sydney to hobart yacht race update 2023

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Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: Latest updates and live boat cam coverage

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Start of the Rolex Sydney Hobart yacht race

Race Updates – 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart

Read a continuously updated race summary

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Saturday 0835hrs

At this morning, just 30 yachts from 103 starters had finished the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, with 16 yachts retired from the race.  MWF Kayle , the Lyons 54 owned by the Making Waves Foundation and Will Vicars’ pretty Hoek TC78,  Oroton Drumfire , were among the morning arrivals at Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart.

The first two-handed entry,  Mistral , sailed by Rupert Henry and Jack Bouttell crossed the finish line at 08:53:38 am and are currently placed an incredible sixth overall in the open fleet. Henry,  Mistral ’s owner, is the defending two-handed champion from last year’s race when Greg O’Shea co-skippered the yacht. With new crew, Bouttell,  Mistral  is unlikely to be beaten for the top spot again. He described last night’s conditions in the race as, “Brutal. It was very cold and we had strong winds of up to 43 knots in Storm Bay – classic Storm Bay. Bass Strait was upwind. This race has thrown everything at us.”

It is gear-breaking weather and has resulted in some crews having to make repairs at sea, while news came of the retirement of  Helsal 3  from the race. Rob Fisher and crew were unable to rectify damage. They will depart Port Arthur tonight with an ETA in Hobart of 0300 hours tomorrow morning. 

Among those still racing though, is Henry’s father, David Henry and his co-skipper Stephen Price. “Dad’s a legend,” Henry acknowledged at Constitution Dock this morning.  

Among those that finished last night was Geoff Hill’s  Antipodes , among her crew was navigator Lindsay May, who sailed his 50th successive Sydney Hobart.  Bruce Taylor’s  Chutzpah  (Vic) also finished, he and son Drew sailing their 30th Sydney Hobart together. Taylor’s navigator, Kingsley Piesse, notched up a milestone of his own, sailing his 40th consecutive Sydney Hobart. And once again, this well sailed crew has nabbed a divisional placing, with third in Division 2.

Bumblebee V,  the 2001 winner of the race, now owned by Paul Blakeley, also finished last evening at 8:41:23 pm. 

Today and this evening will be busy, with the bulk of the fleet due to arrive. Spare a thought for those still at sea in what has been described by finishers as “one of the toughest races in years,” due to the wide and unexpected conditions from thunderstorms to lightning shows, no wind, light wind and up to 45 knots worth during the race so far

Malcolm Roe, owner of the elegant Swan 45,  Amazingrace , said last evening: “We expect to be rounding Tasman Island after the westerly hits. Just enjoying a nice hot dinner before the big westerly hits…”

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Friday 0740hrs

Just six yachts have so far finished the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, the varied and squally conditions making it difficult for the fleet to sail a simple and quick race, to the point where the next yacht due to cross the finish line is David Gotze’s  No Limit  (Vic), expected to cross the finish line around midday.

A text from Brad Kellett, reported from Geoff Hill’s Hong Kong entry  Antipodes  this morning, says it all about the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race, the first ‘traditional’ style race in some years.

“Hi from Lindsay May’s 50th race,” Kellett said of navigator’s 50th consecutive Sydney Hobart. Well, he’s getting a real Hobart. We’ve had everything except hard running conditions.

“We’ve had some down time on  Antipodes  (a Santa Cruz 72), with breeze holes that our competitors didn’t get. We’ve got a tear in the new mainsail to repair; we blew out our J2 headsail, which would be up right now in the 12-14 knot southerly.

“We’re currently approaching Wineglass Bay sailing upwind. We should be rounding Tasman Island later this afternoon and hopefully should arrive in Howdown (Hobart) in the dark. Hopefully before the (Derwent) shutdown” said Kellett, who is a Lindsay May in waiting. Sailing his 31st consecutive Hobart he is the only one likely to outnumber May in the long run.

Kellett ended, “Looking forward to seeing the Lindsay May cheer squad on the dock and enjoying the festivities in Hobart.”

Robbie Fisher, skipper of  Helsal 3 , agreed with Kellett summation of the race so far.

“We have a minor injury to a crew, a couple of broken ribs. Our navigator was on deck, slipped, and cracked a couple of ribs. That put us down a helmsman as well.

“We’ve injury to the boat too. A broken halyard, torn main and other little things. We’ve lost a bit of ground, but we’re pressing on. We’re hoping to finish tomorrow,” said Fisher, who is doing Hobart number 23.

The Hobart sailor said they had spent six hours in one spot off Gabo Island.

“The most we saw in the last hour of that time was 0.8 of a knot. It was so painful. Then we copped a beating across the Strait. We had over 30 knots and it was pretty bad. We broke a halyard and a few bits and pieces. We have persevered though…

“Right now the breeze is down to 5 knots (at 8.10am). It’s been an interesting trip to say the least.”

Fisher has his family on board, the three doing their first Hobarts. Wife Kerrie, son Brandon and daughter Elizabeth. They also have the ashes of Fisher’s father, Tony, who took Sydney Hobart line honours and broke the race record in 1973 with a former  Helsal , built of ferro cement and dubbed ‘The Flying Footpath’.

“Dad could have said ‘You should have put more gear up. He’s the lucky one though, he’s lying down in his usual bunk, so he’s relaxed.

“I don’t think the family will come again (the race). They’ve had enough, but they’ve all done their watches, so I can’t complain. Doing this race with me, experiencing it for themselves, they all think I’m crazy, doing the race so many times.”

Fisher continued, “The first night we saw the best lightning show. I’ve never seen anything like it. We were doing 13-14 knots in calm seas and it went on for three quarters of an hour. It was the most eerie experience.

“During the race we’ve had had everything except hard running conditions. I wanted to put the kite up just show the family what it looked like, but I thought better of it!”

Fisher, whose  Helsal 3  from Hobart is expected to finish late tomorrow evening, ended, “We saw  LawConnect  took line honours and everyone on board was cheering for them.”

More retirements during the night, as  Salt Lines ,  She  and  Gunshot  each retired with mainsail damage and going into Eden.

In a happy miscommunication, the New Zealand two-handed crew of husband and wife, Michael and Tracey Carter ( Allegresse ), have not retired from the race. Following a rest period, they resumed racing this morning.

The conditions have been particularly punishing on the two-handed crews. In all, 81 boats are yet to finish the race.

