yacht race record

Sports | Sanford Burris skippers Maverick to record time…

Sports | Sanford Burris skippers Maverick to record time in Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac

Boats participating in the Race to Mackinac pass by Navy Pier at the start of the race on Saturday, July 13, 2024. (Vincent Alban/for Chicago Tribune)

That was 1 hour, 6 minutes and 11 seconds faster than the record set by Roy P. Disney aboard Pyewacket in 2002.

The Maverick crew celebrated briefly as it crossed the finish line between Mackinac Island and the Round Island Lighthouse on Sunday. It then kept sailing as part of the “Super Mac” race, a combination of the Chicago Mackinac and Bayview Mackinac races that continued into Lake Huron for a total of 496 nautical miles.

Maverick also claimed the Royono Trophy for being the first racing monohull to finish the 115th edition of the race, which is sponsored by Wintrust. Southerly winds and overnight storms created the perfect conditions for an incredible downwind race.

Burris, from Kirtland, Ohio, is co-owner of the carbon fiber Andrews 80 along with William and Ward Kinney. Burris sails with his sons and many longtime friends. Also among the 20-member crew is Evolution Sails founder Rodney Keenan.

“I will tell you from my perspective, I wish the record had lasted longer, but these things are inevitable,” said Disney, a grandnephew of Walt Disney. “Given how long it took to break that record shows how difficult a course it is and what a classic sailboat race it is.”

Photos: 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac

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Chicago to Mackinac sailing race record smashed by more than an hour

Updated: Jul. 15, 2024, 7:31 a.m.
| Published: Jul. 15, 2024, 7:20 a.m.

The Maverick broke a 22-year record in the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Wintrust. Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac

Tanda Gmiter | [email protected]

MACKINAC ISLAND, MI - Before the first boats ever left Navy Pier this weekend, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac organizers knew the weather forecast would make this 115th competition one of the faster courses in the race’s history - if the sailing crews could avoid the storms forecast to sweep across Lake Michigan.

And while the storms did send at least three damaged boats limping out of the race and caused a man overboard situation, southerly wind conditions were a boon to the frontrunners, creating a downwind drag race and leading to a record-breaking win that smashed the old Race to Mackinac record by more than an hour.

The Maverick’s crew beat Roy P. Disney’s 22-year-old record with a time of 22 hours, 24 minutes, 23 seconds. This bested the Disney heir’s record set in 2002 with Pyewacket by an hour, six minutes and 11 seconds.

The Maverick team was led by Sanford Burris and William and Ward Kinney. The boat also claimed the race’s Royono Trophy for the first racing monohull to finish the 115th edition.

“I will tell you from my perspective, I wish the record had lasted longer, but these things are inevitable,” said Disney, a well-known figure in the sailing world who is the grand-nephew of Walt Disney. “Given how long it took to break that record shows how difficult a course it is, and what a classic sailboat race it is! Many congratulations to the owner, the crew and the boat, Maverick.”

The Katana and the Natalie near the finish line of the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac Presented By Wintrust. Chicago Yacht Club Race To Mackinac

Nearly 250 boats joined the 333-mile race from Chicago’s Navy Pier to the finish line near Mackinac Island. Known as America’s Offshore Challenge, it’s the world’s longest annual freshwater sailing race. The race is divided into the Cruising Division, which left Chicago on Friday, and the sleeker Racing Division, which began racing on Saturday.

What was the secret to this weekend’s fast times?

“Most important is a southerly wind direction and strength, combined with advancements in boats and sails,” said Winn Soldani, chair for the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust. “Plus you add in last night’s storms that brought increased breeze and it’s literally the perfect setup for a record-breaking year.”

Some of the boats are still finishing the course today. You can see them there on the race tracker.

Maverick’s Sanford Burris is from Kirtland, Ohio. “He sails with his sons and many longtime friends on the carbon fiber Andrews 80 they have spent the past three years upgrading. Joining the 20 crew onboard was Evolution Sails founder Rodney Keenan,” race staff said.

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“The team celebrated briefly as the Maverick team crossed the Race to Mackinac finish line between Mackinac Island and the Round Island lighthouse … and then kept on sailing.”

The Maverick is one of a couple dozen sailboats competing in this year’s “Super Mac” race - which means it keeps going instead of stopping at Mackinac Island for the big afterparty. It races south down Lake Huron to reach Port Huron - a race of 495 nautical miles. The Bayview Mackinac Race - which is next week - starts near the Blue Water Bridge and competing sailboats will race north to Mackinac Island. Those boats running the “Super Mac” can also do the Bayview and it’s like running three races in a week’s span.

The Racing Division of the 115th Chicago Yacht Club to Mackinac race got underway Saturday. Photo provided by Barry Butler, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust. Barry Butler, Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust.

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Maverick breaks Race to Mackinac record

Other race news.

Press Releases
From the Mac Chairman

Posted Jul 14, 2024

CHICAGO, July 14, 2024 – Sanford Burris, William and Ward Kinney’s Maverick team will be etched in Mac Race history as the new race record holder for the fastest Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust in 22 years, earning the honor from Roy E. Disney and Pyewacket .

Maverick also claimed this year’s Royono Trophy for the first racing monohull to finish the 115th edition. This year’s southerly winds and overnight storms created the perfect conditions for an incredible downwind race, which they completed in 22 hours, 24 minutes, 23 seconds, breaking Pyewacket’s record by one hour, six minutes, 11 seconds.

“I will tell you from my perspective, I wish the record had lasted longer, but these things are inevitable,” said Roy P. Disney, Roy E. Disney's son, upon hearing the news. “Given how long it took to break that record shows how difficult a course it is, and what a classic sailboat race it is! Many congratulations to the owner, the crew and the boat, Maverick .”

Burris, from Kirtland, Ohio, sails with his sons and many longtime friends on the carbon fiber Andrews 80 they have spent the past three years upgrading. Joining the 20 crew onboard is Evolution Sails founder Rodney Keenan.

The team celebrated briefly as the Maverick team crossed the Race to Mackinac finish line between Mackinac Island and the Round Island lighthouse … and then kept on sailing.

Maverick is one of 25 sailboats competing in this year’s “Super Mac” race, a combination of the Chicago Mackinac and the Bayview Mackinac races, which means they will continue into Lake Huron, heading south to Port Huron for a total of 565 statute miles (495 nautical miles).

What does it take to break the Race to Mackinac record?

Many factors need to align for record-setting conditions, especially over a 333 statute-mile (289 nautical-mile) race that is well known for multiple weather patterns in a short time span. This has earned the race its moniker as “America’s Offshore Challenge.”

“On behalf of the Chicago Yacht Club, we congratulate the Maverick team for an incredible accomplishment.”

This year, the Race put a special emphasis on encouraging and attracting new boats and sailors. Across the 250-strong fleet, 26 new entries (10 percent) and more than 380 sailors (20 percent) are experiencing their first Mac. The Mac Race, known as America’s Offshore Challenge™, begins in front of Chicago’s magnificent skyline and finishes 289 nautical miles (333 statute miles) north on Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, at Michigan’s iconic Mackinac Island.

Next year, the Chicago Yacht Club celebrates its 150-year anniversary.

FOLLOW ALONG! HOW TO WATCH: Live Race Tracking and CYCRTM social media

Fans will be able to follow both the cruising and racing fleets via YB Tracking HERE. Each boat is equipped with a satellite tracker that sends GPS information (location, speed, and direction) every 15 minutes and displays the location and track on the race course.

Social Media

Race organizers will be actively posting updates to CYC Race to Mackinac social media. We encourage all fans to follow the race on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter and stay engaged with the race as much as possible!

About the Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac: “America’s Offshore Challenge™”

The Chicago Yacht Club Race to MackinacⓇ is one of the world’s largest annual offshore regattas, drawing top-notch sailing talent from around North America and the world. Known as ‘The Mac’ to everyone in the region, the ultimate test of Great Lakes navigation starts each July just off Chicago’s famous Navy Pier. While passing through some of the most beautiful coastal waters in the world on the 333-mile race route (289 nautical miles), the fleet faces the storms, reefs, calms, and competition that truly make it “America’s Offshore Challenge™.”

Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Learn more at www.cycracetomackinac.com.

ABOUT CHICAGO YACHT CLUB: Founded in 1875, the Chicago Yacht Club is one of the oldest and most respected yacht clubs in the world. Its mission is to encourage, promote, and develop knowledge, participation, and enjoyment of all aspects of yachting. To that end, the Club hosts many world class competitions and Predicted-Log events, including its signature Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac and numerous North American and World Championships. The Club is also recognized as a leader in sailing education, with one of the largest junior sailing programs in the United States. The Club is home to nearly 1500 members, including winning America’s Cup skippers, Olympic medalists and hopefuls, and outstanding boaters of all types, from ages 4 to 104. The Club offers an array of spectacular off-the-water amenities, including fine dining, full-service catering, and year-round activities for its diverse membership at two locations on the city’s shoreline, at Monroe and Belmont Harbors. Learn more at chicagoyachtclub.org.

ABOUT WINTRUST: Wintrust is a financial holding company with assets of approximately $53 billion whose common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. Built on the "HAVE IT ALL" model, Wintrust offers sophisticated technology and resources of a large bank while focusing on providing service-based community banking to each and every customer. Wintrust operates fifteen community bank subsidiaries, with over 170 banking locations located in the greater Chicago and southern Wisconsin market areas. Additionally, Wintrust operates various non-bank business units including business units which provide commercial and life insurance premium financing in the United States, a premium finance company operating in Canada, a company providing short-term accounts receivable financing and value-added out-sourced administrative services to the temporary staffing services industry, a business unit engaging primarily in the origination and purchase of residential mortgages for sale into the secondary market throughout the United States, and companies providing wealth management services and qualified intermediary services for tax-deferred exchanges.

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Record 334 boats lined up for 100th Bayview Mackinac race; 'All out war' on the water

S ome things endure. In 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald published "The Great Gatsby" and Mount Rushmore was dedicated. Here in Michigan, Bayview Yacht Club launched its first sailboat race from Port Huron to Mackinac Island.

Yep, 100 continuous years of racing with sailors from all over the world — despite war, economic crisis or pandemic.

A record-setting 334 boats have registered for the July 20 event, shattering the record of 316 in 1985 and a huge contrast compared with the 200 boats that raced last year, data confirmed by David Stoyka, Bayview Yacht Club spokesman.

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The course will follow the original 1925 route and span 204 nautical miles. From its traditional start in southern Lake Huron, the boats will head north along the Michigan shoreline, passing south of Bois Blanc Island, sailing west to east at the finish line between Round Island and Mackinac Island, organizers said.

'Everybody will be fighting for every last inch'

Sailors describe excitement and slight trepidation, as part of the course involves shallow water filled with shoals and challenging wind patterns.

In recent years, sailors chose one of two courses, the longer Cove Island course or shorter Shore Course. Only the Shore Course is running this year, but the ending has an unusual twist, coming into the Straits of Mackinac from the opposite direction as usual, and sailing the narrow passage between the Michigan shoreline and Bois Blanc Island.

The finish line is expected to include some chaos, competitors predicted.

"Imagine it's 3 a.m., a cloudy and moonless night and the wind is blowing 25 knots per hour out of the northwest," said champion sailor Tim Prophit , 65, of St. Clair Shores, past commodore of Bayview Yacht Club and owner of Fast Tango, a North American 40 sailboat. "Everybody will be fighting for every last inch. It's dark, choppy."

He expects to finish in 32 to 36 hours this year, studying weather patterns and running wind simulations since January to prep for the competition. A lot of boats have spent thousands of dollars on new sails. All skippers want to carry as little as possible in gear, food and crew to be competitive. All skill levels have entered the race, and the highly skilled racers know they will cross the bow of competitors within inches. Still, there's always risk of a crash with the slightest miscalculation.

"Everybody recognizes this is super intense," Prophit said. "Do we hug the Michigan shoreline ... you don't want to get stuck where the air just goes away. It's death. The secret is to find that little ribbon of wind and stay in it but don't run aground. Everybody is going to be compressed together."

Two lessons a veteran sailor knows: Cockiness will kill you and never let up when you've got your foot on the throat of a competitor, especially seasoned sailors who have picked up secret intel along the way, Prophit said.

Charlie Trost, of Grosse Pointe Woods, this year's race chairman, said this event will have a little bit of everything and a lot of surprises.

More: Sailors overcome emergency at 2 a.m. in rough waters to win Bayview Mackinac race

"People are coming out of the woodwork, whether it's the weekend warrior or a professional racer," Trost told the Free Press. "A lot of people are interested, whether the accomplishment is getting from Point A to Point B or the goal is doing whatever it takes to win first place."

Trost, 35, will sail his 22nd race to Mackinac on the J-130 sailboat known as Pendragon. He follows in the footsteps of his father and grandfather, hoping one day his 1- and 3-year-old sons will race. The whole family will be on the island, which is mostly sold out for this event.

His mother, Barb Trost, of Grosse Pointe Woods, oversees race registration. And his sister, Ali Augsburger, 37, of Grosse Pointe Park, will be helping coordinate logistics.

Mike Hendrie, 47, of Chicago, follows in the sails of grandfather George Hendrie Sr., of Grosse Pointe Farms, who raced from Port Huron to Mackinac Island in 1926 for the second race ever held. The starting line has always been within view of the family waterfront cottage between Krafft and Keewahdin in Fort Gratiot — a Hendrie hangout since the early 1900s.

"George Hendrie Sr. was also famous for being ice boating world champion for 10 years," Mike Hendrie said. "That boat was named Ferdinand the Bull."

In fact, a Hendrie has raced the Mackinac for 98 of the 100 years running, Mike Hendrie said. And family members still, to this day, watch racers from the cottage. Mike Hendrie, who grew up in Grosse Pointe Farms, will skipper the J-109 Bull with eight crew members, including his father and cousins.

HIs uncle, George Hendrie Jr., sailed his first Mackinac race in 1947 and raced 68 times, Mike Hendrie said. "He sailed his last one at 90 years old six years ago. He passed away in January, and we'll be sailing in his honor. And that makes it really special."

Because the race is so significant to so many, the level of competition is elevated significantly.

"Everyone is going to be sailing harder and sailing smarter," Prophit said. "With a race that's expected to last less than two days for most boats, people will be getting less rest because they'll be more focused on pushing the boat as hard as possible ... every second is going to count. It's going to be an all-out war, fighting for every inch."

More: 'Peanuts' characters Snoopy, Woodstock on shirts for Bayview Mackinac sailboat race

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Editor's Note: Phoebe Wall Howard covers sailing for the Detroit Free Press, and she had been going to Mackinac Island to meet her father at the finish line since age 12. Robert Wall, of Algonac, won his last Port Huron to Mackinac race on Chippewa, a Tartan 34C, in 2014 at age 85.

Contact Phoebe Wall Howard : 313-618-1034 or [email protected] . Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter @phoebesaid .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Record 334 boats lined up for 100th Bayview Mackinac race; 'All out war' on the water

Tim Prophit of St. Clair Shores steering Fast Tango during the Chicago to Mackinac race on Monday, July 24, 2023. He won his class and second overall.

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Published on July 16th, 2024 | by Editor

Chicago Mackinac: One for the books

Published on July 16th, 2024 by Editor -->

With a record-setting pace, storms, dismastings, and a man overboard, the 115th Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac presented by Wintrust had it all in 2024.

Awards recognized 22 section winners across the Mackinac Cup (awarded to the smaller boats), the Mackinac Trophy (larger boats), Doublehanded Division, and Cruising Division (Whitehawk Trophy). Plus a new trophy was presented – the Mark H. Baxter Trophy, awarded to a first-time boat.

Bringing ‘home’ the hardware across the divisions are:

• Royono Trophy (first racing monohull to finish): Maverick, Sanford Burris, Ward and William Kinney • Whitehawk Trophy (Cruising): Roxy, Don Condit • Doublehanded Division: Exile, Andy Graff and Scott Eisenhardt • Mackinac Cup: Erica, Brian Kazcor • Mackinac Trophy: Natalie J, Philip and Sharon O’Neill III • Mark H. Baxter Trophy (awarded to first timers): Hooligan, Trey Sheehan (Mackinac Trophy); Nyctosaur, Mark Fruin (Mackinac Cup); Seaquel, Thomas Paine (Cruising); 18 Degrees, Joe Turns (Doublehanded).

