Loyal in the race

Arguably the fastest monohull on the planet, the legendary Comanche has tacked back into Australian waters, returning as Anthony Bell’s Tribeca LOYAL with sights set on Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Line Honours.

Photography by CYCA/Ashley Dart and Belinda Rolland

28 October 2026

Anthony Bell’s two-time Sydney Hobart line-honours-winning campaign returns for 2026 as Tribeca Loyal, with Tom Slingsby and a formidable crew targeting another victory while supporting Australian children’s hospitals.

The campaign, officially unveiled in Sydney on 27 October, will compete as Tribeca Loyal, following a partnership with Australian investment and financial advisory firm Tribeca.

Bell, who has twice claimed line honours in the Boxing Day classic, will skipper the campaign alongside Olympic gold medallist, America’s Cup winner and SailGP champion Tom Slingsby OAM, who returns as sailing master.

Former Wallabies captain Phil Waugh and former Sydney Roosters captain Anthony Minichiello are also confirmed among the crew, continuing their long associations with the Loyal campaign.

A winning legacy

Bell’s history in the Rolex Sydney Hobart includes two memorable victories.

In 2011, Investec Loyal defeated Wild Oats XI by just three minutes and eight seconds in one of the closest line-honours finishes in the race’s history.

Five years later, Perpetual Loyal delivered another landmark performance, securing line honours in a then-record time of one day, 13 hours, 31 minutes and 20 seconds.

That victory, achieved with Slingsby as sailing master, reduced the previous race record by four hours, 51 minutes and 52 seconds.

The pair will now reunite for the 2026 edition, bringing considerable experience to a campaign expected to be among the contenders for line honours.

Experience on board

Tribeca Loyal has assembled a crew with an extensive record in offshore racing and international competition.

Collectively, the sailors have completed 292 Sydney Hobart races and recorded 64 line-honours victories.

The team includes 10 America’s Cup athletes, five Volvo Ocean Race veterans, four Olympians and an Olympic gold medallist.

Among the experienced sailors are crew boss Andrew Henderson, who has completed 27 Sydney Hobart races and recorded 10 wins, and Anthony Nossiter, with 25 race appearances and five victories.

Ryan Godfrey brings 21 Sydney Hobart appearances and six wins, while Sam Newton has completed 13 races and recorded seven line-honours victories.

Navigator Andy Green, Mark Bradford, Phil Harmer, Pablo Arrarte and other experienced offshore sailors add further depth to the campaign.

Slingsby, who led Australia to three consecutive SailGP championship titles and was part of Oracle Team USA’s victorious 2013 America’s Cup campaign, will play a central role in the yacht’s performance.

The 100-foot Tribeca Loyal supermaxi alongside in Sydney Harbour as preparations build for the 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Pic: Belinda Rolland

Tribeca Loyal heels into the breeze during a training sail on Sydney Harbour ahead of the 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Perpetual Loyal powers through the night during the 2016 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, when Anthony Bell’s crew claimed line honours in record time.

2016 Line Honours PERPETUAL LOYAL, SYD1000, L1, Owner: Anthony Bell, State / Nation: NSW, Design: Juan-K 100

Tribeca joins campaign

The new naming rights partnership provides the financial backing for Bell’s return to the race while supporting the campaign’s longstanding philanthropic objectives.

Team Loyal is delighted to have the support of Tribeca, one of Asia Pacific’s leading investment and financial advisory firms, for the 2026 Rolex Sydney to Hobart,” Bell said. “Without their support we just wouldn’t be on the water pursuing our cause.”

Bell said the Australian-owned and headquartered company shared the team’s commitment to excellence, integrity and philanthropy.

Tribeca CEO Adam Lavis said the partnership reflected the values shared by the two organisations.

“The Rolex Sydney Hobart is one of the world’s most respected and challenging ocean races, demanding exceptional preparation, strategic thinking, teamwork and performance under pressure,” Lavis said.

“These qualities resonate strongly with Tribeca and the way we approach our business.”

Lavis also acknowledged the campaign’s achievements in sailing and its contribution to the wider community.

Racing for charity

Beyond its sporting ambitions, Tribeca Loyal will continue supporting the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, which provides essential medical equipment to hospitals caring for sick and injured children.

Established by Bell in 2009, the Loyal Foundation has raised more than $10 million.

Through its association with the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, the campaign has helped donate more than 600 pieces of life-saving medical equipment to 200 hospitals across Australia.

The charitable initiative has been a defining feature of the Loyal campaigns, bringing together professional sailors, sporting identities and business leaders in support of a common cause.

Over the years, the campaign has attracted participants including Olympic swimming champion Grant Hackett, former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, seven-time world surfing champion Layne Beachley, Paralympic champion Kurt Fearnley and former Wallabies captain Phil Kearns.

Beachley hosted the 2026 campaign launch at The Deckhouse in Woolwich, Sydney, with 1983 America’s Cup-winning skipper John Bertrand AO also attending.

For Bell, the return represents another opportunity to combine elite offshore racing with the charitable mission that has underpinned the Loyal name for more than 15 years.

With a proven skipper, a highly experienced crew and Slingsby back on board, Tribeca Loyal will be seeking another chapter in its Sydney Hobart history when the fleet departs Sydney Harbour on 26 December.

rolexsydneyhobart.com
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