As the official presentation ceremony of the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A) began at 12pm (NZDT), two yachts remained at sea, deprived of breeze but enriched by magical experiences. Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) Commodore, Rob McClelland, announced the date for the next edition of the race.
“I’m delighted to confirm that the next Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race will start on October 10, 2027,” the Commodore stated from race co-host, Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC).
The top three overall were announced as Lucky (Bryon Ehrhart, USA), Frantic (Michael Martin, NSW) and Antipodes (Geoff Hill, HKG), who crossed the finish line in that order.
“As we celebrate the race, there’s a duel unfolding between Wings and Cooloola, both still out there showing incredible persistence and seamanship. They remind us that finishing this race, in any time, is an achievement to be proud of,” he added.
Wings and Cooloola were expected to arrive during daylight today, but conditions have delayed their finish. Wings is now likely to complete the race after 10.30pm (AEDT) tonight, with Cooloola expected to finish in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Crew members shared their experiences this morning.
On Ian Edwards’ Dehler 46, Wings, an all-women watch reported a challenging night with no wind for hours. “The most excitement was provided by some dolphins and a seal playing around the boat yesterday,” reported Jana Com. “We have less than 100nm to go. It feels like we’re so close – yet so far in the current conditions!”
On Cooloola, Lisa Denvir described the last 24 hours as very challenging, dealing with intermittent wind and a generator failure, forcing the crew to heat food on the engine. “We’ve seen seals, a fin whale and a baby one… As we drift towards Auckland, at least we still have coffee and music,” she concluded.
At 11.30am (AEDT), Wings was making 7.3 knots with 79nm to the finish and an estimated time of arrival of approximately 10.30pm tonight. Cooloola was travelling at 7.2 knots with 90nm left, expected to arrive around 1.16am tomorrow morning.
During the presentation, Commodore McClelland addressed those gathered, stating, “This 1250 nautical mile race demands courage, seamanship, teamwork, and determination – and every one of you who set sail from Sydney has demonstrated that.”
He highlighted two key achievements from this year’s event: Lucky’s record-setting time of 2 days, 20 hours, 27 minutes, 7 seconds, and the continued rivalry between yachts Antipodes and Frantic, who have both completed the race and took line and overall honours in 2023.
Commodore McClelland extended his gratitude to partners like Harken and Palm Beach Motor Yachts for their support, and to the Royal Akarana Yacht Club for their hospitality. He also acknowledged the professionalism of Panuku, ensuring a warm welcome for the fleet, and thanked his own RPAYC team for their dedication and hard work.
“Starlink has made a huge impact on ocean racing. For the first time, we’ve been able to follow real-time updates, interviews, and moments of triumph and challenge as they happened at sea,” McClelland noted, expressing appreciation for the stories shared throughout the race.
“You couldn’t ask for a better race. Serious ocean sailing between two of the great yachting cities of the world: Sydney and Auckland. This is a race worth building on — and we will,” he concluded, encouraging participants and new challengers to return for the next race.
The S2A started at 1pm at Watsons Bay on Sydney Harbour last Saturday and is 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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