Maverick, the Andrews 80 co-owned by Sanford Burris, Ward and William Kinney, earned headlines as not only the Royono Trophy winner (first racing monohull to finish), but the new Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac race record holder, eclipsing Roy E. Disney’s 22-year-old record on Pyewacket ( full report ).

The 20-member crew completed the 289 nm course in 22 hours, 24 minutes, 23 seconds, shaving off more than an hour from Disney’s time of 23 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds.

After their start on July 13, the racing sailboats had all arrived at Mackinac Island by late afternoon Monday (July 15). For context, finishers are typically arriving throughout Monday night and into Tuesday. This year, before Monday’s sunset, the Race Committee had fired its last finishing cannon.

This year’s Race wasn’t without its drama. Storms ripped through the fleet on Saturday evening (July 13), and wrought havoc with many boats suffering equipment damage. Three boats lost their masts (all crew safe), and there was a successful man overboard recovery ( full report ).

In recognition of John and Marian Hoskins’ crew on board the Santa Cruz 52 Madcap, which rescued Callisto’s crew who fell overboard during a spinnaker takedown, US Sailing expedited a review and awarded the Madcap crew the Arthur B. Hanson rescue medal for outstanding seamanship, watchkeeping, and situational awareness resulting in the rescue of a fellow sailor.

“What a race,” said Winn Soldani, chair of the event. “With 10 percent of the fleet and 20 percent of the sailors doing their first Mac, we’re not going to tell them it isn’t always like this. In all seriousness though, this Race has been one for the books.

“Such incredible record-breaking downwind conditions, and what I believe truly sets this special race apart – the camaraderie of our sailors, the team at Chicago Yacht Club and on Mackinac Island. The Mac really is America’s Offshore Challenge and I congratulate every sailor, supporter and follower for joining us on this epic adventure this year.”

Event information – Results – Facebook

Source: Laura Muma, LM PR Inc.

Tags: Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac

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Sailing Antarctica: Record-breaking voyage around the southern continent

September 25, 2019

In March 2018, Oyster 72 Katharsis II became the first yacht to sail round Antarctica below 62°S. Skipper Mariusz Koper recounts this extraordinary expedition

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-ross-sea-credit-mariusz-koper

Katharsis II dwarfed as she sails alongside the Ross Sea Ice Shelf. All photos: Mariusz Koper

Many believe number seven to be lucky. The seventh day of February proved to be just that. It’s seven weeks since we dropped the lines in Cape Town; the Amundsen Sea was the seventh Antarctic sea that we would cross through; and the seventh storm of the voyage was approaching soon.

For a couple of days now, we have been sailing along the 70th parallel. With humidity in the air, Katharsis II became covered with ice, which started to form on the shrouds, the mast and the ropes. The icy peak of the mast resembled a decorated Christmas tree. The wind transducer stopped functioning. These obstacles were a hindrance to our sailing and decision-making abilities.

For a week, the visibility has been limited to a few hundred metres. In fact, it has often been down to a couple of boatlengths. We were sailing through a milky mist, accompanied only by snowstorms and often had to shovel the snowy powder off the deck.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-big-seas-credit-mariusz-koper

Steering through massive seas is all in a day’s work in the Southern Ocean

As for the icebergs, while appearing less frequently than off east Antarctica, they seemed older and thus more disintegrated, with deadly brash ice surrounding them. Our eyes strain while searching for icy shadows emerging through the surface of the sea.

It is a much easier task now that we no longer have the sprayhood, which limits visibility significantly. It was completely wrecked by a violent wave during a previous storm in the Ross Sea. Consequently, we were forced to disassemble it. But now it means we have nothing to shield ourselves from icy bullets of spray, though we do at least have a second small dodger to protect the companionway.

Our lucky seven has brought drier air, the ice is beginning to melt, and even the wind instruments have started to work again. Around 2200, Hanna, who is on watch, suggests that we reef the sails. We’ve been sailing with a second reef in the main.

Article continues below…

Sailing to high latitudes: Everything you need to know before you set sail

Specialist high latitude yachts invariably have metal hulls and are very solidly built with large fuel tanks and internal steering…

sailing-South-Georgia-skip-novak-pelagic-australis-ice-credit-james-novak

Sailing South Georgia: The inside story of Skip Novak’s 2018 expedition

We were eight days out from the south coast of South Georgia and once again we had skied smack into…

The sea is rather calm and the wind instruments say it’s blowing 25 knots. I think we could still wait, especially considering the weather forecast, which predicts the wind won’t exceed 35 knots. However, barely a half an hour later I have to jump back outside. The wind is far stronger than the gauge was indicating and as the conditions continue to worsen I decide to drop the main.

It’s the right decision. The wind rises to over 50 knots, and from time to time, exceeds 60 knots. The waves start to build up, making it harder to manoeuvre in between the icy obstacles.

After three hours of running with the storm with the reefed staysail only, we sail in between some icebergs. In fact we are entering a cemetery of growlers. The ice is everywhere, and it’s impossible to sail around them safely. We cannot slow down so we turn into irons to stop. Then we slowly start sailing against the wind and the enormous waves towards a giant iceberg that we’d already passed.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-icebergs-credit-mariusz-koper

Big seas and big ‘bergs kept Katharsis II’s crew on their toes

We struggle for an hour before finally reaching the shadow of an ice island. At a few hundred metres long and weighing probably tens of millions of tonnes, the ice is pacifying the waves in its lee, as if it were a harbour. For five hours we drift along its side. Then, as the wind abates to 35 knots, we began to sail again, heading east once more on our voyage round Antarctica.

For years I had dreamed of sailing round Antarctica and within its waters – that is, entirely south of the 60th parallel. As a matter of fact, this route is the last significant tabula rasa on the world’s sailing map.

The two known attempts to circle Antarctica’s waters below the 60th parallel ended before reaching the finish line. The first of them took place in 2005, when the Russian yacht Apostol Anrdey lost her rudder around the Ross Sea. After performing temporary repairs, the crew was forced to retreat to Wellington, New Zealand.

The second attempt, conducted by a Russian-Ukrainian crew on the yacht Scorpius in 2012, ended at the D’Urville Sea. The yacht suffered major damage and the crew returned to Hobart.

Proof it could be done

There was, on the other hand, a successful non-stop circumnavigation of Antarctica above the 60th parallel. The goal, accomplished by Fedor Konyukov aboard the 85ft Alye Parusa in 2008, has been recognised by The World Sailing Speed Record Council (WSSRC).

Katharsis II is an Oyster 72, a yacht with a glassfibre hull. It’s commonly believed this sort of construction does not serve well in icy conditions, but several previous expeditions we’ve made in the region have proven that this fearless vessel manages polar conditions well.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-guitar-credit-mariusz-koper

A well planned and properly prepared expedition is not all about hardship

During our first polar voyage, we sailed along the Antarctic Peninsula, south from the Antarctic Circle. That’s when we first experienced abrupt changes in weather conditions and the proximity of ice.

For the following expedition, I led Katharsis II to Greenland and the Arctic, and we successfully navigated through the North West Passage . We learned how to manoeuvre in between the drift ice and, at Ilulissat harbour in Greenland, experienced being trapped in it.

The challenge grew in 2015 with our expedition to the Ross Sea. Indenting the front of Ross Ice Shelf is the Bay of Whales, the southernmost point of sailable water in the world. We arrived in a year when the ice cap over Antarctica was the largest since it was first measured.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-bow-view-credit-mariusz-koper

To sail from the Southern Ocean towards the open waters of the Ross Sea we had to push through the ice a number of times as we navigated through an ice barrier 100 miles wide. Despite the difficult storm conditions, we got south to 78° 43’S, 163° 43’W . This experience reassured me that, with careful navigation, Katharsis II is capable of facing the hardest stuff.

