Australian phrase meaning that something is only finished when it’s finished.

Trophies aside, sailors said the real rewards of skippering a yacht in this race were camaraderie, teamwork and the chance to lead a team through a demanding test.

Half of the race is “not the best times, and you’re questioning why you’re doing it,” said Costello of the often-rough conditions. “It comes back down to those moments where you’re wide-eyed and it’s a bit crazy out there, and everyone has that knowing look like, ‘OK, we’re going to get through this.’”

And, with more women taking on this leadership challenge, sailors said the race’s future had never looked more inclusive.

“Women are a big part of the population, so we aren’t going anywhere,” said Tuck, who plans to start her 16th race this year as a watch captain aboard Disko Trooper, a 32-footer. “Well, yes,” she corrected, “we are going to Hobart.”

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

Exclusion Zone on Sydney Harbour for 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart start

• 21 Dec, 2023 04:07:00 PM

With a huge fleet of competing yachts and hundreds of spectator boats taking in the action, Sydney Harbour will be a hive of activity for the start of the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.  

An Exclusion Zone will be active from 12-2.20pm on Boxing Day, Monday 26 December.

A Special Event Area will also be active from 11.30am-2.20pm, requiring minimum wash and 6 knots of maximum speed.

Only competing yachts and approved vessels are permitted within the Exclusion Zone.

View the above map and visit the   Transport for NSW website   for more information. 

Congratulations to all the divisional winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

PHOTOS | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

PHOTOS | Day 5 Morning - Tasman Island and Storm Bay

PHOTOS | Day 5 and Day 6 finishers

PHOTOS | Official Presentation of Tattersall Cup and Rolex Timepiece to the Overall Winner

2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - A Race for the Ages

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - Rolex Daily Video Summary

VIDEO | Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

VIDEO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Official Prizegiving

VIDEO | Race Update - 31 December Morning

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 10

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 9

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 8

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 7

AUDIO | 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Sked 6

Official rolex sydney hobart merchandise.

Shop the official clothing range of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in person at the Club in New South Head Road, Darling Point or online below.  

From casual to technical clothing, there is something for all occasions. Be quick as stock is limited!

Yachting World

• Digital Edition

How to follow the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

• Toby Heppell
• December 19, 2022

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is due to set off on boxing day once again in 2022, with an impressive 111 boats due to take to the startline

Sydney sailors are counting down the days – not until December 25, but the 26, for the much-anticipated Rolex Sydney Hobart Race .

The blue riband offshore classic was cancelled for the first time in its 76 years in 2020, but bounced back in 2021 and will go ahead one more this year with an impressive fleet of 111 boats entered for the 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, which begins on Sydney Harbour at 1pm Monday 26 December.

As is often the case in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race, the bulk of the fleet is made up of Australian boats and teams, but there are 8 international boats participating this year, including entrants from Germany ( Orione ), Hong Kong ( Antipodes ), Hungary ( Cassiopeia 68 ), New Caledonia ( Eye Candy and Poulpito ), New Zealand ( Caro ), the United Kingdom ( Sunrise ) and the United States of America ( Warrior Won ).

At the sharp end of the fleet, four 100-foot maxis will lead the charge for Line Honours – Andoo Comanche , Black Jack , Hamilton Island Wild Oats and LawConnect . On current form, Andoo Comanche is likely to be favourite to cross the finish line first.

The start of the Sydney Hobart Race means a congested Sydney Harbour. Photo: Rolex / Carlo Borlenghi

Black Jack won Line Honours in the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, while Andoo Comanche holds the race record (1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes and 24 seconds) and Hamilton Island Wild Oats (formerly Wild Oats XI ) has the most Line Honours wins in race history, with nine.

Two-handed entrants will for the first time be eligible to win the Tattersall Cup (the prize given to the winner of the race on handicap). A total of 21 two-handed boats are preparing to race, including those that finished second and third respectively in the race’s inaugural Two-Handed Division last year – Crux (Carlos Aydos/Peter Grayson) and Speedwell (Campbell Geeves/Wendy Tuck).

How to follow the 2022 Rolex Sydney-Hobart Race

• In Australia Sydney is expected to send off the fleet in style when the race starts at 1300hrs (local time) on Saturday, 26 December.

Spectator boats can watch the start from the eastern channel and follow the fleet down the Harbour to the Heads. Spectator boats wanting to remain in the Harbour may remain in the western side. Exclusion zones will be in place from 1200-1400.

• On television The race start will be broadcast live via the Seven Network, through 7Mate around Australia.

Live coverage will also be webcast on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website, with replays available shortly after. See  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/

• On social Follow the event on twitter for race updates and via  Facebook

• On race tracker The live race tracker will be viewable at  https://rolexsydneyhobart.com/tracker

• Play along on Virtual Regatta

There is also a Virtual Regatta edition for the race, allowing you to virtually pit yourself against thousands over the same course, see  https://www.virtualregatta.com/en/offshore-game/

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024 OffShore Races OffShore Races

• Event date: 25/12/2024
• Event end: 02/01/2025
• When: OCT-DEC
• Duration: 1 week

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race is one of the toughest and most respected ocean races in the world. Its the only major race that starts in a harbour takes in a passage and finishes in a river.

