Former champions, four 100-foot maxis and last year’s history-making Overall winner headline a powerful fleet for the 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart.
With 107 yachts confirmed at the starting line, the 81st Rolex Sydney Hobart is gearing up to start in Sydney Harbour on Boxing Day, December 26. The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), the race organizer, announced that entries have officially closed and that the fleet brings together ocean racing stars, seasoned competitors, rising talent, and passionate amateurs for one of the world’s most iconic sporting challenges. The entry list features several former overall and Line Honours winners, 18 double-handed entries, and eight international boats, all preparing for the grueling journey south to Hobart.
One of the centerpiece events of the regatta is the speed battle down Australia’s east coast, where four 100-foot maxis will clash for top honors across the finish line:
- LawConnect – Christian Beck
- Loyal – Anthony Bell
- Palm Beach XI – Mark Richards
- Wild Thing 100 – Grant Wharington
Three of the four contenders have already lifted the Illingworth Challenge Cup, awarded to the first boat to cross the finish line in Hobart. The fleet will have the opportunity to test their speed at the 2026 Australian Maxi Championship from December 4 to 8, before turning their focus to the Boxing Day start. Also entering the fray is Matt Allen—2025 Line Honours winner and four-time overall winner—sailing Ichi Ban, a Volvo 70 formerly known as Willow and Celestial V70 (the 2024 overall winner).
The Tattersall Cup, awarded to the overall winner on IRC handicap, remains wide open. Last year, Jiang Lin made history as the first woman and the first double-handed entry to claim the trophy, proving that determination, teamwork, and tactical execution can overcome larger vessels in the Rolex Sydney Hobart. This year, she returns to defend her title alongside co-skipper Alexis Loison aboard her new JPK 10.50, Min River, aiming for back-to-back victories. The opportunity to acquire the boat arose while she was in France. This will mark her sixth participation in the race, having been a CYCA member for nearly a decade.
The hunt for the Tattersall Cup features several other high-profile contenders:
- Alive: The Tasmanian R/P66—two-time overall winner in 2018 and 2023—returns with Duncan Hines at the helm and renowned navigator Adrienne Cahalan.
- Love & War: The classic veteran and three-time overall winner, which finished third overall last year, returns to add another chapter to its storied history.
- Back 2 Black: Sean Langman’s G/P42, winner of the 2026 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast overall title and an Admiral’s Cup contender.
- Five TP52s: Including Sebastian Bohm’s Smuggler and David Doherty’s Islero (formerly Caro), bringing deep handicap competition to the division.
The rapidly expanding Double Handed division features 18 entries, including Lin’s Min River, Rupert Henry’s Mistral, and Jules Hall’s Disko Trooper. In addition, 13 female owners or skippers are entering the race—including Elizabeth Tucker aboard First Light, competing double-handed this year—highlighting the diversity across the fleet. The Rolex Sydney Hobart remains far more than just an offshore race: it is a test against some of the world’s toughest ocean conditions, a spirit of adventure, and the camaraderie of crews crossing the finish line exhausted yet exultant.