To prepare for the record voyage I analysed the weather conditions and previous annual ice charts in the region. As the Southern Ocean is dominated by strong westerly winds it encouraged a clockwise route, though the only pattern you can guarantee is the variability of direction and speed of winds. Records differed substantially in terms of the number of days with weak winds (under 10 knots) and strong winds (above 25 knots).

I estimated that we’d struggle 15-30% of the time with weak winds and about 15-25% of the time with strong winds. But I observed a certain correlation: the icier Antarctica was over the astral winter, the stronger the winds were over the following summer.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-icebreaking-credit-mariusz-koper

East winds, which are inconvenient for this route, could accompany us for about a third of the voyage. And, although less troublesome closer to summer, the ice made the overall situation more complex. I paid close attention to ice level changes in two spots, at the Ross and Weddell Seas.

Entering into the Ross Sea the route can be shortened significantly, but very rarely can this be accomplished by the end of January. In turn, the drift ice at the Weddell Sea can reach the South Orkney Islands, that is, beyond the 60th parallel.

The most favourable conditions, ice-wise, occur in mid-February. This became decisive in determining our start point – Cape Town – so that we’d reach the Weddell Sea by the second half of February at the latest.

I planned to finish in Hobart – it added an extra 2,000 miles to the shortest version of the route, but at the same time it increased our chances of sailing with following winds in the stormy waters of the Southern Ocean.

We were supposed to start in December 2016. Katharsis II was already waiting for us in Cape Town when my second officer and partner, Hanna Leniec, was diagnosed with breast cancer. This terrible news shocked everyone. I didn’t consider anything other than postponing the voyage.

For Hanna, it was a difficult year. The surgery, the exhausting chemotherapy and the radiotherapy affected her physical condition, but not her mental fortitude. A year later, she was ready to embark on the challenging sail, which we dedicated to the prevention of breast cancer. Hanna prepared a series of short videos, documenting her struggle with the illness.

Research expedition

During the expedition we planned to conduct a couple of research projects: one on the presence of plastic micro-particles in waters surrounding Antarctica; the other, as part of the International Scientific ARGO Program on temperature and salt levels, which would require the installation of several buoys. One of our crew was Piotr Kuklinski, a professor of oceanology who was responsible for the conduct of the science project.

Over the last eight years, Katharsis II has sailed 100,000 miles, so before embarking we unstepped the rig to check it out. We replaced running rig and sails, and replaced some electronics including the radar and the chartplotter so we’d have two independent navigation systems.

Above the radar we installed a thermal camera that would help with spotting ice when we had limited visibility. We also acquired some flexible tanks to take extra fuel so we could cross the Southern Ocean by engine if we were dismasted.

All our preparations were directed at serving one purpose: to be completely self-sufficient. Apart from the Antarctic Peninsula, which is a tourist destination, we’d not be able to count on any outside help. We also prepared to set up a camp in case we needed to abandon the yacht.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-cooking-credit-mariusz-koper

It was a challenge to provision for nine crew for over 100 days (plus extra in case of a serious delay). We turned one of the five cabins into a pantry where we could store more than 1,200kg of food (not counting drinks).

We prepared over 1,000 portions of dinners, pasteurising the meat in jars (with a dozen different flavour variations). We stored 80kg of food in the freezer and hid treats for special occasions, including Christmas, birthdays, and other important moments we wanted to celebrate.

We were particularly careful about storing delicate items such as tomatoes and eggs. Each of the tomatoes was covered in a paper towel, which we would change every couple of days. We took 522 eggs and they required constant turning to avoid the yolk sticking to the eggshell. Lastly, our diet was supplemented with freeze-dried meals, which are lightweight and easy to prepare.

Around Antarctica

On 23 December 2017 we left Cape Town. A gentle breeze let us set full sail and cross our start line, but the wind died soon after and reflected in a really weak first 24 hours’ mileage – barely 70 miles logged. The beginning was not very promising for reaching the finish line at Hobart within 100 days.

The main goal of the voyage was to complete a circle around Antarctica south of 60°S, but speed was still an important factor as it would allow us to pass the unwelcoming waters faster and leave them behind before Antarctica’s seas begin to freeze again.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-antarctic-peninsula-credit-mariusz-koper

Among the spectacular, icy landscape of the Antarctic Peninsula

We had no problems adapting to the pace of life at sea. We divided into four pairs, switching the watch every three hours with an extra three hours’ standby below deck. This arrangement gave us time to rest and restore our energy. Each watch was also responsible for the preparation of the main meal of the day.

After 11 days of sailing, still before reaching Antarctica, we saw our first iceberg: they’d accompany us for the next three months. Initially, they were scarce but, a week after entering the Commonwealth Sea, we could see a dozen of them in a six-mile radius.

Sailing off east Antarctica, in the Davis Sea and the Mawson Sea, we were at one time able to count some 100 icebergs in sight. It was a magnificent landscape, and the majestic giant sculptures inspired respect.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-growlers-credit-mariusz-koper

Growlers – chunks of ice showing only one or two metres above the surface – are a bigger threat than the more easily-seen icebergs

It’s easy to spot an iceberg – even in limited visibility an iceberg will send out a clear echo on the radar screen. Growlers pose a bigger threat to a yacht’s safety, and they always drift along with icebergs. This was our main concern, especially when visibility was limited with snowstorms or during the polar nights, which began to lengthen from mid-February.

We crossed the latitude of 60°S on 5 January and the navigation through Antarctica’s waters turned out to be extremely exciting.

We met our first Antarctic storm in the Davis Sea, a storm of such intensity it called the success of our expedition into question. We barely moved for two days. When our boom vang hydraulics failed we had to go into this storm with only a staysail.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-helm-credit-mariusz-koper

Snow and ice covered the boat during the many freezing storms

Winds over 50 knots blasted from the east and forced us to sail upwind. We made so much leeway that, after 24 hours of sailing back and forth, we found ourselves back where we’d started.

We spent the next day drifting in the shadows of an ice pack emerging from behind the Western Ice Shelf. That was our ally, calming down the sea.

We managed to keep our course much closer to the intended heading during the next storms, no matter what the direction of the wind.

Light winds – especially in eastern Antarctica – posed a different sort of challenge. Katharsis II manages quite well in light breezes, despite her weight. But if the wind fell to 4-6 knots, we couldn’t exceed 100 miles a day. Having sailed a third of the course we were concerned that the voyage would take more than 120 days, but fortunately winds picked up at the beginning of February.

The situation at the Weddell Sea was favourable. It let us sail along the latitude of 62°S but we couldn’t avoid encounters with drift ice. There is usually a couple of hundred metres of clean water adjacent to drift ice, but on 25 February we were sailing along an area packed with ice, and when night fell we realised we were surrounded by it.

We turned upwind to slow to about 2-3 knots and, using our infrared camera, we managed to escape the hazard a few hours later. We brushed against the ice several times, but luckily without ramification.

We saw land only twice and both times the encounter was accompanied by stormy conditions. After 38 days of sailing we were waiting out a storm in the shadow of heavily glaciated Balleny Islands, and there we saw penguins for the first time. Until then we’d been occasionally kept company by whales and albatross.

Three weeks later, soon after passing Cape Horn , we saw the majestic Antarctic Peninsula. In the Gerlache Strait part of our main track came off the mast when reefing. In the shadows of the Melchior Islands we managed to replace the damaged track and resume sailing.

sailing-antarctica-southern-ocean-Hobart-leg-credit-mariusz-koper

Being side-swiped by huge cross seas deep in the Southern Ocean

The last storm before closing the loop at the Cosmonauts Sea was one of the worst. The pressure dropped from 960mb to 928mb in a matter of hours. Again we were forced to struggle against adverse winds and endure a dark polar night among icebergs.

I opted for the shortest route that took us through the eye of the storm, and although exhausted from the cold and the snow constantly freezing on our foulies, we found our way out without any damage.

Most of the damaged we did experience we could repair or minimise… except one. We weren’t able to fix our carbon fibre boom, which snapped during a storm 1,000 miles before the finish line at Hobart.

Smashed by the crest of wave that broke over us, coming from a direction opposite to all the others, Katharsis II was side-swiped off course, which led to an uncontrolled crash-gybe. The boom broke, so then we were slowed to sailing under foresails only.

