Bryon Ehrhart’s Lucky from the USA has taken line honours in the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s 1250 nautical mile Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A), obliterating the record set by Geoff Hill’s Antipodes (HKG).
Lucky, crewed by some of the best yachtsmen on the planet, including Kiwi sailors led by Brad Butterworth, finished the race at 9:20:27.26 am AEDT, completing the journey in 2 days, 20 hours, 27 minutes, and 7 seconds.
The grand prix racing yacht achieved this remarkable time, beating the previous record by 2 days, 7 hours, 10 minutes, and 50 seconds, after averaging close to 19 knots and exceeding 20 knots across the Tasman Sea.
Ehrhart and the crew, which also included Australian sailors, executed a textbook race in predominantly downwind and reaching conditions.
From the dock at Royal Akarana Yacht Club, Ehrhart stated, “The forecast worked out to suit our boat best, which helps win events like this. I couldn’t ask for a better forecast and thank you for it.” On the challenges faced during the race, he remarked, “I think we just had a good race; I didn’t think it was anything as hard as those boats behind us. We stayed ahead of the front and there was good camaraderie on board. We had a lower level of fixable breakages too.”
Discussing the conditions, Ehrhart mentioned, “This race had a lot of hard reaching in it and I hope we get more of that in the Sydney Hobart. I think this race was good training for that.” He noted that frequent maintenance is essential for these boats to perform optimally during races.
Lucky averaged strong speeds throughout, with Ehrhart recording a personal best of 26½ knots during the race. He praised both yacht clubs for their efforts in hosting the event and for creating a memorable experience for the crew.
After finishing, Ehrhart’s first priority was changing into dry clothing, followed by plans to enjoy a warmer place and share a drink with his crew.
Despite the race’s success, Ehrhart does not regard Lucky as his best boat, saying, “I’ve had lots of good sailing boats. I’ve loved them all. This race is a special moment for this yacht.”
Lucky’s crew included: Owner Bryon Ehrhart (USA), Brad Butterworth (NZL), Dean Phipps (NZL), Juan Vila (ESP), Joca Signorini (BRA), Jerry Kirby (USA), Antonio Cuervas Mons (ESP), Brian Giorgio (USA), Daniel Morris (USA), Shawn O’Neill (USA), Jonathan Clough (NZL), Jono Rankine (NZL), Rodney Daniel (AUS), Sam Mason (GBR), Scott Beavis (NZL), Will McCarthy (AUS), Stuart Wilson (GBR), and Liam Woulfe (AUS).
Lucky (ex-Rambler 88) was the last entrant in the second running of the S2A race, and it proved to be a fortunate decision. The Juan K 88’s victories in this race add to her impressive 2025 achievements, including monohull line honours in both the RORC Transatlantic Race, setting a new record of 7 days, 20 hours, 34 minutes, and 41 seconds, and the Caribbean 600.
Antipodes and Mick Martin’s 2023 overall winner, Frantic, are the next expected finishers, still over 500 nautical miles away.
The RPAYC Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, sponsored by Harken and Palm Beach Motor Yachts, commenced at Watsons Bay on Sydney Harbour, co-hosted by RPAYC and New Zealand’s RAYC.
Enthusiasts can follow the fleet’s every move via the Yellow Brick tracker at: https://pro.yb.tl/S2AOR25 or download the Yellow Brick app.
For all information on the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, please visit: www.sydneytoauckland.com
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