A new international player has emerged as a threat in October’s Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A) sponsored by Harken. US yachtsman Bryon Ehrhart has entered his Juan Kouyoumdjian 88 designed Lucky, known for a slew of line honours, overall wins, and race records.
The benchmark race record for the S2A stands at 5 days, 3 hours, 37 minutes, 57 seconds, set by Geoff Hill’s Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes, during the inaugural race in 2023.
Uhrhart, representing the New York Yacht Club, expressed his enthusiasm for the race: “Lucky is very much looking forward to joining the race to Auckland from Sydney and thanks to the yacht club (Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club) for organising such an interesting race.” He added, “We have looked at this race since its inauguration a few years ago and really wanted to do it.”
Although this will be Ehrhart’s first major ocean race out of Sydney Harbour, Lucky is no stranger to Australian waters. The yacht previously competed in the 2015 Rolex Sydney Hobart, finishing third after a close contest with Comanche and Ragamuffin 100.
Lucky’s main competition will be Grant Wharington’s 100ft Wild Thing from Queensland. While Wild Thing has a size advantage, Lucky’s recent rig upgrade will be put to the test over the 1250 nautical miles of this fully crewed race.
In 2025, Lucky (formerly Rambler 88) achieved monohull line honours in the RORC Transatlantic Race, setting a new record of 7 days, 20 hours, 34 minutes, and 41 seconds, beating Comanche’s 2022 record by 1 hour and 25 minutes. The yacht also won the Barn Door Trophy for being the first monohull to finish the Transpac Race.
Following the S2A race, Lucky will remain in New Zealand for the Pic Coastal Classic, with plans to carry youth sailors on board, as part of a programme initiated by Ehrhart. This initiative aims to provide young sailors with opportunities to move into other ocean racing ventures.
Built in 2014, Lucky was designed for competitive racing against larger yachts. With her sophisticated carbon structure and advanced design elements, she is well-suited for the conditions expected in the S2A.
The biannual S2A race starts at 1 pm on 11 October 2025 from Sydney Harbour. Entries for the race, co-hosted by New Zealand’s Royal Akarana Yacht Club, are still open. For detailed information, including entry and Notice of Race, please visit: www.sydneytoauckland.com.
For further enquiries regarding the race, please contact Race Director, Nick Elliott on +61 2 9998-3700 or email: nick.elliott@rpayc.com.au.
Di Pearson/Sydney to Auckland media
Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/royalprincealfredyachtclub/
Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rpayc/
#SydneyToAuckland #OceanRace #SailingAustralia
More Offshore Sailing stories: Click here