Crew: Mariusz Koper, skipper; Tomasz Grala, first mate; Hanna Leniec, second mate; Michał Barasiński, third mate; Magdalena Żuchelkowska, fourth mate. Watches: Wojtek Małecki, Irek Kamiński, Piotr Kukliński, Robert Kibart.

Circuit accomplished

On 20 March 2018, we completed our circumnavigation round Antarctica. It had taken us a total of 72 days and 6 hours. We made the entire circumnavigation south of the latitude of 62°S, including 25 days of sailing south from the Antarctic Circle. We were filled with a sense of satisfaction and relief. We could begin sailing back towards safer – that is, ice-free – waters.

We reached Hobart on 5 April, after 102 days and 23 hours. Ironically, the stormy weather subsided only after we reached Storm Bay, Tasmania – we needed 18 hours to complete the last 50 nautical miles.

After almost 103 days of isolation in a confined space we returned to civilisation, but not a single crewmember was in a hurry to leave. That spoke of the atmosphere we had in our crew. We were a group of friends who managed to stay friends. And for me that’s one of the most important accomplishments of the voyage.

Katharsis II ’ s circumnavigation was accomplished under World Speed Sailing Record Council rules and was awarded Performance Certificate No54.

About the author

Mariusz Koper, 57, is a Polish entrepreneur and former educational publisher. He has logged 160,000 miles, sailed around the globe, done four polar expeditions and competed in the Sydney Hobart Race.

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37th America's Cup: INEOS TEAM UK and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing become Challenger of Record

The defender, Emirates Team New Zealand, accepted the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing's Notice of Challenge and INEOS have confirmed they will continue to back Sir Ben Ainslie's bid to try and win sport's oldest international trophy

By Emma Thurston

Friday 19 March 2021 09:22, UK

INEOS TEAM UK (Image Credit - Carlo Borlenghi)

Great Britain's quest, and that of Sir Ben Ainslie, to win the America's Cup for the first time will continue as the Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and INEOS TEAM UK have become the Challenger of Record for the 37th edition of the America's Cup.

The Challenger of Record is the yacht club that's formally appointed by the defender of the America's Cup, and then they are represented by a specific team - in this case INEOS TEAM UK.

The Challenger of Record will work together with the defender of the America's Cup to develop the parameters for the forthcoming campaign, before other teams then become part of the competition.

@INEOSTEAMUK and Royal Yacht Squadron Racing are pleased to confirm that the @RNZYS on behalf of the Defender @EmiratesTeamNZ accepted their Notice of Challenge for the 37th @americascup (AC37) and have become the Challenger of Record for AC37. 👇 https://t.co/cVSHdOy4FY pic.twitter.com/4PAbOjyJ9X — Royal Yacht Squadron (@royal_squadron) March 19, 2021

The Challenge letter was signed on March 17, on board the yacht IMAGINE by Bertie Bicket, chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and accepted by Aaron Young, commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club as Emirates Team New Zealand crossed the line to win the 36th America's Cup .

The Royal Yacht Squadron Racing also confirmed they will continue to be represented by INEOS TEAM UK, as INEOS announced they will continue to back Ainslie's team.

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It will be the first time a British team has competed in three consecutive Cup cycles, since Sir Thomas Lipton and the Royal Ulster YC bids between 1899 to 1930.

Dalton: It starts now

Emirates Team New Zealand celebarte with the Auld Mug (Image Credit - ACE 36 | Studio Borlenghi)

With the Challenger of Record confirmed, Grant Dalton, Emirates Team New Zealand CEO, was keen to stress there is no time to lose.

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"The 37th America's Cup effectively starts the moment the team crossed the finish line on Wednesday afternoon," he said.

"It is very exciting to have a new Challenger of Record to continue to build the scale of the America's Cup globally.

"The AC75s and the unprecedented broadcast reach of the exciting racing from Auckland's stunning Waitemata Harbour have really put Auckland and the America's Cup at the forefront of international sport."

Aaron Young, commodore of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Club, Bertie Bicket, chairman of Royal Yacht Squadron Racing and Sir Ben Ainslie, Team Prinicipal of INEOS TEAM UK onboard IMAGINE

Meanwhile, Ainslie, skipper and team principal of INEOS TEAM UK, also shared his excitement about the road ahead and where the next edition of the America's Cup can take sailing.

"INEOS TEAM UK are committed to working alongside Emirates Team New Zealand and our respective yacht clubs to continue the development of this historic event," he said.

The introduction of the AC75 class of yacht has proven to be a transformative moment in the history of the America's Cup and will be the bedrock of a really bright future. Sir Ben Ainslie - Image Credit: COR 36 | Studio Borlenghi

Parameters for 37th America's Cup

INEOS TEAM UK were out on the water and faced Emirates Team New Zealand twice (Image copyright: COR 36 | Studio Borlenghi)

One of the unique features of the America's Cup as a competition is that the defender, in conjunction with the Challenger of Record, set the parameters for the next race.

Together they develop what's known as the 'Class Rule' and all teams will adhere to that throughout an America's Cup campaign. The Class Rule for the 36th America's Cup, which Emirates Team New Zealand just won, included a move to AC75 yachts for the first time.

Already, Emirates Team New Zealand have announced the protocols will be published within eight months and they have already made some elements clear.

The AC75 class of boat, these 75ft foiling monohulls, will remain as the class of yacht used for the next two America's Cup cycles.

Teams will only be allowed to build one new AC75 for the next event, and the venue for the 37th America's Cup Match will be determined within six months.

Both Emirates Team New Zealand and INEOS TEAM UK will also be investigating and agreeing a package of cost reduction measures. The aim being to try and attract a higher number of challengers and help generate new teams.

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Decades of Sailing - The 1940’s
The Story of the 1965 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1967 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1969 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1971 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1973 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1975 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1976 Tahiti Race
The Story of the 1977 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1978 Tahiti Race
The Story of the 1979 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1981 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1983 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1985 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1987 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1989 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1991 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1993 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1994 Tahiti Yacht Race
The Story of the 1995 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1997 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 1999 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 2001 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 2003 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 2005 Centennial Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 2007 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 2008 Tahiti Yacht Race
The Story of the 2009 Transpacific Yacht Race
The Story of the 2011 Transpacific Yacht Race
2011 Bill Lee Interview
The Story of the 2012 Tahiti Race
The Story of the 2013 Transpacific Yacht Race: A Race for Both the Old and the New
The Story of the 2015 Transpacific Yacht Race: An Unusual Race in an El Nino Year
The 2017 Transpac: “Normal” weather returns and with this records fall

Race Records

Transpac’s Historic Highlights
The Essence of the Transpac Race from Those Who Have Conquered It
The Origins of the Transpac Race
The Story of the 2019 Transpacific Yacht Race: Huge Turnout for Anniversary Race
Transpac 51 – An interesting but successful and fast year

LOS ANGELES TO HONOLULU

Elapsed time race records are achieved through a unique combination of circumstances: the limitations on the size and style of boats competing in the race, the steady improvement of yacht design and technology, the skill and efficiency of the crew and the navigator, and of course one of the most important factors of all: the weather.

On any given year of this race on the designated start date, it is the North Pacific weather patterns that will dictate whether or not a race record could be threatened by the first-to-finish contenders entered in the race. These patterns must be in precise alignment to deliver consistent (not necessarily strong) winds over a course track that also minimizes the actual distance raced from Point Fermin to Diamond Head.

With modern technology in weather analysis, boat speed prediction and routing software, the tools are better than ever to deliver more records should these factors line up in future races.

And its important to note the difference between race records and course records: the latter is often faster because a team may await for weeks at any favorable time of year to have the precise alignment of weather needed to have a go at a record run.

One of the longest-standing records in Transpac history (20 years) was set in 1977 by the yacht Merlin , designed by Bill Lee, with an elapsed time of 8 days 11 hours 1 minute and 45 seconds. This was more than just a remarkable time: the feat set off a revolution of interest in light fast offshore-capable yacht design and create a new generation of interest in West Coast offshore racing that would also export itself elsewhere as well.