Credit: Antipodes Racing

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1900hrs

They said it couldn’t be done and that just drove Grant Wharington to prove the doubters wrong when he built the new 100 foot  Wild Thing 100  in five months and made both the start and finish lines of the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Wharington and crew, including son, Oli, on his third Sydney Hobart and 21-year-old daughter Georgia, doing her first, were as thrilled as everyone else when he moored at the King Street Pier late today after crossing the finish line at 06:09:06pm.

Wild Thing 100  finished just short of an hour behind Sean Langman’s  Moneypenny  which had been in a battle royale with  URM Group  and  Alive  for the overall win. The pair were fifth and sixth boats to finish the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race.

Wharington said, “We wouldn’t have gone to the start line if we thought we would not have made the finish line. That would be foolhardy.”

Wharington could not heap enough praise on his build team of Theo and Paddy and his main build team of Theo (Somssich) and Paddy (Lambourne). “They worked hard to get the boat done, even working on Christmas Day. I couldn’t have done it without them.

“We have fantastic people who are dedicated. This morning I saw a few friends had retired; Witty with  Scallywag,  Spiesy on  Maritimo , so I was grateful we finished. Grateful.

“We knew we couldn’t win, but we are here with our heads held high. We are still starting at the bottom and I know we will get better from here.”

Wharington said having his kids involved in the race “has given me a new enthusiasm for the sport. I like designing and building, so to do this also with the new boat also gave me enthusiasm.”

Earlier, Sean Langman’s chances of winning the race evaporated when he decided to take a ‘short cut’, the most direct route to the finish.  Moneypenny , a Reichel/Pugh 69, is currently placed third overall, a great result, but not what Langman was looking for.

The next boats due to finish are David Gotze’s  No Limit  and the first of the TP52s, Sebastien Bohm’s  Smuggler , the Max Klink skippered  Caro  and Sam Haynes’ 2022 winner,  Celestial . The four boats are not due till tomorrow from 9.30am.

In other news, more retirements today.  Bacardi ,  Allegresse  and  Cyan Moon .  Bacardi , which contested its 30th Sydney Hobart, the most by any boat, suffered damage, the New Zealand crew of two-handed entry  Allegresse  pulled out with fatigue, while  Cyan Moon  had rig damage.

Credit: ROLEX/Andrea Francolini

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1530hrs

The Line Honours podium n the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is now complete, with the RP72  URM Group  becoming the third boat in this year’s fleet to cross the finish line this afternoon.  URM Group  finished the 628 nautical mile race organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) in a time of 2 days 02 hours 07 minutes 19 seconds.

Owned by Anthony Johnston,  URM Group ’s third place behind line honours winner  LawConnect  and second placed  Andoo Comanche  signed off a brilliant race by the team.  URM Group  spent much of the race in a tight tussle with two other mini maxis, Philip Turner’s RP66  Alive  (Tas) and Sean Langman’s RP69  Moneypenny  (NSW). However, today  URM Group  managed to jump away and beat them both to the finish line ending its campaign with a superb sail up the Derwent River into Hobart.

A longer news story will be upload onto the News section of the RSHYR website later today. 

Credit: CYCA/Salty Dingo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 1100hrs

In what has been an epic race from start to finish, Christian Beck’s LawConnect has lost her bridesmaid tag of the last three years to claim line honours in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this morning, crossing the Castray Esplanade finish line in Hobart at 08.03.58am this morning in the time of 1 day 19 hours 03 minutes 58 seconds

The John Winning Jnr skippered Andoo Comanche held the upper hand for most of the 628 nautical mile race, but LawConnect was always there and overtook her at one point. Early this morning there was little between the two and once again the Derwent sealed both boats fates, as a light, light breeze, teased and cajoled concentrating crews in an absolute thriller to the finish line. Christian Beck’s yacht finished well outside the race record of 1 day 9hrs 15min 24 sec, ironically set by the boat they beat today, which sailed as LDV Comanche to line honours victory in 2017 by her then owners, Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant. It did not matter though.

Only 51 seconds separated LawConnect and Andoo Comanche at the end, in the second closest finish in the history of the race. The closest was in 1982 when Condor beat Apollo over the line by seven seconds.

All 21 crew are celebrating their victory on board the yacht this morning at Kings Pier in Hobart.

An updated News story with interviews can be found  here on the RSHYR website.

Credit: ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Thursday 0400hrs

Whilst the attention today is understandably on the Maxi & Mini Maxi finishers, there are plenty of other battles going on elsewhere in the fleet which promise to continue over the next few days. Most divisions are wide open & we’ll be focusing on these in upcoming Live Updates.

Current Divisional Standings:

IRC DIVISION 0 Moneypenny  (Sean Langman) NSW. Reichel Pugh 69 Alive  (Philip Turner) TAS. Reichel Pugh 66 URM Group  (Anthony Johnston) NSW. Reichel Pugh 72

IRC DIVISION 1 Smuggler  (Sebastian Bohm) NSW. TP52 Celestial  (Sam Haynes) NSW. TP52 Caro  (Max Klink) New Zealand. Botin 52

IRC DIVISION 2 Rush  (John Paterson) VIC. Farr 45 Mayfair  (James Irvine) QLD. Rogers 46 Amazingrace  (Malcolm Roe) NSW. Swan 45

IRC DIVISION 3 Clockwork  (Andrew Lloyd & Mary Ann Harvey) SA. Sydney 38 Patriot  (Jason Close) VIC. J133 XS Moment BNMH  (Ray Hudson) NSW. XP44

IRC DIVISION 4 Toecutter  (Robert Hick & Brad Bult) VIC. Hick 10 Rockall 8  (Christopher Opielok) Germany. JPK 10.80 Supernova  (Alex Seja & Felicity Nelson) NSW. Sydney 36

IRC DIVISION 5 Azzurro  (Jack Kliner) QLD. S&S 34 Kraken III  (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Disko Trooper_ Contender Sailcloth (Jules Hall) NSW. J/99

PHS Insomnia  (Marcus Grimes) NSW. JV42 Salt Lines  (Matthew Harvey) NSW. Shipwright 70 She’s the Culprit  (The Culprit Syndicate) NSW. Inglis Jones 39

CORINTHIAN IRC Kraken III  (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Toecutter  (Robert Hick & Brad Bult) VIC. Hick 10 Verite  (TH) (Paul Beath) NSW. J/99

CORINTHIAN PHS Navy One  (RAN) NSW. Beneteau First 40 Ragtime  (Steve Watson) NSW. J/130 XS Moment BNMH  (Ray Hudson) NSW. XP44

TWO-HANDED IRC Kraken III  (TH) (Rob Gough & John Saul) TAS. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300 Verite  (TH) (Paul Beath) NSW. J/99 Cinnamon Girl  (Cian McCarthy) Ireland. Jeanneau Sunfast 3300

TWO-HANDED PHS Sylph VI  (Robert Williams) NSW. Alan Payne Sloop Imalizard  (Bruce Watson) NSW. Wellbourn 12

2023 RSHYR UPDATE Thursday 0300hrs

Today is shaping up to be an absolute cracker. With under 60nm now to the finish, the two maxis  Andoo Comanche  and  LawConnect  only have 300 metres separating them in terms of distance to go and are in sight of each other.

