Fleet confirmed

“I never set out to win the Tattersall Cup. For us, it’s about doing our best, enjoying the race and having as much fun as possible,” says Lin.

“Just because we won last year doesn’t mean we’ll win it again – it’s a new race and anything can happen.”

The pair will reunite for Lin’s sixth Sydney Hobart, following her purchase of the new yacht in France.

Alexis and I had such a great time sailing together last year, and we made some wonderful memories together. That’s the feeling I want to recreate this year,” she says.

Four 100-foot maxis will contest line honours: Christian Beck’s LawConnect, Anthony Bell’s Tribeca LOYAL, Mark Richards’s Palm Beach XI and Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing 100.

Bell’s entry is the former Comanche, returning under the Tribeca LOYAL name. The yacht holds the race record and won line honours in 2025.

The Australian Maxi Championship, running from 4–8 December, will provide an opportunity for contenders to assess their form before Boxing Day.

Competition for the Tattersall Cup, awarded to the overall winner on IRC handicap, extends across the fleet.

Four-time overall winner Matt Allen returns aboard Ichi Ban, the Volvo 70 previously known as Willow and Celestial V70. The yacht won the 2024 race overall as Celestial V70.

Tasmanian Reichel/Pugh 66 Alive, overall winner in 2018 and 2023, returns with Duncan Hines at the helm and navigator Adrienne Cahalan aboard.

Three-time overall winner Love & War is also entered after finishing third overall last year, while Sean Langman’s Back 2 Black arrives as the 2026 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race overall winner.

Five TP52s will add depth to the handicap contest, including Sebastian Bohm’s Smuggler and David Doherty’s Islero, formerly Caro.

The 18 double-handed entries include Min River, Rupert Henry’s Mistral and Jules Hall’s Disko Trooper. Elizabeth Tucker’s First Light will also race double-handed, with Tucker among 13 women owners or skippers represented in the fleet.

CYCA Commodore David Jacobs says the race’s appeal reaches beyond the competition.

“What makes this race so special is the connection between the competitors and the communities that support them,” he says.

Thousands of spectators line the harbour to farewell the fleet, and in Hobart, sailors are welcomed like heroes after taking on one of the world’s great ocean racing challenges.”

The 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart starts on 26 December. The start will be broadcast live across Australia on Channel Nine and streamed globally through the race website and the CYCA’s YouTube channel, CYCATV.

rolexsydneyhobart.com