Road to Hobart intensifies as Australian Maxi Championship launches in style

The 2025 Australian Maxi Championship commenced with a dynamic start featuring the Cabbage Tree Island Race. Master Lock Comanche triumphed, capturing the victory on handicap with URM Group and Moneypenny trailing closely behind, hinting at a competitive week ahead.

Co-skipper of Master Lock Comanche, Matt Allen, expressed enthusiasm for the intense competition ahead as it serves as vital preparation for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Allen noted, “We sail big, complicated boats, so the more time we spend actually sailing is essential. The fleet of ocean-going maxis we have here is unprecedented, creating an exhilarating environment for racing. Peaking at the right moment is crucial for success.”

Navigator Andy Green highlighted the strategic manoeuvres that were pivotal in their Cabbage Tree Island Race performance. He emphasised working shifts in the wind while guarding their lane against rivals LawConnect and SHK Scallywag 100. Timing their gybe correctly towards Sydney Heads was particularly crucial as they approached the finish.

Notably, Wild Thing 100, helmed by Grant Wharington, had to withdraw from the race shortly before commencement due to a gear malfunction but plans to rejoin for the remainder of the championship.

Over the coming days, Australia’s leading Maxi and Mini Maxi yachts will face off in a variety of offshore and inshore challenges, racing towards the title of the 2025 Australian Maxi Champion. The upcoming two days promise intense passage racing, culminating in the renowned SOLAS Big Boat Challenge on 9 December, setting the scene for another thrilling series of events on Sydney Harbour.

Australian Maxi Championship Competitors

Master Lock Comanche
- Now in its second year under stewardship of James Mayo and Matt Allen, Master Lock Comanche is aiming to defend their picket fence of Line Honours finishes for all four races in the 2024 Australian Maxi Championship.
Moneypenny
- Acquired last year by Rob Appleyard, Moneypenny will compete in the Australian Maxi Championship and SOLAS Big Boat Challenge for its second time under Appleyard. Moneypenny, has had a blistering start to this year’s Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore and proves to be a seriously competitive boat after finishing third across the AMC in 2024.
No Limit
- David Gotze’s Reichel/Pugh 62 No Limit is an all-round boat, closely resembling the 2011 Hobart winner, Loki. The yacht competes all year round, in major regattas. In his program are the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, Australian Maxi Championship, including the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge.
LawConnect
- While Beck has definetly lost his underdog status after winning Line Honours in the past two Rolex Sydney Hobarts, the team is ready to take on the
  competition. LawConnect achieved stellar results in last year’s Australian Maxi Championship, narrowly missing out on the Line Honours top spot to Master Lock Comanche.
SHK Scallywag 100
- This 100-foot maxi makes its return to Sydney Harbour after leaving its mark on the European circuit over the past two years. After she claimed her largest victory in 2024, winning Line Honours in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, team management decided it was time to return Down Under to seek redemption after her retirement in the 2023 Hobart. Under the management of Skipper David Witt, the yacht has refined its systems, crew and made drastic improvements to the boat’s overall strength.
URM Group
- Anthony and David Johnston’s URM Group returns as a strong contender for the Australia Maxi Championship, the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge and the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. Taking both crowns on IRC in 2023, the team will be back in 2025. The Reichel/Pugh 72 is sporting a new rig and sail wardrobe after it dismasted in the 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart.
Wild Thing 100
- Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert’s Wild Thing 100 made its debut as a 100 footer in the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, having been delivered straight from the Gold Coast to Sydney with a few finishing touches still being added on the way. Formerly an 80-footer, the boat raced with its original rig which has been replaced by a full- sized 100 foot rig. This edition of the Australian Maxi Championship it will be the first time she goes head-to-head with other 100-footers since she has upgraded her rig.