Almost 75 miles behind, the three mini maxis,  URM Group ,  Alive  and  Moneypenny  have less than 2nm separating them, and the three are currently atop Overall standings. We’ll bring you live coverage of both finishes later this morning & this afternoon.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 1700hrs

The race for line honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is poised to provide two thrilling finales in one as the leading boats continue their charge towards Tasmania.

Up front in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s race for first place over the line, Andoo Comanche was still leading LawConnect at 1620hrs, but only 5 nautical miles separated the two maxis.

The lead pair were 101 and 107 nautical miles east of Helen’s Point respectively.

In the race for third place only 7.6nm separated URM Group, Moneypenny and Alive.

Anthony Johnston’s URM Group, an RP72, was third on line, followed by Sean Langman’s RP69 Moneypenny which had steadily moved up all day from fifth, followed by Phillip Turner’s RP66 Alive (Tas) which was in third position earlier. They were south of Gabo Island.

Meanwhile, Kathy Veel, owner and co-skipper with Bridget Canham of the Currawong 30, Currawong, which retired earlier this morning, is expected to arrive back at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), at around 7pm this evening.

Currawong, a two-handed entry, was the sixth of 11 boats that have retired from the race to-date.

There are now 92 boats still racing, including 14 two-handed entries. Veel said they had retired due to “various issues with the boat that could not be resolved.” She added that she and Canham were OK.

“We’re doing fine,” Veel said from aboard the yacht off Bondi Beach.

“Last night was quite difficult and there was a lot more of that ahead of us in a long race.”

Told that Currawong supporters were disappointed for their retirement after their popular finish as the last to reach Hobart last year, Veel said: “We are too … but we made the right call.”

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 1500hrs

The fight for third place on Line Honours in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is unravelling into a thriller, with  URM Group  looking ahead and behind at their rivals. While buoyed after taking third place on line honours from the RP66  Alive  (Tas) shortly before midday, the  URM Group , an RP72, is also wary about the danger of  Moneypenny .  URM Group  and  Alive  had been in a close fight for third place all morning, but looming behind them and closer to shore in fifth place was  Moneypenny , a RP69.

At 1430hrs,  URM Group ,  Alive  and  Moneypenny  were 124, 127 and 111 nautical miles south east of Gabo Island respectively. Eleven nautical miles separated the three boats.

Meanwhile,  Andoo Comanche  and  LawConnect  were continuing their close tussle in first and second place, positioned 115 and 130 nautical miles east of Eddystone Point.

URM Group  navigator, Alice Parker, was in high spirits, despite her own struggle with some sea sickness in the tough conditions that have seen rain, thunder and lightning. “I had a good few moments with a bucket between my legs, but otherwise, everyone is in good spirits,” she said. “We’re all a bit wet, sliding around a bit, but the boat’s in really good shape.” As she spoke,  URM Group , owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones, was 105nm behind  Andoo Comanche , sailing at 15 knots with the wind from the east.

While happy with their race against  Alive , owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, Parker said  Moneypenny , owned by Sean Langman was also a danger. “Over the last couple of hours, we’ve been sailing quite well … we’re now matching them [ Alive ], or slightly in front, with  Moneypenny  at our stern. “We’re a bit nervous about some of the 52s on the ‘beach,’ [referring to sailing close to the coast] or closer to the south-east corner of Victoria. They’ve been ripping along in what looks like a pretty good ‘sou-easterly. But things are looking good for us now. The big boats are doing really well.  LawConnect  and  Comanche  have just had the perfect conditions really with strong reaching conditions. I think we’ll just miss out on getting that all the way to the finish. I suspect we’ll end up in a bit of a front that is meant to come through the early hours of tomorrow.”

Parker said that based on the current indicators,  URM Group  could possibly reach the finish in Hobart “sometime around lunchtime, or just after that,” tomorrow.

In other news, two more boats have retired.  Tumbleweed , the two-handed entry of Graham Biehl and Nigel Nattrass, who cite seasickness and fatigue, while David Watson’s  Luna Blue  has damaged equipment. Both boats are likely to head back to Sydney.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 1300hrs

LawConnect  threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion,  Andoo Comanche  this morning.  The fight for Line Honours in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is turning into a veritable arm wrestle with the two front runners swapping the lead twice this morning. At 12.45pm, Andoo Comanche  was back in front and 2.6 nautical miles ahead of  LawConnect  that had only taken the lead from  Andoo Comanche  a few hours earlier.  AndooComanche  and  LawConnect  were respectively 134 and 144 nautical miles east of Flinders Island in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia race. Both were sailing in Bass Strait, east of the rhumb line –  Andoo Comanche  at 28.7 knots and  LawConnect  at 26.8 knots. The tussle between the two maxis has been a thrilling one in conditions that have pitted them and the remaining fleet of 95 against rain, thunderstorms, lightning and squalls.

Behind  Andoo Comanche  and  LawConnect , the race for third place had also seen a change in positions. Moving into third, from fourth place, was  URM Group ,the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. Whereas,  Alive  (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine had fallen from third to fourth. They were 91.3nm and 94nm respectively behind  Andoo Comanche  at the time of this update.

Credit: CYCA/Ashley Dart Photo

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 1100hrs

LawConnect  threw down the gauntlet in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race by taking the race lead from defending Line Honours champion,  Andoo Comanche  this morning.  After stalking the John Winning Jnr skippered  Andoo Comanche  all night and early this morning, the Christian Beck owned  LawConnect  passed their rivals at about 10am today. At 10.20 am, the margin was still tight between two race leaders in the 628 nautical mile Cruising Yacht Club of Australia event. Less than one nautical mile separated them.   LawConnect  and  Andoo Comanche  were respectively 137 and 135 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island and sailing east of the rhumb line. 

