2017 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

2017 ROLEX SYDNEY TO HOBART YACHT RACE REMARKS BY HER EXCELLENCY PROFESSOR THE HONOURABLE KATE WARNER AC GOVERNOR OF TASMANIA HOTEL GRAND CHANCELLOR, SUNDAY 31 DECEMBER 2017 Thank you for inviting my husband, Dick, and me to the presentation of trophies for the 2017 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race. May I begin by paying my respects to the Mouhaneener People, their community, and elders past, present and future, as the original and continuing custodians of the land on which we meet. This is the fourth year that I have attended this ceremony and I must say it is a great privilege. Like so many others, we follow the race with great interest every year from the always spectacular Boxing Day start to the end of the race here in Hobart. The race has changed dramatically since that first cruise which turned into a race between four yachts in 1945. Now, with the 72nd race in 2017, it has for some time been internationally recognised as one of the three classic blue-water ocean races — the others being the Rolex Fastnet Race in the UK and the Newport Bermuda Race along the east coast of the US. And yet, ours remains an egalitarian event at least in the sense that it attracts yachts as small as the 30 footers, such as Maluka and as big as the 100 footers. As usual, on Boxing Day, we watched the always spectacular start on television to see who would be first out of the Heads. This year it was it was Black Jack but behind her it was the manoeuvering between LDV Comanche and Wild Oats XI that caused Comanche to put up the red protest flag. So began a duel between these two yachts with Comanche slightly in the lead on Tuesday evening. Again this year, it was an incredibly fast race. Last year the record was broken by three boats but this year with a strong north-easterly behind the fleet until the leaders entered the Derwent, five yachts finished inside the record. With the very light winds in the Derwent favouring Wild Oats XI, she crossed the line 26 minutes ahead of Comanche. Dick and I were among the crowd on Castray Esplanade, peering into the gloom to watch the first two boats cross the finish line. However, the one hour penalty awarded by the International Jury meant 2 that the 2017 Rolex Sydney Hobart was Comanche’s second line honours win rather than Wild Oats X1’s ninth. Eighth across the line at 8.10 on Thursday morning was Matt Allen’s brand new TP52 Ichi Ban, the first of the fifty footers, just ahead of Quest, putting Ichi Ban in an excellent position as the handicap winner. It was great to see the camaraderie between these two boats as Quest berthed and the crews cheered each other. So it was an incredibly fast, wet and exciting race for the leaders surfing down the waves but I understand this does not mean it was easy sailing, and with such high speeds, safety can be a concern. Crew can be injured and spinnakers can blow out and there were many blown out on this trip – I read that Ichi Ban lost two and was on its third spinnaker with none in reserve. Last year I know, many of the competitors saw very little if anything of the stunning Tasmanian coastline on the way here, shrouded as it was in sea mist; this year however, it must have been a beautiful run for those who had time to look! Dick and I have had a wonderful time walking around the docks, and being part of the welcoming crowd. And we were there to see Oskana, the first Tassie boat over the line and admired the beautiful Kialoa II, the 1971 line honours winner, which arrived safely on Friday evening despite breaking its boom in Bass Strait, and the elegant Dorade, built in 1929. It is wonderful to see so many international crews, 22 this year including 11 Clipper 70s from Great Britain, all of which finished on Friday afternoon between 4.30 and 6pm with Sanya Serenity Coast first across the line. I am full of admiration for the courage and persistence of all of the competitors and also for the sportsmanship displayed by crews particularly in the face of disappointments such as in the case of Wild Oats X1. So we both want to congratulate all of the sailors who have stepped up to compete in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht race, wherever they have finished. Congratulations to LDV Comanche for taking line honours, and for holding the new record. What a wonderful memory for owner Jim Cooney and his crew, which included Jim’s children James and Julia as trimmers. I understand that Julia has made history as the youngest female on a line honours winner. 3 And congratulations to Handicap winner Ichi Ban, skippered by Matt Allen in his 28th Sydney to Hobart, who also claimed the record for the fastest conventionally ballasted (fixed keel) yacht in history and the fastest yacht under 55 feet. This year has surely made up for being becalmed on the Derwent for five hours last year. To Rolex, sponsor of the race since 2002, I say thank you for your support of this event. The magnificent watches presented to the winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart are a fitting and lasting memento of their achievements. And last, but certainly not least, I must thank all of the organisers, volunteers and staff who have made this year’s Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race such a success. It is an enormous undertaking and I congratulate you all on a job well done. Thank you again for inviting me to participate in this wonderful event. .

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