In the 1997 race Roy P. Disney sailing the family’s turbo-charged Santa Cruz 70 Pyewacket finally broke the race record by getting to Honolulu in 7 days 15 hours 24 minutes and 40 seconds, taking almost a day off Merlin's long lasting time.

In 1999 Roy E. Disney built a new Pyewacket , a 73-foot maxi ultralight yacht designed by Reichel/Pugh which recaptured the record from his son with an elapsed time of 7 days 11 hours 41 minutes and 27 seconds. In recognition of all monohull yachts that may set new race records, Disney commissioned noted designer Andrea Favilli to create a trophy, formally called the Transpac Honolulu Race Elapsed Time Record Trophy , but informally referred to as “the Clock Trophy.”

The record fell once again in 2005, with Germany’s Hasso Plattner racing his maxZ86 Morning Glory , the scratch boat leading a five-boat assault that year on the monohull record. She finished the race in 6 days 16 hours 4 minutes and 11 seconds to win the “ Barn Door " trophy, an elaborately-carved large slab of carved Hawaiian Koa wood traditionally awarded to the monohull with the fastest elapsed time.

Fastest daily runs are also remarkable achievements and worthy of note. On July 7, 2009, New Zealander Neville Crichton and his team on the Reichel/Pugh 100 Alfa Romeo II bested Morning Glory’s record for best day's run set in the 2005 race by sailing 399 nautical miles in 24 hours at an average speed of 16.6 knots. The next two days she broke her own best-day records by sailing 420 nautical miles and then 431 nautical miles (average speed nearly 18 knots).

Also first to finish in 2009, Alfa Romeo II set a Transpac race elapsed-time record of 5 days 14 hours 36 minutes 20 seconds. However, because she uses stored power (a diesel engine) to create the hydraulic pressure needed to move her canting keel, Alfa Romeo II was not eligible for the traditional Barn Door trophy, but instead was the inaugural winner of a new trophy dedicated by Trisha Steele, called the Merlin Trophy . This new trophy started a new tradition in Transpac to recognize the most advanced monohull designs allowed to race.

In that year’s double-handed division, Pegasus 50 , an Owen Clarke-designed Open 50 sailed by Philippe Kahn and Mark Christensen, also set a new record of 7 days 19 hours 38 minutes and 35 seconds. They took 2.5 days off the previous record set in 2001 by Howard Gordon and Jay Crum who also raced an Open 50. Kahn and Christensen pioneered use of an iPhone, with Fullpower-MotionX GPS technology.

In 2017 multiple race records were broken. Jim Clark’s VPLP 100 Comanche skippered by Ken Read set the new Merlin trophy elapsed time record at 5 days 1 hour 55 minutes 26 seconds for an impressive average speed on the course of 18 knots. Comanche also set the best 24-hour distance record at 484.1 nm, a 20.2 knot average speed. The steady conditions in that year’s race also allowed H.L. Enroe’s on his ORMA 60 trimaran Mighty Merloe to set the multihull elapsed time record at 4 days 6 hours 32 minutes 30 seconds, and average speed on the course of 21.7 knots.

In 2019 there were no new records set, but the Barn Door Trophy was re-dedicated to be awarded to the fastest monohull in each race, while the Merlin Trophy was re-dedicated to be awarded to the fastest monohull in the race without stored power.

THE TAHITI RACE

In 2008, Doug Baker, with his four-year-old Magnitude 80 speedster ripped about 3 1/2 days off Kathmandu's 1994 elapsed time record, sailing to Tahiti in 11 days 10 hours 13 minutes 18 seconds (average speed 13.0 knots). He said, "When you have a boat like this, any record is always your goal. It's an adventure, not just a race."

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2024: A Legendary Challenge Awaits

As the 79th edition of the Sydney Hobart approaches, the excitement is palpable. Whether you're a seasoned sailor, an offshore racing enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys the spectacle of high-level competition, the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race promises to deliver thrilling moments, testing the limits of both yachts and crews.

Less than 100 days to go until Sydney to Hobart Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, one of the world’s most iconic and challenging offshore races, is gearing up for its 79th edition, set to begin in less than 100 days on Thursday, 26 December 2024 . This 628-nautical-mile event, known for its unforgiving conditions and competitive spirit, will once again capture the attention of sailors and spectators worldwide. Starting from Sydney Harbour and finishing in Hobart , Tasmania, this annual race represents the pinnacle of blue water sailing and is a testament to endurance, strategy, and seamanship.

The Route: A Grueling Offshore Odyssey

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is renowned not just for its length but for the treacherous nature of the journey. The race begins with a spectacular start on Sydney Harbour at 1300 hrs AEDT , where hundreds of boats jostle for position in front of a cheering crowd. From there, the fleet heads south, navigating the unpredictable conditions of the Bass Strait —a body of water known for its challenging weather, including strong winds, heavy seas, and rapidly changing conditions.

The final stretch down the east coast of Tasmania can be just as tricky, often offering complex tactical decisions as yachts negotiate the Derwent River, where the wind can die down or shift abruptly, impacting the final standings. The combination of distance, weather, and tactical nuances makes the Sydney Hobart race one of the most demanding in the world.

A Legendary Race with Global Prestige

First held in 1945, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has grown to become one of the most prestigious and internationally recognized sailing events. Each year, it draws competitors from around the globe, from professional sailors aboard cutting-edge maxis to passionate amateur crews in smaller vessels. The event has a storied history of drama, triumphs, and challenges, which has cemented its place as a must-do race for sailors seeking adventure and achievement.

Many yachts in the 2024 race will vie for the coveted Tattersall Cup , awarded to the overall winner on corrected time under the IRC rating system. Meanwhile, line honors, which go to the first yacht to cross the finish line, are another fiercely contested prize. The battle between supermaxis—60-foot-plus yachts designed for speed—always provides a thrilling spectacle.

The 2024 Fleet: A Diverse and Competitive Lineup

Entries for the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race have already opened, and sailors from around the world are eager to test their skills in this renowned event. The fleet will feature a diverse mix of yachts, from high-tech racing machines to seasoned offshore cruisers, each bringing their own strengths and strategies to the table. As of now, several prominent yachts have registered, and anticipation is building for a competitive race to Hobart.

Supermaxis like Comanche , Wild Oats XI , and Black Jack are expected to be among the top contenders for line honors, while a host of smaller and older boats, racing with experienced crews, will be in contention for overall victory on corrected time. These boats face the same course and conditions as the supermaxis, making for exciting and unpredictable results.

Key Challenges: Weather and Strategy

While the Sydney Hobart race has seen technological advancements in yacht design and navigation, the one constant challenge remains the weather. The Bass Strait is notorious for delivering fierce winds and rough seas, and many past editions of the race have been marked by storms that push yachts and crews to their limits. Strategic decisions—such as where to place the boat relative to wind shifts, when to change sails, and how to approach the unpredictable Derwent River in the race’s final stages—can make or break a campaign.

The 2024 edition is likely to be no different, with weather playing a pivotal role in determining both the speed of the race and the eventual winner. Sailors will be closely watching the forecasts, making real-time decisions on everything from sail selection to positioning.

A Spectacle for Spectators

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is not just a challenge for those on the water—it’s also a major event for spectators. The dramatic start on Sydney Harbour draws large crowds, both onshore and on the water, as hundreds of boats vie for the best positions to watch the action unfold. The sight of yachts racing out through the Sydney Heads , with spinnakers flying, is an unforgettable moment for those watching.

As the race progresses, many will follow the fleet’s progress through live tracking , as yachts make their way towards Hobart. For those in Hobart , the atmosphere is electric, as crowds gather at Constitution Dock to welcome the first boats in, often amid jubilant celebrations.

Looking Ahead: The 79th Edition and Beyond

As the 79th edition of the Sydney Hobart approaches, the excitement is palpable. Whether you’re a seasoned sailor, an offshore racing enthusiast, or someone who simply enjoys the spectacle of high-level competition, the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race promises to deliver thrilling moments, testing the limits of both yachts and crews.

In the face of challenges like tough weather, strategic gambles, and tight competition, this year’s race is sure to add another chapter to the legend of one of the world’s greatest offshore challenges. Will the current record-breaking times fall? Can a new boat or crew rise to the occasion and claim victory? Only time—and the Bass Strait—will tell.