Still in third was  Alive  (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine, while in fourth was  URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones. They were 68nm and 69nm respectively behind LawConnect. 

Meanwhile, the fleet also dropped to 95 boats, including 15 two-handed entries following the withdrawal of Mumm 36  Georgia Express  (NSW) with rigging issues. 

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 0900hrs

LawConnect  continues to stalk  Andoo Comanche  in the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, but squalls of 30 knots-plus are hampering the crew’s ability to keep their rivals in sight.

At 9am, the margin was still tight between the two race leaders of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia event with nine nautical miles separating them.

But  LawConnect  boat captain Ty Oxley said after a close battle with  Andoo Comanche  overnight, the tough conditions this morning had limited their ability to see the race leaders.

“We are pretty close after we were neck and neck overnight,” said Oxley at 8.20am on Wednesday. “They would take a couple of miles on us, and then we would take them back.”

Asked if the  LawConnect  crew could see  Andoo Comanche  ahead of them, Oxley replied: ”No … because it’s raining and there are squalls everywhere, clouds on the horizon …

“It’s hard to see the bow of the boat at times. We can’t actually see them.”

Asked about the sea state as they headed into Bass Strait, Oxley said: “The sea state is not too bad. On Bass Strait it’s only a couple of metres.

“The squalls are pretty full on. The last one that came through would have been 40-plus knots. But they have generally been 30-plus”

“But we’re doing ok. We have put a couple of reefs in … chugging along.”

At 9am, the John Winning Jr skippered  Andoo Comanche  and Christian Beck’s  LawConnect  were respectively 125 and 129 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island.

Still in third place was  Alive  (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and  URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones.

The two yachts were 69nm and 72nm respectively behind  LawConnect .

Meanwhile, the race fleet now numbers 96, including 15 two-handed entries, following the withdrawal of two more boats this morning. They were the two-handed entries, the Currawong 30,  Currawong  (NSW) due to various issues, and the Young 11  Pacman  (Qld) with runner chainplate problems. The crews on both boats are okay.

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 0700hrs

The margin between  Andoo Comanche  and  LawConnect  remains tight with seven nautical miles now separating the two maxis that lead the Rolex Sydney Hobart fleet.

Meanwhile, in the fleet that now numbers 98 after two more overnight withdrawals ( Maritimo 52  and  Sticky ), the first night was hectic for the Geoff Hill owned Santa Cruz 72,  Antipodes .

At 7am,  Antipodes  crewmember Geoff Cropley reported: “We had lightning and thunder for hours. Then there was a major shift which auto gybed the boat.

“The spinnaker got wrapped in the drop along with spinnaker staysail. All the team were up and trying to untwist and get that down. It took us about 40 minutes. We were heading NE, sailing backwards, for a period of time.

“We’re now hunkered down with a reef in. There’s little bit of blue sky. It’s quite nice out here. We’ve got about 100nm to go to Green Cape.” Cropley added that crewmate Lindsay May is also “enjoying his 50th Sydney Hobart so far.”

At the front of the fleet at 7.45am, the John Winning Jr skippered  Andoo Comanche  and Christian Beck’s  LawConnect  were respectively 117 and 120 nautical miles south-east of Gabo Island.

Still in third place was the 2018 winner,  Alive  (Tas), the RP66 owned by Phillip Turner and skippered by Duncan Hine and race favourite,  URM Group , the RP72 owned by Anthony Johnston and skippered by Marcus Ashley-Jones.

The two yachts were 42nm and 57nm respectively behind  LawConnect .

2023 RSHYR UPDATE – Wednesday 0500hrs

After 16 hours of racing,  Andoo Comanche  is going toe-to-toe with  LawConnect  around 90nm SE of Green Cape. She is doing 17.2kts, having averaged 12kts for the journey and has only a half mile lead over her rival.

URM Group  and  Alive  have overtaken the other maxi  Wild Thing 100  and are alongside each other 7 miles back in another tight battle.

Caro   currently sits in 7th place on standings, with the two TP52s  Smuggler  and  Highly Sprung  on her tail.  No Limit ,  Whisper ,  Celestial ,  Teasing Machine  and  Denali  lead the rest.

The fleet is strung back to Wollongong where  Currawong ,  Sylph VI  and  Silver Fern  are presently doing 7.5 knots.

The Michael Spies skippered TP52, Maritimo 52 (Qld), sustained rig damage which ultimately caused other damage to the boat.

Crew member Peter Jones said, “The fitting on the deck for the forestay shredded, which ripped the No. 4 headsail and the mainsail. We tried to work a million ways around it, but we would have been sailing at 50 percent. We are shattered.

“The weather shocking overnight. We had as much lightning as I’ve ever seen. The sou-west front came through, we saw high 20s to early 30s (knots) and had solid rain for three hours.

“We were south of Jervis Bay, 115 miles down the course. Everyone on board is fine,” ended Jones, who expects the yacht to be back at the CYCA around mid-afternoon today.

Then came the news that Sticky, the Cookson 50 owned by Richard Harris, had suffered electrical damage, forcing her retirement.

Both yachts were expected to do well in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 628 nautical mile race.

The two retirements means there are 98 boats still in the race, inclusive of 17 two-handed entries.

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Dramatic start to Sydney to Hobart yacht race with close calls and wild weather

• Fleet sets off on Boxing Day in 78th edition of bluewater classic
• Andoo Comanche takes lead with eye on back-to-back line honours

Line honours favourite Andoo Comanche has taken the lead in the Sydney to Hobart after a dramatic start to the revered yacht race.

Comanche, the 2022 line honours winner, was travelling 28 miles off the coast of Port Kembla, south of Wollongong, when she overtook LawConnect roughly three-and-a-half hours into the race.

LawConnect, last year’s runner-up and a fellow 100-foot supermaxi, had taken an early lead out of the Sydney Heads, and later remained in hot pursuit of leader Comanche as they travelled at roughly 19 knots in northeasterly winds.

The two frontrunners have opened up a gap on third-placed supermaxi SHK Scallywag, which was about four miles behind Comanche when she passed LawConnect.

