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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE26 DECEMBER 2014 – 1 JANUARY 2015

SYDNEY – HOBART, AUSTRALIA

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE26 DECEMBER 2014 - 1 JANUARY 2015

AN OFFSHORE LEGEND

One of the world of sailing’s blue ribbon races celebrates a landmark 70th

edition this year. From its intrepid beginnings back in 1945, the Rolex Sydney

Hobart Yacht Race has become one of Australia’s greatest sporting events,

an international icon. Synonymous with achievement, courage, endeavour,

pride and sportsmanship over the course of its prodigious history, the race’s

unique slot in the international yachting calendar – between Christmas and

New Year – has helped to further fuel this legend.

Starting from Sydney harbour the day after Christmas, the event’s international fleet

face an offshore race stretching 628 nautical miles. The finish is the historic port city

of Hobart, Tasmania, yet the Rolex Sydney Hobart has always been as much about

the journey as the destination. The journey takes the fleet down the New South

Wales coast of the Tasman Sea and across the eastern edge of the Bass Strait, down

the east coast of Tasmania turning into Storm Bay at Tasman Island for the final leg up

the Derwent River to Hobart. Weather and the sea conditions can vary dramatically,

are often punishing, and should never be taken for granted.

Rolex has sponsored the competition since 2002 and recently extended its partnership

with the race and event organizers, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA).

The Rolex Sydney Hobart is an integral part of its triumvirate of 600-nm offshore

classics also comprising the United Kingdom’s Rolex Fastnet Race (first run in 1925)

and the Rolex Middle Sea Race (dating back to 1968). The values of sportsmanship,

adventure, determination, courage and discovery set these offshore races apart from

other yacht racing events, and reflect a rigorous sporting ethos with which Rolex

is privileged to be associated.

THE BEGINNINGS

Inspired by the same ethos behind the Rolex Fastnet Race in the United Kingdom,

the race was first run in 1945. It has been held every year since, and the rich history

of the Rolex Sydney Hobart is firmly sewn into the fabric of Australian sport and world

sailing. Victory in the inaugural edition was claimed by Captain John Illingworth’s

35-ft British boat Rani, one of nine yachts to compete. It was a vastly different era:

in the post-war years, materials were scarce and rudimentary. Safety measures

were minimal, navigation was by sextant and compass, some crews did not possess

functioning radios and therefore remained ignorant of weather reports and warnings.




When Rani arrived in Hobart on the evening of New Year’s Day, her crew had

no idea of her position in relation to the rest of the fleet. Assuming his boat was last

to arrive, Illingworth was astounded to learn that Rani, the second smallest yacht

in the fleet, had beaten the competition as fastest finisher. Rani also proved to be the

race’s overall winner, and, as the first recipients of the prestigious Tattersall’s Cup,

both owner and yacht have become two of the event’s legendary characters.

In the intervening years, the world has changed considerably, advances in technology

have led to lighter, faster boats, better sails and handling systems, and the information

age means that not only are weather reports readily available but so too is data

aiding navigation and race tactics. Even so, the Corinthian spirit inspired by the race’s

founders and the joy at having successfully completed the 628-nm course remain

compelling features of the race.

THE LEGEND

Throughout the years the race has attracted politicians, business tycoons, sporting

legends and the cream of sailing talent. Notable recipients of the Tattersall’s Cup

include British statesman Sir Edward Heath with Morning Cloud in 1969, media

mogul Ted Turner and American Eagle in 1972, American sailing stalwart John Kilroy

and Kialoa II in 1977 through to business leader Karl Kwok and Beau Geste

from Hong Kong in 1997, and, more recently, U.S. computer software innovator

Roger Sturgeon and Rosebud in 2007. No crew has successfully defended

the Tattersall’s Cup since Freya, owned by the Halvorsen brothers, triumphed three

times in a row in the 1960s. In 2014, this momentous opportunity lies with defending

champion Darryl Hodgkinson and his crew on the Cookson 50 Victoire.

Last year’s fastest boat and winner of line honours was Australian Bob Oatley’s

Wild Oats XI, the imperious 100-ft racing yacht skippered by Mark Richards. In 2012,

Wild Oats XI made history by securing the triple-crown for a second time: finishing

first, she narrowly beat her own race record and set a new benchmark of 1 day,

18 hours, 23 minutes and 12 seconds, while also claiming the Tattersall’s Cup

as overall race winner. Wild Oats XI repeated the line honours feat in 2013, claiming

its seventh line honours victory in nine years, matching the number of victories

achieved by Morna (later Kurrewa IV) in the 1960s.

