Arguably the fastest monohull on the planet, the legendary Comanche has tacked back into Australian waters, returning as Anthony Bell’s Tribeca LOYAL with sights set on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Line Honours. The 100-foot maxi will line up on Boxing Day under Bell’s LOYAL program, bringing a formidable combination of proven offshore performance, elite sailing talent, and high-profile personalities to the 628-nautical-mile challenge.
The campaign will once again support the Humpty Dumpty Foundation, continuing LOYAL and the LOYAL Foundation’s commitment to raising funds for life-saving medical equipment for children in hospitals across Australia. With Line Honours firmly in its sights, Tribeca LOYAL will be one of the leading contenders for the Illingworth Challenge Cup with Bell chasing another landmark result in one of the world’s most celebrated ocean races.
Bell is no stranger to the pressure of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Having last raced a decade ago, he first claimed Line Honours onboard Investec LOYAL in 2011 and again in 2016 on Perpetual LOYAL, which also set the then race record with a time of 1 day, 13 hours, 31 minutes, and 20 seconds.
Now, Bell brings that winning pedigree to Comanche, a yacht synonymous with speed and record-breaking performances. As one of the race’s most decorated yachts, Comanche holds the current record of 1 day, 9 hours, 15 minutes, and 24 seconds and has claimed five Line Honours victories. She was last skippered to victory in 2025.
The Tribeca LOYAL lineup features a star-studded crew of sailors, bringing together champions from three different Line Honours-winning campaigns. Headlining as Sailing Master is Tom Slingsby, CEO & Driver of Bonds Flying Roos SailGP, America’s Cup winner, and Olympic gold medallist. Slingsby previously sailed with Bell from 2013 through Perpetual LOYAL’s Line Honours victory in 2016. Also returning from the original LOYAL program are sailing legends Anthony Nossiter and John Flannery.
Managing the program is North Sails’ Mark Bradford, who previously skippered Black Jack to Rolex Sydney Hobart Line Honours in 2021. Bradford brings with him several crew members from the Black Jack campaign, including Liam Woulfe and Will McCarthy. Returning from Comanche’s 2025 Line Honours win is Andy Green as navigator, along with Andrew Henderson, Craig Garnnett, Pablo Arrate, Sam Newton, Will Parker, and Phil Jameson.
Confirmed as TRIBECA LOYAL “super sailors” are Anthony Minichiello, former Sydney Roosters captain, and Phil Waugh, former Wallabies captain and current Rugby Australia Chief Executive Officer.
While the Rolex Sydney Hobart is known for its unpredictable conditions, Comanche’s epic pace and Bell’s exceptional crew make the campaign one to watch. According to Slingsby, a favourable weather window could put the maxi in contention to challenge its own benchmark and rewrite the record books once again.
“Every boat has a certain condition that they’re going to be strong in,” said Slingsby. He noted that Comanche performs better in stronger winds, stating that it is more versatile than the previous LOYAL, adapting to lighter winds as well. “My last ocean race was in 2021 on this boat, where we broke the race record by nine hours. That shows the capability of this boat if it gets the right conditions.”
The 2026 Rolex Sydney Hobart kicks off Saturday, 26 December at 1300 hours AEDT. The start and finish will be broadcast live on the race website and via CYCA’s YouTube channel, CYCATV.
Source: CYCA
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