In-form 72-footer URM Group, along with Moneypenny and 2018 overall winner Alive – all contenders for handicap honours – appeared best-placed of the smaller boats.

Four hours into the race, the fleet remained at 103 boats – the same number that crossed the start line in Sydney Harbour.

Scallywag had earlier completed a 720-degree penalty turn in a bid to avoid a possible time sanction.

Accusing Scallywag of tacking too close, Comanche’s crew could be heard on broadcast coverage yelling to their rivals before formally flying a red protest flag.

The boats appeared to come within metres of each other.

The fact the incident had taken place in Sydney Harbour meant Scallywag had only a limited distance in which to complete the penalty turns, or risk receiving a time sanction on arrival in Hobart.

In 2017, Wild Oats XI opted not to respond to a protest from Comanche early in the race and a subsequent one-hour time penalty cost her a line honours victory.

Race officials confirmed Scallywag completed the turn off the coast of Bondi Beach.

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After a heavy storm cleared just before the 1pm starting gun, LawConnect led the way across the line then made the best of a change in the wind to pass the heads first.

But when a furling line snapped after LawConnect passed the first marker out of the Sydney Heads, she turned towards the spectator fleet in an attempt to correct the issue. The furling line issue has since been fixed.

The fleet is expected to encounter stormy conditions south of Jervis Bay on the NSW south coast.

Sudden and erratic wind changes, hail, rain and reduced visibility are all on the cards across the first two days of racing.

Easterly winds as strong as 35 knots are forecast for the far south coast of NSW on the night of Boxing Day and could impact the bigger boats in the fleet.

Winds are forecast to remain strong across the Bass Strait and southeast Tasmania on the morning of December 28, with storms a chance to continue affecting smaller boats.

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Sydney to hobart yacht race 2023: rolling updates, latest news, favourites, weather, drama, tracker.

By amanda lulham

• News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
• 3:03PM December 26, 2023

The 78th edition of the Sydney to Hobart shapes as one of its most memorable, with an ominous weather forecast set to wreak havoc on the 103-strong fleet.

The four supermaxis Andoo Comanche, the defending champion, Scallywag, LawConnect and Wild Thing 100 are the big contenders for the line win - but the overall corrected time victory is anyone’s guess.

Follow our live coverage of the race below.

2.30PM: SCALLYWAG CONFIRMS PENALTY

Skipper David Witt has confirmed he has done two 360 degree penalty turns to exonerate Scallywag from a potential issue at race end arising from close combat with arch rivals Andoo Comanche just after the start of the Sydney to Hobart.

“We just did circles,’’ Witt told The Daily Telegraph around 2.20pm.

Andoo Comanche sailing master Iain Murray indicated he was unhappy with an incident not long after the start where they and Scallywag came close after Scallywag tacked in front of them.

If Scallywag had not done her penalty turns and was found at race end to have infringed in the incident they could have been slugged with a time penalty or worse.

1.30PM: DRAMA AS YACHTS BEGIN CLEARING THE HEADS

Christian Beck’s LawConnect has claimed the honour of being the first yacht to Sydney Heads and out to sea after a thrilling start of the 78th race.

But the yacht then caused confusion when she did a 360 degree turn.

It was unclear at first if this was to sort an issue with the furler or for a penalty.

But soon after the yacht had more issues with their furler in a major early drama for the supermaxi.

Meanwhile Defending champion Andoo Comanche has claimed Scallywag has tacked too close to them in an hair-raising incident soon after the start which will require the later to do a penalty turn or potentially face a protest.

Comanche sailing master Iain Murray said the incident between the pair was a “classic port and starboard” with Scallywag tacking too close to Comanche.

It is unclear if Witt and his team on Scallywag agree or if they will do exonerating turns at a later date.

The drama happened in the opening 20 minutes of the 628nm race.

1.00PM: 78TH SYDNEY TO HOBART UNDERWAY

The 78th Sydney to Hobart has begun under ominous skies, in light winds and with a strange forecast hanging over the heads of the 103 starters who set sail at 1pm in a spectacular sight on Sydney Harbour

The fleet, slammed by a violent downpour before the start, set off in sunshine from four start lines with defending champion Andoo Comanche and her rivals for line honours - Scallywag, LawConnext and Wild Thing - all in pole position.

Spectator fleet numbers were down but anticipation high as the yachts jockeyed for the bets position at the start.

On the front line, that honour went to LawConnect on one end Scallywag on the other end of the line.

12.45PM: FREAK STORM HITS RACE START

A torrential downpour just before the start of the Sydney to Hobart was a preview of what is to come in the 78th race south.

As nervous crews prepared for the action-packed start they were hit by a violent rain cell which also packed some thunder and lightning.

More of the same is forecast for the first afternoon and night at sea.

Yachts left the dock early on Tuesday to check the conditions and do practice runs at the four start lines being used.

This year’s fleet boasts both the line honours and overall winners from a year ago in Andoo Comanche and Celestial.

11AM: SAILORS ‘NERVOUS’ AMID OMINOUS FORECAST

The fleet has started to leave the dock at the CYCA well in advance of the 1pm start with some nervous sailors aboard the 103 starters.

A forecast with everything and anything - including electrical storms, rain, erratic winds and a big bash - has sailors a little nervous and apprehensive.

“You’d think after so many races you wouldn’t be nervous but you are,’’ said Alive navigator Adrienne Cahalan, preparing for her 31st race south as the most capped woman in the race.

“This forecast is a tough one. It will be like a chess game.’’

Prior to the start sailors must parade by race officials to show they have their storm jibs, the smallest sails on a boat and bright orange - aboard.

And they may need them with wild winds forecast for most of the fleet in Bass Strait later in the race, along with 3m seas.

It’s plainer sailing for the line honours contenders who may sidestep almost all of the upwind on the menu for the majority.

The 2023 Sydney to Hobart fleet are on alert for things that go bump in the night and halt boats dead in their track in the light as they prepare for the start of the famous ocean race on Sydney Harbour at 1pm today.

Race management has warned sailors to watch out for sunfish and other obstacle in the water which have over the years included submerged containers, debris, sharks, whales and most commonly sunfish.

These speed bumps have ripped off keels, holed yachts and sheered rudder off, triggering major rescues at sea.

Just a year ago Huntress lost her rudder after hitting a sunfish. DRAMA AT SEA

Numerous line honours contenders, including yachts steered by Grant Wharington, aboard Wild Thing 100 in this race, have had their rudders, daggerboards or keels torn off, ending their races and victory dreams.