The first boat to finish the Rolex Sydney Hobart always receives a rapturous welcome

in Hobart. Famous international winners include American business giant Larry Ellison

with Sayonara in 1995 and in 1998 in the tragic race in which six sailors lost their lives,



French sailing legend Eric Tabarly and Pen Duick II in 1967, and German entrepreneur

Hasso Plattner and Morning Glory in 1996.

For most of the fleet, the main target remains overall victory on handicap and the coveted

Tattersall’s Cup. Any boat, theoretically, has a chance of victory, demonstrated by recent

wins by yachts measuring from 40-ft (Two True, 2009), through 60-ft (Loki, 2011),

to 100-ft (Wild Oats XI, 2012).

THE CELEBRATION

Owing to its rich run of success at the event, Wild Oats XI will start as favourite for line

honours in 2014. No simple task: the competition this year is potentially the toughest she

has faced with three similarly powerful 100-ft rivals in attendance. Recent foe Anthony

Bell (line honours winner in 2011) will helm an eclectic group of Australian sports stars

and professional sailors on Perpetual Loyal; Australian sailing legend Syd Fischer –

87 years young and with participation in 45 Rolex Sydney Hobarts to his name – skippers

the new Ragamuffin 100, while perhaps the greatest spotlight will fall on American

Jim Clark who is set to launch his new, 100-ft build Comanche in time for the race.

The wide interest in the 70th edition of the race reflects the magnitude of the occasion.

A fleet of around 120 yachts is expected to take part – the biggest in recent memory.

As a tribute to the race’s rich history, the CYCA has extended an invitation to those

yachts that have competed in previous Rolex Sydney Hobarts to participate in a Parade

of Sail, which will commence at 10:00 local time ahead of the race start.




“The 70th Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is a significant milestone and what better way

to pay tribute to the sport of ocean racing than conducting a Parade of Sail featuring

veteran yachts from the great races south to Hobart,” explained CYCA Commodore

John Cameron. “To win the Rolex Sydney Hobart is a dream of many sailors and

to do so in an anniversary year will be a very special moment in the race’s history

book for the winning owner and their yacht.”

The cultural programme is equally rich. The CYCA, in collaboration with Sydney’s

Australian National Maritime Museum, is assembling an exhibition of photographs,

yacht design plans and other material to go on display for the public at the Museum

from early November through to the end of February.

The start of the 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart, organized by the CYCA in conjunction with

the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, will commence at 13:00 AEDT on 26 December.

The race start is the single most viewed sailing event on the globe as hundreds

of thousands of people watch from the festive shores in Sydney, live on television

and over the internet. All of the elements are in place – the 70th edition of Rolex

Sydney Hobart is shaping up to be a classic.




ORGANIZERS: CRUISING YACHT CLUB OF AUSTRALIA

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is regarded as one of Australia’s premier

yacht clubs. Located in Rushcutters Bay on Sydney Harbour since 1951, the CYCA

was established in 1944 following a meeting at a photography studio belonging to the

father of one of the founders.

Originally an association of cruising enthusiasts, the CYCA initially had no clubhouse.

Members met regularly to discuss nautical matters and organize short cruises and races

along the New South Wales coast. Over the next 70 years, the CYCA has developed

into Australia’s leading exponent of ocean racing and now has 2,700 members.

The CYCA established its position of authority early on when, in 1945, a group

of members were discussing the possibility of a cruise to Hobart over Christmas.

When asked to join, British Royal Navy officer John Illingworth, a highly regarded

offshore yachtsman, reportedly replied: “I will, if you make a race of it.” This response

helped found the Rolex Sydney Hobart, quickly captivating the public’s imagination

and setting the CYCA on its current course.

While the CYCA is best known for its annual race south, members also enjoy being

part of an active club with state-of-the-art facilities, an extensive year-round sailing

programme, a remarkable Youth Sailing Academy and an international reputation.

