Pressure point
The 76th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will be one to remember when it gets under way on Boxing Day this year.
Written by Jack O'Rourke
Photography by Carlo Borlenghi / Andrea Francolini
26 November 2020
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A total of 89 yachts have entered the 2020 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, and it’s looking like a very strong field will be vying to take out overall honours for the Tattersall Cup.
In light of the difficulties owners and crews have experienced getting ready for the race, Ichi Ban skipper Matt Allen said it was “an incredible result” to have so many boats enter.
Allen has entered the defending overall honours winner Ichi Ban and in so doing, will attempt to become the third owner in the history of the race to win the Tattersall Cup three times with the same yacht.
Speaking alongside fellow skippers at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s official launch of this year’s race, Allen said it had been an enormous challenge for the crew to get the boat ready.
“Obviously, it’s been a difficult winter break for everybody, and we haven’t done as much sailing as in previous years. There’s a lot of pressure on us.”
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“We quite enjoy the pressure and ensuring we can improve the boat’s performance year on year as much as possible, but we know in this year’s race, like any year, at that 50–70-foot mark, you’ve got some of the best boats you’ll find anywhere in the world.
“So you’ve got to beat all those boats around you and then the weather gods need to be kind to you. We all know that going into Storm Bay in the Derwent can be a real challenge each year.”
There are only two supermaxis competing this year, but both have taken line honours with previous owners in past years.
Christian Beck’s InfoTrack returns for another campaign, going up against the Mark Bradford-helmed Black Jack.
Black Jack, sailing as Alpha Romeo, took line honours in 2009, while InfoTrack, sailing as Perpetual Loyal, smashed the race record in 2016 on their way to a famous line honours victory. Last year, InfoTrack finished a very credible second overall, just 44 minutes behind Comanche.
“We’re coming into the race very happy – the odds are better than we’ve ever had before,” said Beck on his latest campaign.
When asked about the intriguing battle between InfoTrack and Black Jack, Beck played down his chances: “If you look at Black Jack, and you look at the numbers, we’ve raced each other the last three years: they have won two, we have won one.
“They are a better boat; I would happily swap their boat for ours. What I would say, however, is that we’re on a good trajectory. We came 24th the first time, fourth two years ago, and second last year. Our crew is very good. I’m not taking anything away from Black Jack, but the crew we’ve got has been great.
“Restrictions to international travel have had an effect, though. The crew we’ve had in the past, who have been involved in around the world races, haven’t been able to get here. So we’ve changed our crew mix, but we still have the same core team.”
Clipper Round the World Race winner Wendy Tuck will sail the aboard the Beneteau 34 Speedwell, the second smallest boat in the fleet. Tuck will skipper with Campbell Grieves in the inaugural two-handed division.
Entrants have a chance to take out the inaugural line honours trophy, along with trophies for the overall winners under IRC and PHS.
Rupert Henry has five Sydney Hobarts under his belt and has chosen to sail in the inaugural two-handed division with Greg O’Shea on Burning Palms, a J/65.
“The secret to good teamwork is to expect arguments and cross words. The more tired you get, the more they happen,” said Henry when asked about the secret to success when sailing two-handed.
“The thrill of two-handed racing is that you get to do everything. You’re always busy. It’s non-stop and you’re always engaged.”
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