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Catch all the action of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup , happening from 22 Aug to 27 Oct 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Follow along with excitement at Boating New Zealand .

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Sports | The Audible: Shohei Ohtani’s MVP chances,…

Sports | The Audible: Shohei Ohtani’s MVP chances, Mike Trout’s future, and so long, Woj

Columnists jim alexander and mirjam swanson discuss some of the week's sports issues.

The apologists for the Mets’ Francisco Lindor can continue their case that a DH shouldn’t win an MVP award, but Thursday in Miami, the day Ohtani established the 51-51 club, should have settled the issue. Ohtani’s day: Six hits, three home runs, two steals, 10 RBI, 17 total bases, in a 20-4 Dodgers victory over the Marlins … which, by the way, clinched a postseason berth with nine games to play. (And he almost hit for the cycle.)

Sometimes these come out of nowhere. In the first 16 games of September he was hitting .234 with an OPS of .803, below his season-long numbers of .297 and .978, and – to this untrained but experienced eye – seemed to be chasing pitches he shouldn’t in the quest for history. He’d had three homers in those 16 games and 15 hits in those 16 games.

The argument against – much of it presumably coming from those who are lobbying for Lindor – is that Ohtani is a full-time DH and a full-time DH has never won an MVP and never should. (This even though in most cases, MVP voters don’t take defensive metrics into account anyway.)

One counterpoint I heard was that Ohtani isn’t playing in the defensive half of the inning because he can’t, and that if it weren’t for his recovery from a second Tommy John surgery in five seasons he would be pitching as well as hitting, the circumstances under which he won his first two MVPs with the Angels. Not his fault, in other words. (And he might wind up pitching before this season’s over anyway, given the state of Dodger pitching health.)

Does – should – defense matter in this case? I think that question is moot after Thursday’s events.

Mirjam Swanson: Should it and does it and has it are all different steps in the same dance, I guess.

Didn’t Ohtani just lose the American League MVP race to Aaron Judge a couple of years ago – and handily, by a vote of 28-2 – because Judge’s offensive exploits were so magnificent? The American League-record 62 home runs? Never mind that Ohtani didn’t just play defense, he pitched – and pitched well! (15-9 with 219 strikeouts in 166 innings that season for the Angels?)

I believe voters also took into account the Yankees’ place in the standings in 2022 – first, with a record of 99-63, vs. the Angels’ mediocre 73-89 record that left them outside of the playoffs again.

So here we are this year and Ohtani is an offensive player only, putting up monster numbers – making history – and the conversation has shifted, it would seem, to how much more valuable a good shortstop having a great season is vs. someone who’s done something historic offensively for a first-place team?

I get the argument. But I wonder whether there’s crossover between people who argued on Judge’s behalf and who are now arguing on Lindor’s? ‘Cause it seems slightly hypocritical.

I think they’ve got to give it to Ohtani, and I hope they do, because A) he’s been so incredibly valuable at the top of the lineup for a banged-up Dodgers club and B) I don’t want to have to explain to future generations of baseball fans why the greatest player ever only has however few MVP awards instead of a whole yacht full of them.

Jim: There’s not usually that much overlap between Mets partisans/apologists and Yankees partisans/apologists, but that is an interesting point. (And trust me, east coast bias is alive and well.)

Meanwhile, we have the case of Ohtani’s former teammate in Anaheim who spoke to the media this week for the first time in a while. Mike Trout – at one time a surefire Hall of Famer, at one time arguably the consensus best player in the game – is on the back nine of his career at age 33, and after a series of injury-interrupted seasons he acknowledged he will likely have to change positions , either to left or right field or full-time DH. First base seems less of an option if Nolan Schanuel can hold down the position.

Two meniscus injuries this season continued Trout’s streak of bad injury luck over the past few seasons. A calf injury in 2021, a back issue that kept him out for five weeks in 2022 and a broken bone in his hand in 2023 limited him to, respectively, 36, 119 and 82 games in those seasons. This year, he will have played in 29 games. And with six seasons and $248.15 million remaining on his contract … well, the deeper we get into the 12-year, $426.5 million deal Arte Moreno gave him in 2019, the worse it looks. Especially for a franchise that has become a dumpster fire over what is now a full decade of non-playoff seasons.

I wrote this earlier in the summer, but it bears repeating: Do you ever wonder how this might have turned out for Trout if he hadn’t been so darned loyal to the Angels?

Mirjam: It hasn’t worked out for anyone, honestly. But what can you do? Trout’s greatness is undeniable, we’ve witnessed his immense talent, we believe in it because we’ve seen it with our own eyes. If he’d been healthy any of these recent seasons, maybe the Angels do sneak into the playoffs? Or … maybe not.

Injuries just suck. And some guys just can’t avoid them.

Following Trout feels a lot like following the Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard – two absolute game-changing superstars when they’re on the field/court, who just can’t get right physically. As soon as they’re almost back or just back from one thing, it’s another. Leonard, though, hasn’t only played for the Clippers – he won titles in San Antonio and Toronto, so while we’ll always wonder what could have been for Trout, Leonard’s legacy will be that of a two-time champion.

I had to look this up, because I remember seeing somewhere that Kawhi was a fan of Trout’s, and I was right – back in 2019, when Leonard was still with the Raptors, MLB’s Twitter account posted a video of the NBA star recording video of the Angels’ star at-bat, captioning it: “Kawhi Leonard is focused on Mike Trout, per source.”

Which, of course, is an ode to ESPN’s NBA newsbreaker Adrian Wojnarowski, who announced this week that he’s leaving journalism to become the general manager of the basketball team at St. Bonaventure University , his alma mater.

What did you make of that Woj Bomb, Jim?

Jim: My first thought when I heard the news Wednesday: “Shams wins.”

That would be Shams Charania of The Athletic (and FanDuel), Wojnarowski’s rival in the business of breaking NBA news. Interesting post from Tyler Conway, former Bleacher Report correspondent, on X this morning: “btw for anyone who ever thought the Woj-Shams beef wasn’t real, it’s been 24+ hours since Woj announced his retirement and not even a mention of mutual respect from Shams despite the fact Woj mentored him.”

We will miss those Woj Bombs the most on and around July 1, the start of the NBA’s business year. But I get why he decided for a less hectic (?) lifestyle as the general manager of the men’s basketball program at his alma mater. (Which, to be sure, is much different than being the GM of a professional organization. In college basketball, this seems to have more to do with fundraising, managing NIL matters, keeping track of the transfer portal and the like, besides which the GM reports to the head coach rather than vice versa.)

But no longer will he need to be on or near his mobile phone 24/7/365 just in case something happens. The key words in his announcement on X were these: “I understand the commitment required in my role and it’s an investment I’m no longer driven to make. Time isn’t in endless supply, and I want to spend mine in ways that are more personally meaningful.”

Who among us, as much as we love what we do in this business, hasn’t thought that at one time or another? The trick is to make sure the work-life balance isn’t overwhelming in one direction or the other. In this case, Woj decided it had, become so, and I get it.

Mirjam: I’ll say this, the work Woj did with the NBA made the average basketball fan care more about minor transactions than anyone before.

Reading, say, “USC forward Drew Peterson has agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract with the Miami Heat, source tells ESPN” on June 22, 2023, hit different when you’re reading it via a tweet from Woj than if you saw it in small print in the paper or at the end of a Heat beat writer’s notebook.

While we might be explaining to future generations why Ohtani didn’t have more MVP awards, we’ll definitely be describing what it was like to get those notifications for all of Woj’s tweets back in the day, too.

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Ohtani homers in his last three at-bats and steals two bases on Thursday in Miami, collecting a career-high six hits and 10 RBIs on the day his team clinched a spot in the postseason for the first time in his career.

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OBSTACLE COURSE RACING

Precious Cabuya (PHI) 31.521 seconds 25 August 2024, OCR World Championships Costa Rica

Isaiah Thomas (USA) 24.353 seconds watch his run! 25 August 2024, OCR World Championships Costa Rica

Please email the Competitions Committee for the standardised OCR 100m course specification [email protected] .