Cruising Yacht Club of Australia

1 New Beach Road,

Darling Point,

New South Wales, 2027

Australia

+61 282927800

[email protected]

www.cyca.com.au

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ROLEX SYDNEY HOBARTYACHT RACE

26 DECEMBER 2014 - 1 JANUARY 2015




EVENT PROGRAMME

Wednesday, 24 December

Race Briefing(s)

Friday, 26 December

10:00 Parade of Sail

Weather Briefing

13:00 Race start

From Sunday, 28 December

Arrival of the first boats in Hobart

Time to beat race record: 07:23.12

Thursday, 1 January

Final prize giving, Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (RYCT)

* All times listed are AEDT (AEDT – Australian Eastern Daylight)




RACE WINNERS SINCE 2002

YEAR FLEET SIZE LINE HONOURS OVERALL WINNER

2013 94 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Victoire (AUS)

Bob Oatley Darryl Hodgkinson

2012 76 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Wild Oats XI (AUS)

Bob Oatley Bob Oatley

2011 88 Investec Loyal (AUS) Loki (AUS)

Anthony Bell Stephen Ainsworth

2010 87 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Secret Men’s Business (AUS)

Bob Oatley Geoff Boettcher

2009 100 Alfa Romeo II (NZL) Two True (AUS)

Neville Crichton Andrew Saies

2008 100 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Quest (AUS)

Bob Oatley Bob Steel

2007 82 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Rosebud (USA)

Bob Oatley Roger Sturgeon

2006 78 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Love & War (AUS)

Bob Oatley Simon Kurts & Lindsay May

2005 85 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Wild Oats XI (AUS)

Bob Oatley Bob Oatley

2004 116 Nicorette (AUS) Aera (GBR)

Ludde Ingvall Nicholas Lykiardopulo

2003 56 Skandia (AUS) First National Real Estate (AUS)

Grant Wharington Michael Spies & Peter Johnston

2002 57 Alfa Romeo (NZL/AUS) Quest (AUS)

Neville Crichton Bob Steel



HISTORY OF ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART MONOHULL RACE RECORD

YEAR YACHT OWNER ELAPSED TIME

1945 Rani (GBR) Capt. John Illingworth 6 days, 14 hours, 22 minutes,

0 seconds

1946 Morna (AUS) Claude Plowman 5 days, 2 hours, 53 minutes,

33 seconds

1948 Morna (AUS) Claude Plowman 4 days, 5 hours, 1 minute,

21 seconds

1951 Margaret Rintoul (AUS) A.W Edwards 4 days, 2 hours, 29 minutes,

1 second

1957 Kurrewa IV (AUS) F&J Livingston 3 days, 18 hours, 30 minutes,

39 seconds

1962 Ondine (USA) Huey Long 3 days, 3 hours, 46 minutes,

16 seconds

1973 Helsal (AUS) Tony Fisher 3 days, 1 hour, 32 minutes,

9 seconds

1975 Kialoa III (USA) Jim Kilroy 2 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes,

56 seconds

1996 Morning Glory (GER) Hasso Plattner 2 days, 14 hours, 7 minutes,

10 seconds

1999 Nokia (DEN) Stefan Myralf/ 1 day, 19 hours, 48 minutes,

Michael Spies 2 seconds

2005 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Bob Oatley 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes,

10 seconds

2012 Wild Oats XI (AUS) Bob Oatley 1 day, 18 hours, 23 minutes,

12 seconds



ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART YACHT RACE KEY DATES

1944 Event organizers, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA), founded in Sydney.

1945 Inspired by the United Kingdom’s Fastnet Race, the idea of an ocean classic

in Australia is conceived. The first 628-nm Sydney-Hobart race is organized, with the start

taking place on 26 December. Nine boats take part. British naval captain John Illingworth,

one of the founding fathers of the event, skippers the winning yacht, Rani.

1946 The second running of the event. A large crowd awaits the race start on

26 December in Sydney following the excitement generated by the first race.

Claude Plowman’s Morna claims the first of its three successive line honours victories

and is the first yacht to complete the race before the year’s end.

1948 For the only time in its history and due to restrictions imposed by ‘Sunday laws’,

the race start does not take place on 26 December.

1951 The first race in which all starters complete the course before the end of the year.

1960 Kurrewa IV (formerly Morna) secures her fourth line honours victory under

the ownership of Frank and John Livingston, following wins in 1954, 1956 and 1957.

The yacht now has a combined total of seven line honours titles.