“Be conscious there are a lot of wildlife out there,’’ said had of the race committee,’’ Lee Goddard at the race briefing.

“There are large concentrations for this race.’’ RACE GUIDE

SYDNEY TO HOBART FAVOURITES

The two major awards are the line honour win and the overall corrected time victory.

The four supermaxis Andoo Comanche, the defending champion, Scallywag, LawConnect and Wild Thing 100 are the big contenders for the line win.

The overall is still very much in the air but the likes of URM and Monneypenny and an assortment of TP52s are considered movers and shakers in this race. There’s also some hope for the two-handed boats in this class.

The defending overall champion is Celestial owned by Sydney sailor Sam Haynes.

The weather forecast for the Sydney to Hobart is one of the most unusual in years.

Rather than being firmed up days in advance, it has kept sailors guessing right until the last minute - with potentially more changes ahead.

The good news is there isn't any indication of severe weather like the low which exploded over the fleet back in 1998 triggering mass search and rescue missions and claiming the lives of six men.

However the smaller boats in the fleet can still expect a torrid time at sea. WEATHER AND

INSIDE 1998 RACE

FAMILY TIES

There are numerous family connections in the 2023 race with one skipper sailing with his daughter for the first time and a sister joining her father and brother at sea.

Grand Wharington’s daughter Georgia is jumping aboard his 100-footer Wild Thing while Jamie Winning-Kermond is aboard for her first race south on Andoo Comanche.

Her brother John “Herman’’ Winning is the skipper an her father John Senior, or Woody as he is known in sailing circles, is back after racing the supermaxi to victory in 2022.

Amanda Lulham

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At the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, Women Are Making Their Mark

The event is attracting more female skippers than in previous years, and many own the boats.

By David Schmidt

The skippers competing in the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race dream of winning a top trophy in this challenging offshore race. This year, 10 of them will be women.

While a female-skippered team has not won the Tattersall Cup, which is awarded to the race’s overall winner, more women have been competing in the race as skippers the last few years. It reflects the expanding ranks in sailing of experienced women, the creation of the race’s two-handed class and an uptick in the number of female boat owners.

Women have been participating in the Sydney Hobart race since 1946, with Jane Tate aboard the Active and Dagmar O’Brien on the Connella. The first all-women’s team, skippered by Vicki Willman, raced in 1975 aboard Barbarian, a 38-foot yacht.

This year, 10 women plan to compete as skippers and co-skippers. This follows an upward trend: nine women raced in 2022 as skippers and co-skippers, and seven competed in 2021. In 2019, this number was six, while three competed in the 2017 and 2018 events.

“It is a changed world for the better,” said Adrienne Cahalan , a two-time Tattersall Cup-winning navigator. She plans to start her 31st race — a record for women — as navigator aboard the 66-foot yacht Alive this year.

“Women are accepted as equal players and leaders,” Cahalan said of the race, noting that women are underrepresented in the Sydney Hobart only among the professional and big-boat crews.

The race, which starts on Tuesday, began in 1945 and is a serious affair. Six sailors died and five yachts sank in the 1998 event. Veterans call it one of the world’s greatest, and hardest , offshore races.

The 628-nautical-mile course begins in Sydney Harbor . After exiting protected waters, teams turn south-southwest and race down the New South Wales coastline, before crossing Bass Strait. This shallow-water swath separates Australia from Tasmania and can sometimes create boat-breaking waves.

Then, navigators approach Tasman Island before the boats make the final 40-mile push across Storm Bay and up the River Derwent to Hobart.

For women, a big part of their overall increase as skippers, sailors said, was because of an inclusive and welcoming community that helped create opportunities.

“There’s a women’s sailing network in Sydney where there’s a lot of engagement from females,” said Lt. Tori Costello, who plans to co-skipper the Royal Australian Navy’s 40-foot Navy One this year. “There’s been so many more females just being involved, being given opportunities to get out there and race.”

Sailors said this change was helped by the creation of women’s sailing events, including the Australian Women’s Keelboat Regatta and the Sydney Harbour Women’s Keelboat Series. They also cite SheSails, an Australian organization that encourages female participation in sailing, and several active women’s-sailing Facebook groups and clubs, as contributing factors.

Internationally, they point to the Magenta Project, which works to create better equity and inclusion within sailing, as another important element.

“Just about every sailing club I know of has a women’s group actively educating and providing opportunities for women” said Kathy Veel, the owner and a skipper of the 30-foot Currawong and a three-time race veteran. “There are now many very skilled, experienced yachtswomen who seek the challenge of being in charge.”

Another catalyst, sailors say, was the creation of the race’s two-handed class, which debuted in 2021. While most boats racing to Hobart have a full crew, two-handed teams race with just two people.

“Even if you don’t own the boat, the second person in most cases is a co-skipper,” said Wendy Tuck, the first woman to win an around-the-world race as skipper and a two-time two-handed class veteran. “It is a great opportunity.”

While two-handed sailing doubles the number of skipper roles, it requires, and breeds, a high level of competency and trust.

“Two-handed racing is a great format for fast-tracking skills in all aspects of sailing and seamanship,” Veel said.

After all, one skipper often sleeps while the other stands watch.

Many yachts that compete in the two-handed class are about 30 to 40 feet long. This matters, as their smaller sails generate less load than the bigger yachts.

“The smaller size of most two-handed boats makes them very manageable for female sailors,” Bridget Canham said. In 2022, she and Veel became the first all-women’s two-handed team to complete the race; they plan to compete together again this year.

Annika Thomson, skipper and an owner of the 52-foot Ocean Crusaders J-Bird, said that it was not as daunting to race two-handed aboard the smaller boats. She would know: In 2022, Thomson and her husband, Ian, raced their 52-footer two-handed to Hobart.

She was skipper.

“It’s not recommended,” she said as a joke, of racing a big, powerful boat double-handed to Hobart. “We did it, now we forgot all about it.”

This year, Thomson plans to skipper her boat with a crew of 11, including her husband, who will navigate.

While professionally-run yachts often hire professional skippers, many amateur teams are led by owner-skippers.

“Sometimes to take on a leadership role a person needs to create their own opportunities,” Cahalan said. “For example, by buying or chartering your own boat and putting your own team together.”