Video courtesy of Obstacle Formula , approved and preferred provider for certified courses.

Courses layout and obstacle builds must meet strict specifications to be certified for records. Details are in the document downloads below. Contact Obstacle Formula for pricing.

Altitude OCR

The highest altitude obstacle course race is 5,714 m (18,746.72 ft) achieved at the Altitude OCR World Championships on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania on 19 September 2021, by Ian Adamson, Jason Stanley, Luke Hepworth, Parker Schamehorn (AUS), Kristina Madsen (DEN), David Pickles, Robert Edmond, Rachel King, Toby Sprakes, Jamin Heppell, Emily Walker, Emma Newcomb, (GBR), Gada Shaikli (IRQ), Zaynab Jogi, Kam Kaur (INA), Sandi Menchi Abahan, Silamie Gutang, Monolito Divina, Elias Tabac, Thumbie Remigo (PHI), Nikki Caromba, Marco Caromba (RSA), Segei Alipov, Seva Alipov (RUS), Urs Mosimann (SUI), Heidi Williams, Cheyenne Doig, David Ashley, Alvin Arzadon, Daniel Turner, Yara Alves, Donna Boots, Victor Dragano (USA), and Mussa Michael Mwakyusa (TAN)

View the Highest Altitude Obstacle Course Race Guinness World Record .

The greatest ascent and descent on an obstacle course race is 3,019 m (9,904 ft / 1.87 miles) achieved at the Altitude OCR World Championships from Lukla, Nepal to Mt. Kalapata from 10-11 November 2022 by Ian Adamson (AUS), Michel Grenier, Chantal Lacasse and Jason Desaulniers (CAN), Robert Edmond, Becky Neal, David Pickles, Emily Walker and Philip Clark (GBR), Konstantinos Michos (GRE), Szilard Ferencsik (HUN), Kam Kaur (IND), Anima Sherpa (NEP), Ailene Tolentino, Sandi Menchi, Andrico Mahilum and Thumbie Remigio (PHI), Thomas Basson (RSA), Charlie Engle, Steven Kaufman, Alex Miller, Cheyenne Doig, Michael Linnane, Yara Alves, Amy Remington, Aliyah Emas, Christopher Hoover, Donna Boots, David Berkoff, Dan Charko and Jason Perkins (USA)

View the Guinness World Record .

Obstacle Fitness Class

The highest altitude fitness class is 5,714 m (18746.72 ft) achieved at an event organised by World’s Highest OCR & World Obstacle on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania on 19 September 2021.

View the Highest Altitude Fitness Class Guinness World Record .

Nathaniel Sanchez, Jeffrey Reginio, Diana Buhler and Keilah Rodriguez (PHI) 1 minutes 59.56 seconds SEA Games – Manila Philippines 2019

Mixed Team Assist

Monolito Divina, Kyle Antolin, Deanne Moncada and Kaizen Dela Serna (PHI) 3 minutes 48.35 seconds SEA Games – Manila Philippines 2019

4.0M ROPE CLIMB

Single ascent – women.

4.32 seconds: Mhick Tejares (PHI) and Sarah Lim (PHI)

1 minute Multiple Ascents – Women

7 ascents / 57.0 seconds: Precious Que (PHI)

5 minutes Multiple Ascents – Women

15 ascents / 4:57 seconds: Kat Santos (PHI)

Single Ascent – Men

2.23 seconds: Kevin Pascua (PHI)

1 minute Multiple Ascents – Men

9 ascents / 48.9 seconds: Mark Julius Rodelas (PHI)

5 minutes Multiple Ascents – Men

25 ascents / 5:00 minutes: Manolito Divina (PHI)

Single Ascent – Youth U12

6.24 seconds: Gavin Ti (PHI)

1 minute Multiple Ascents – Youth U12

5 ascents / 56.0 seconds: Gavin Ti (PHI)

5 minutes Multiple Ascents – Youth U12

6.0m (11) monkey bars, single lap – women.

3.51 seconds: Rochelle Suarez (PHI)

1 minute Set Time – Women

7 laps / 57.93 seconds: Rochelle Suarez (PHI)

5 Minute Set Time – Women

20 laps / 4:55 minutes: Rochelle Suarez (PHI)

Single Lap – Male

2.67 seconds: Nathaniel Sanchez (PHI)

1 minute Set Time – Men

8 laps / 54.2 seconds: Mark Juliaus Rodelas (PHI)

Farthest Distance on Monkey Bars in One Minute

The Guinness World Record for the farthest distance travelled on monkey bars in one minute is 54.50 m (178.80 ft), and was achieved by Olivia Vivian (Australia), in Perth, Australia, on 8 January 2021. Olivia is the Ninja World Champion, World Record Holder and an artistic gymnast who competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics as well as multiple World Championships.

5 Minute Set Time – Men

30 laps / 4:51 minutes: Nathaniel Sanchez (PHI)

Single Lap – Youth U12

9.29 seconds: Gavin Ti (PHI)

1 minute Set Time – Youth U12

5 laps / 59.68 seconds: Gavin Ti (PHI)

5 Minute Set Time – Youth U12

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Report 11 Aug 2013

Report: men’s 100m final – moscow 2013.

For once Usain Bolt had no need to call down the thunder from the sky. Just before the start of the men’s 100m final, a thunderstorm brought the special effects in for him.

Indeed, at the start, Bolt mimed holding up an umbrella as the rain tumbled down. It was just pantomime – as it turned out, Usain Bolt needed no protection, not from the weather, not from anyone else as he raced to his second World Championships gold medal at 100m.

Bolt ran down the wet Luzhniki Stadium track in 9.77 seconds. It was a Russian all-comers’ record, his season’s best but, more importantly, a metre better than anyone else could throw at him. Justin Gatlin took second place in 9.85 while Nesta Carter made it two medals for Jamaica by finishing third in 9.95.

Bolt just might like the rain. The weather was nowhere near as dire, but it was reminiscent of his 2009 performance in Lausanne where he ran 19.59 seconds for 200 metres. Wet or dry, he is hard to beat.

The first five broke 10 seconds, Kemar Bailey-Cole and Nickel Ashmeade – both 9.98 – making it four in the first five for Jamaica. Seventh-placed Christophe Lemaitre could have been the sixth had he not suffered what appeared to be a foot injury 10 metres before the line. Mike Rodgers passed him as he hopped across the line.

James Dasaolu, who showed his potential with a 9.91 in the semis at the UK Championships and 9.97 in the semi-finals here in Moscow, finished last but confirmed his potential by making the final.

It was vintage Bolt. His start was not perfect, just pretty good. Only Gatlin alongside him and the fast-starting Carter, two lanes to his outside, led him. Neither enjoyed the sort of advantage to put Bolt under pressure.

If Bolt is behind you at 50 metres, he will probably catch you. If he is ahead, forget it. He looked to have a little in reserve as he relaxed and flowed through to the finish line. Gatlin, with a win over Bolt this season at the Rome IAAF Diamond League meeting, was obviously the man who might beat him, but a relaxed Bolt in the final stages is never going to be beaten.

Bolt put behind him the nightmare false-start in the final in Daegu two years ago which saw him default his title to teammate Yohan Blake. Blake was absent injured from Moscow, but there is little doubt the result would have been the same had he been here.

Since he broke through to win the Beijing 2008 Olympic title, Bolt now has eight of the nine global sprint titles in which he has competed. Beijing and Berlin brought sprint doubles with all four races won in World record times; in Daegu he bounced back from his 100m disaster to win the 200m; London brought a second Olympic double and it is hard to see how he can be stopped from winning a second World double in Moscow.

He has now extended his span of domination in the 100m to five years, a match for pretty well any other sprinter in history. Carl Lewis did better in one aspect, winning every global title at 100m from the first World Championships in Helsinki in 1983 through to Tokyo in 1991, but Bolt has an edge for impact. His 9.69 in Beijing and 9.58 in Berlin took the event to a new dimension.

Such considerations hardly matter now. Bolt remains firmly on top of the world 100m scene. Although the rain stopped soon after the race concluded, he had earned the right to go home singing.

Len Johnson for the IAAF

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