This year marks 80 years of one of the world’s greatest ocean races, and as the sailing world turns its eyes toward Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, anticipation is building for a truly historic edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
The iconic 628-nautical-mile journey from Sydney to Constitution Dock in Hobart remains one of offshore sailing’s most formidable challenges, a test of seamanship, endurance, and teamwork that continues to draw both elite competitors and dedicated Corinthian sailors year after year.
The 2024 race will long be remembered for its mix of remarkable achievement and profound sadness. Doyle-powered yachts delivered an outstanding performance, with Christian Beck’s LawConnect securing back-to-back line honours, while VOR70 Celestial, chartered by CYCA Commodore Sam Haynes, claimed the prestigious Tattersall Cup as overall winner. Both teams raced with full Doyle Sails inventories, underscoring the reliability and performance of Doyle technology on the sport’s biggest stage.
However, the tragic loss of two sailors cast a shadow over last year’s results, a sobering reminder of the seriousness of the challenge that lies ahead. As the 2025 fleet readies itself, the focus is firmly on safety, seamanship, and respect for the race and those who take it on.
Looking ahead, Doyle Sails is poised for another significant year. Yachts from five Australian states, New Zealand, New Caledonia, and the USA have chosen Doyle Sails for their 2025 campaigns. Ensuring a strong Doyle presence across the fleet, from competitive double-handed teams, seasoned campaigners, first-timers and right through to 100-foot maxi LawConnect, once again tipped as a line honours contender.
Across all divisions, sailors continue to trust Doyle Sails’ innovation, reliability, and the ‘by sailors, for sailors’ ethos. With an increasingly competitive fleet, this year’s race promises to be one of the most exciting in recent memory.
The journey to Hobart is shaped by months of preparation, including the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Blue Water Pointscore Series, which provides crews with valuable offshore miles to refine crew work, optimise sail inventories, and sharpen navigation. Last weekend’s Australian Maxi Championship offered one final opportunity for the biggest and fastest yachts to line up before Boxing Day. With several Doyle-powered Maxis on the start line, the event gave a glimpse of the battles likely to unfold on the race south.
Our Doyle Sails team has worked closely with teams to ensure sails are designed, built, and delivered ahead of this bucket-list race. Many of these experts have been sailing with their customers in the lead-up and will be on the start line, integrated into these teams as the race day unfolds.
As the starting gun draws near for the 80th anniversary edition, one thing remains unchanged: the Rolex Sydney to Hobart stands as a defining test in world sailing. Doyle Sails is proud to power a diverse and talented fleet taking on the Great Race South.
Track the race here // https://www.rolexsydneyhobart.com/race/2025/tracker/
ABOUT DOYLE SAILS // Doyle Sails strives to deliver success through high-performance, high-quality, custom sails that continue to redefine the boundaries of sailmaking technology and innovation; whilst connecting sailors to inspire, support and encourage sailing.
Our obsession with sailing takes us to every corner of the world and onboard every yacht. We become part of teams, share in the adventures of friends and families, sharing our knowledge and experience with those with the same passion. Sailing is in our DNA, and we are the custodians of a legacy that has been supporting sailors for four decades and counting.