The  Rolex Sydney Hobart Race expects a fleet of 150 yachts, ranging from 36 to 100 foot in length. The electric pre-race village atmosphere at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) followed by the excitement of the build-up to the start on Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day is hard to describe.

Race Start on Boxing Day

With thousands of spectator vessels, helicopters overhead and hundreds of thousands of people lining the Sydney waterfront and cliff tops, the race start at 1 pm on Boxing Day each year is an Australian sporting tradition.

People who sail the race often say the first and last days are the most exciting. The race starts on Sydney Harbour attracts hundreds of spectator craft and hundreds of thousands of people lining the shore as helicopters buzz above the fleet, filming for TV around the world.

The final day at sea is exciting with crews fighting to beat their rivals but also looking forward to the traditional Hobart welcome, and having a drink to relax and celebrate their experience. Between the first and last days, the fleet sails past some of the most beautiful landscape and seascapes found anywhere in the world

Difficulty Level:

9750-13750 $ aud.

• Program 2024
• Program 2025

Salt Lines 70ft expedition yacht

Silver Fern 72 ft expedition yacht

Te Kaihopara 72ft Luxury Cruising Yacht

8 days / cat 1 ocean race / 25 dec 2024 – 2 jan 2025 / positions available on te kaihopara.

You can fly directly into Sydney Airport on Thursday, 24th or Friday, 25th December. Our crew will officially assemble on Christmas Day evening, and you will join us for a crew dinner ashore. On Saturday, 26th December, we’ll meet for breakfast early and then run through the final checks and preparations. We’ll familiarise you with the yacht, systems and safety equipment and prepare you for departure from the dock around 11:30 am. It’s a 4-5 day sail to Hobart with arrival expected on the 30-31st December.

When we arrive in Hobart, we’ll sail past the crowd on Constitution Dock before tying up at the marina and heading to the Custom House (open 24 hours) for an arrival drink or two. You are welcome to stay onboard on arrival in Hobart but should also consider booking local accommodation ashore at an estimated cost of around $800- $1,200 per person for 3-4 nights. We’ll attend several events in Hobart, including a New Year’s Eve party, The Taste of Tasmania and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race Presentation. You should plan to fly out of Hobart after midday on the 1st of January. Most of our crew will depart around the 2nd – 3rd of January, so plan to stay on and enjoy the 3-4 days in Hobart at the end of the race, as it truly is a celebration you will never forget.

8 DAYS / CAT 1 OCEAN RACE / 25 Dec 2025 – 2 Jan 2026 / Positions available on Salt Lines and Silver Fern

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024

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Broadening the horizon

Beyond the ocean

The Yacht-Master has won admirers well beyond its sailing origins. On the wrists of those who stay their course, both at sea and on dry land, it offers the perfect balance between sportiness and timeless elegance.

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Sir Ben Ainslie is the most successful sailor in Olympic Games history. With four gold medals and one silver, he achieved the outstanding feat of claiming a medal in each of the five Olympic Games he has competed in. Sir Ben wears the colours of the Royal Yacht Squadron, a club Rolex has partnered since the 1980s. He is the chief executive officer of the Great Britain team competing in the SailGP global championship. A four-time Rolex World Sailor of the Year, he is both helmsman and Team Principal of Ineos Britannia, the British Challenger of Record for the 37th America’s Cup in 2024. Sir Ben wears a Yacht-Master 42 in 18 ct white gold.

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With two gold medals and one silver in the 470 class, Hannah Mills is the Olympic Games’ most successful women’s sailor of all time. Winner of the Rolex World Sailor of the Year award in 2016 and 2021, the Welsh skipper holds the position of tactician in the Great Britain SailGP crew. A SailGP ambassador for sustainable development, she is also highly committed to the inclusion of women in her sport. Hannah Mills wears a Rolesium version of the Yacht-Master 37.

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Tom Slingsby is arguably Australia’s most successful and sought-after sailor. An Olympic Games gold medallist in 2012, he is a three-time Rolex World Sailor of the Year and three-time winner of SailGP as chief executive officer and helm of Team Australia. His talents extend to winning 10 world championships in diverse classes, as well as being a helm with line honours-winning crews in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the Rolex Middle Sea Race. Tom Slingsby wears a Yacht-Master 42 in RLX titanium.

SailGP A breath of fresh air for sailing

A competition unlike any other in the world. With its identical multihulls travelling at more than 50 knots – almost 100 km/h – and its events contested across the globe, the SailGP circuit showcases water sports’ most innovative technologies. Rolex has been Presenting Partner and Official Timepiece of SailGP since the competition was inaugurated in 2019. SailGP offers a thrilling spectacle. Aboard their catamarans flying across the water, team members grapple with the elements, each playing a precise role. Faced with the unexpected, they must band together to withstand stress and make instantaneous decisions, to sense the direction of the wind before their rivals and gain the best trajectory to win.