She isn’t alone in this thinking: Seven of the nine female-led boats are racing with full crews.

“My thought is always, and always has been, if I want to skipper a yacht, I probably need to own it,” Thomson said. “The more women that own yachts, the more women who are encouraged to buy their own yachts.”

Case in point: Of the nine female-led yachts, seven are owned or co-owned by women. These include Thomson’s 52-footer, Hilary Arthure’s 35-foot Wyuna, and Jiang Lin’s 34-foot Min River.

There’s more than pride in vessel ownership at stake. The Sydney Hobart race can award dozens of trophies. Of these, three are specifically reserved for women

For some skippers, these aren’t enough.

“While these trophies are great in that they acknowledge the women who were pioneers and role models in the sport, the prize women really want to win now is the Tattersall Cup,” Veel said.

“I think it’s much more likely a female two-handed boat could win a division,” she said, pointing to the costs and complexities of campaigning a competitive yacht. “But I don’t want to rule anything out.”

Thomson was more optimistic. “It would be really cool if someone took it up this year,” she said, referring to the Tattersall Cup.

Still, she was realistic.

“How long is a piece of string?” she asked, using an Australian phrase meaning that something is only finished when it’s finished.

Trophies aside, sailors said the real rewards of skippering a yacht in this race were camaraderie, teamwork and the chance to lead a team through a demanding test.

Half of the race is “not the best times, and you’re questioning why you’re doing it,” said Costello of the often-rough conditions. “It comes back down to those moments where you’re wide-eyed and it’s a bit crazy out there, and everyone has that knowing look like, ‘OK, we’re going to get through this.’”

And, with more women taking on this leadership challenge, sailors said the race’s future had never looked more inclusive.

“Women are a big part of the population, so we aren’t going anywhere,” said Tuck, who plans to start her 16th race this year as a watch captain aboard Disko Trooper, a 32-footer. “Well, yes,” she corrected, “we are going to Hobart.”

Live updates: New Zealand Sail Grand Prix at Lyttelton, Christchurch

Newshub's Mitch Redman gets a guided tour of NZ SailGP boat Amokura. Credits: Image - Photosport, video - AM

Click here to refresh page

4:43pm - And that's the end of the day's racing, before it even begins. The racing window has closed and Mother Nature has carried the honours.

Surely tomorrow, we'll be better prepared... such a shame for the record paying crowd, who go home without seeing any racing.

Join us again at 3pm Sunday for live updates of the revised racing scheduled.

4:33pm - Still no racing, due to "mammals on course", which is a little embarrassing. The same thing happened last year and dolphins are quite common in this area, so it wouldn't have takent much foresight to make sure they had something to do somewhere else today.

The opening race has been delayed, after a dolphin was sighted on the course. SailGP is known for its respect for the ocean and nature, so wellbeing of wildlife comes before racing.

2:57pm - Great Britain have been docked points - both from the NZ regatta and the season standings - after a training incident with Spain.

The Brits collided with the Spanish boat during the third practice race on Friday and the penalty may have ended their chances of reaching the series final at San Francisco.

"We’re licking wounds from that issue," said GBR driver Giles Scott. "It's really, really frustrating, but tomorrow's a new day - we'll come out swinging and see what the weekend's got."

The British now sit seventh overall, 11 points out of the top-three cutoff for the final.

Kia ora, good afternoon and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of NZ Sail Grand Prix at Christchurch's picturesque Lyttelton Harbour.

Last year saw the international sailing circuit visit the South Island for the first time and many of the participants described the stopover as the best of the year.

This event was scheduled for Auckland, but unavailability of suitable venues forced organisers to return to Lyttelton, which isn't a bad back-up option.

More from Newshub

The home team were pipped by Kiwi skipper Phil Robertson and his Canadian crew in 2023, but the newly branded 'Black Foils' are determined to take honours this weekend, after back-to-back success at Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Driver Peter Burling wans't at the wheel for the last regatta at Sydney, while he was on babywatch, so he'll chase a hattrick of victories at Christchurch.

Saturday's racing will consist of three fleet races, while Sunday will see two more, plus the three-boat final.

The fleet and championship standings are:

Australia - Tom Slingsby  

New Zealand - Peter Burling

Denmark - Nicholai Sehested

Spain - Diego Botin

France - Quentin Delapierre

Great Britain - Giles Scott

United States - Taylor Canfield

Canada - Phil Robertson

Germany - Erik Heil

Switzerland - Nathan Outteridge

Join us at 3pm for the first race.

TAB Odds: Australia $2.90, New Zealand $3.25, Denmark $8, France $11, Spain $11

Canada's Kiwi skipper out to spoil homecoming party again at SailGP Christchurch

The black boat isn't the only one chasing a 'home' win at the New Zealand round of SailGP this weekend.

Last year, Kiwi Phil Robertson stole the show, when he drove his Canadian team to victory on Lyttelton Harbour.

Robertson is back in the country for the first time since the famous win and his sights set on a repeat effort this weekend, but defending his title isn't the only reason to come home.  

"It's pretty hard to compete with New Zealand coffee around the world," Robertson told Newshub. 

As it turns out, that rule applies to most beverages - including the alcoholic variety.

"I definitely like the local craft breweries and get into it... but I still love a Speights," he joked.

Come Sunday, he'll hope those beers will be celebratory. Last year, he helped Canada achieve their only event win to date, spoiling the party for local hero Peter Burling and the NZ boat.

"That was up there," he reflected. "That was massive."

Not everything about being home is bright and sunny.  

"It's cold here, but the colder air brings a denser air, so you go faster," he noted.

The ever-comical Robertson has his own way of describing windy conditions at the last event in Sydney.

"You've got to bring your brown undies and buckle up, because it's going to be a wild ride," he said.

Robertson confirms those brown undies have been included in his luggage this weekend.

"I packed my brown undies, but hopefully I won't need them, because I love the speed."

That should be music to the ears of a record 22,0000 spectators who will make this weekend the world's largest ever ticketed sailing event.  

"An event like this here in Christchurch, I'm really hoping it inspires the local kids down here to get into it, because it's a wicked sport and there's so many opportunities around the world," he said.

If Robertson can go back-to-back for Canada, there would be no better example set.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2023

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

• Corinthian - IRC
• Corinthian - PHS
• 2-Handed IRC
• 2-Handed PHS
• 2-Handed Line Honours
• Line Honours

Andoo Comanche

Mistral (th), wild thing 100, kraken 111 (th), min river (th), atomic blonde, pretty woman, white noise, cinnamon girl - eden capital (th), midnight rambler, disko trooper_contender sailcloth, ocean crusaders j-bird, teasing machine, maritimo 54, love & war, bumblebee v, hutchies yeah baby, niksen (th), flying cloud, xs moment bnmh, blue planet (th), voltstar yeah baby, highly sprung, verite (th), showdown (th), amazingrace, son of a son, avalanche (th), mister lucky (th), zephyr insurance masters, tilting at windmills, allegresse (th), currawong (th) *, georgia express *, maritimo 52 *, millennium falcon *, pacman (th) *, philosopher (th) *, rum rebellion (th) *, shk scallywag *, tumbleweed (th) *, at final racetime, race organiser notes.

• Arcadia - Retired - mainsail damage
• Bacardi - Retired - rigging damage
• Currawong (TH) - Retired - electrical issues
• Georgia Express - Retired - rigging issues
• Maritimo 52 - Retired - rigging damage
• Millennium Falcon - Retired - crew illness
• Pacman (TH) - Retired - runner damage
• Philosopher (TH) - Retired - rigging damage
• Rum Rebellion (TH) - Retired - minor injury
• SHK Scallywag - Retired - broken bowsprit
• Sticky - Retired - electrical damage
• Tumbleweed (TH) - Retired - crew illness

Unless otherwise flagged, all positions are obtained by a report from a GPS transceiver on the yachts.

• No Report Position unknown
• Deduced Reckoning No report received - position deduced using previous position
• Estimate No report received - position estimated
• Radio Report No report received - position obtained by radio from yacht
• Sighting No report received - position obtained by sighting of the yacht
• Interpolation No report received - position interpolated from earlier and later known positions.
• Protest Pending
• Penalty Applied
• Redress Applied

Tasmanian Labor open to improved AFL infrastructure, and maybe even a stadium – but with a key catch

Analysis Tasmanian Labor open to improved AFL infrastructure, and maybe even a stadium – but with a key catch

Just days out from the official launch of Tasmania's AFL team, a somewhat surprising attendee emerged.

Labor leader Rebecca White confirmed she has a ticket, she plans to attend, and is "very excited" about it as a football fan from a football family.

Meanwhile, Premier Jeremy Rockliff won't be there, and has encouraged his Liberal colleagues to avoid the event to keep the politics out of it.

But the politics around the Macquarie Point stadium – baked into the AFL deal – will be the elephant in the room.

"I would just say how disappointing it is that we've been having a debate about a stadium, when we should have this week been so excited about the fact the team launches very soon," Ms White said.

In a leader's debate on Tuesday, Ms White was pushed on her promise to renegotiate the deal with the AFL, which has flatly said it's not up for renegotiation .

Part of the deal, however, gives a hint at where Ms White might be coming from.

In its first season – 2028 – the Tasmanian team will play its home games at the existing Bellerive Oval in Hobart and York Park in Launceston, while Macquarie Point stadium is, presumedly, being built.

For every season after that, the Tasmanian government must pay the club $4.5 million if the stadium isn't ready.

Ms White said this acknowledgement is important.

"The agreement already says the team is going to play out of Bellerive and York Park for at least its first year. So we know the AFL accepts that," she said.

"I'm going to be asking them why we have to fund a taxpayer-funded stadium at Macquarie Point.

"There are valid questions about finance and engineering that have to be met before anyone believes that stadium can be built on that site. So that contract will need to be renegotiated."

Team first, upgrades later, Labor says

Those who watch Tasmanian Parliament closely would be aware that Labor and the Greens have long held the position that an AFL club should enter the competition without a new stadium — and additional infrastructure upgrades could be proven by demand, and priority.

They both support proposed upgrades to York Park, which the 2019 AFL taskforce report noted could be the main home for the club for its first five years – while a Hobart stadium was planned.

Ms White said if the club proved the demand, then Tasmanians should collectively discuss infrastructure upgrades in Hobart.

"You prove up the team. You prove it works. You demonstrate you've got the crowd numbers," she said.

"If we need to invest in infrastructure to support the capacity that we're seeing turning out every day, then maybe we make a decision collectively that we do it then.

"If the team is as successful as everyone expects us to be then let's, as a community, agree that we should build infrastructure to support it."

But Labor won't pause the Macquarie Point stadium planning process, which is already underway.

That process will come back to parliament at the end for a final vote, with Labor maintaining that the stadium will be shown to be unworkable.

The Liberals look likely to win the most seats in the upcoming election, albeit short of a majority.

If they can combine with the votes of any stadium-supporting possible crossbenchers – such as David O'Byrne, or even the Jacqui Lambie Network's Troy Pfitzner – Labor might not be able to stop it in the lower house.

The upper house would be another matter altogether, however.

Negotiations got 'too hot' for other parties, premier says

Three years ago, the AFL team was not mired in politics. It had tripartisan support from the Liberals, Labor and the Greens.

Then former premier Peter Gutwein announced a stadium for regatta point in March 2022 — and the support started to fracture.

It was then forever split when former AFL head Gillon McLachlan announced in June 2022 that Tasmania must have a new stadium to get a team, which had the agreement of Premier Jeremy Rockliff, and was formalised in writing.

Tasmania has made eight formal proposals to have a club since 1992. In 2008, former premier Paul Lennon was made to wait in the lobby of AFL House, in front of TV cameras, before the bid was rejected.

During Tuesday's debate, Mr Rockliff said the negotiations with the AFL were always going to be intense.

"We had tripartisan support, but it got a little too hot in the kitchen for my opposite numbers in the parliament," he said.

Mr Rockliff is sticking by the $750 million cost estimate, capping the state government's spend at $375 million.

The Macquarie Point Development Corporation is appointing a quantity surveyor, which could see the cost estimate change by the end of this year.

The Commonwealth has committed $240 million, although this is for the broader "urban renewal" precinct. It also looks unlikely to get a GST exemption, meaning that amount won't go to other areas in Tasmania, such as health and education.

The rest of the funding is meant to come from private investment.

Mr Rockliff said there has been interest.

"It's an opportunity, as the Labor prime minister has seen as well, of a fantastic urban renewal project that will create wealth, create jobs, attract private investment and be something that we can be very, very proud of," he said.

"What a fantastic investment that the private sector will make."

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