1962 In breaking the race record, Huey Long’s Ondine becomes the first overseas yacht

to win line honours since Rani in the race’s inaugural edition.

1965 Trygve and Magnus Halvorsen’s Freya makes history, becoming the first

and only yacht to win the Tattersall’s Cup, awarded to the overall race winner, three

times in a row.

1969 Sir Edward Heath, who would become British Prime Minister the following year,

skippers Morning Cloud to overall victory.

1975 The event attracts in excess of 100 boats. Marking the occasion, American

Jim Kilroy’s Kialoa III sets a new race record: 2 days, 14 hours, 36 minutes, 56 seconds.

A remarkable time that will stand for 21 years. 1975 also witnesses the participation

of the first all female crew, onboard Barbarian.

1992 Syd Fischer claims overall victory with Ragamuffin adding to line honours

victories claimed in 1988 and 1990.

1994 The 50th edition of the race witnesses a record 371 starters. Raptor of Germany

claims overall victory.



1996 The 21 year-old race record is finally broken by German yacht Morning Glory,

owned by Hasso Plattner. Her time: 2 days, 14 hours, 7 minutes, 10 seconds.

1998 Tragedy marks a turning point in the race’s proud history. Severe storms, similar

in strength to a low-class hurricane, cause the sinking of five yachts and the death

of six sailors in the Bass Strait. The response of the organizers is proactive:

new safety measures and regulations are introduced immediately after the disaster.

2005 Bob Oatley’s Wild Oats XI claims the first of its line honours successes. In doing

so, she sets a new race record of 1 day, 18 hours, 40 minutes and 10 seconds,

and claims overall victory on handicap. It is only the second time in the race’s history –

the other occasion being the inaugural event – that a yacht has claimed the famous

triple crown.

2006 Love & War, a Sparkman & Stephens 47, becomes only the second boat to win

the race three times. She had won the Tattersall’s Cup in 1974 and 1978.

2012 Wild Oats XI claims an unprecedented second triple crown. She beats her own

race record by 16 minutes, 58 seconds.

2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart celebrates its 70th edition. A fleet of around 120 yachts

is expected to take part.




ROLEX AND YACHTING

As the crown in sailing for over 50 years, Rolex is proud to be a major force at play

behind yachting’s finest events, players and organizations. Whether supporting

extreme challenges such as the ultra-competitive Rolex Sydney Hobart Race

or maintaining tradition with the glamorous Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup, Rolex has cultivated

a privileged relationship with the elite world of yachting.

HISTORY

The roots of Rolex’s affinity for sports and human achievement can be traced back

to the pioneering origins of the company. When founder Hans Wilsdorf set up his

watchmaking firm, he was influenced by the swift changes sweeping through society

at the beginning of the 20th century. In an era when wristwatches were still regarded

as fragile items of apparel, he was determined to create a wristwatch that would be

robust, precise and reliable, adapted to ever more active lifestyles.

In 1910, a Rolex wristwatch obtained the first certificate ever granted to such a watch

by the Official Watch Rating Centre in Bienne, Switzerland. In 1926, Rolex invented

the Rolex Oyster, the first waterproof wristwatch in the world, thanks to a case

equipped with an ingenious patented system consisting of a screw-down bezel,

case back and winding crown. To prove his invention, Hans Wilsdorf equipped

Mercedes Gleitze with an Oyster when she swam the English Channel a year later.




The Rolex watch emerged from more than 10 hours in the water in perfect working

condition, and the young Englishwoman effectively became the brand’s first

Testimonee – a witness to the watch’s uncompromised performance.

In 1931, Rolex invented the first wristwatch self-winding system with a free rotor,

called the Perpetual rotor, the precursor of contemporary self-winding systems.

With Hans Wilsdorf at the helm, Rolex continued to use the world as a real-life

proving ground for the Oyster, demonstrating time and again its reliability in the most

extreme conditions, on land, in the air, in the depths of the ocean or on the tallest

peaks. By being associated with so many achievements, Rolex became the trusted

reference for chronometric precision, robustness and reliability around the world.

Meanwhile, Rolex evolved, as did its product, in a constant pursuit of perfection.

As part of this evolution, Rolex watches – made from only the highest quality materials

and designed by the industry’s best – became symbols of elegance and prestige.

Rolex sought to associate with activities that, like itself, were motivated by passion,

excellence, precision and team spirit. Naturally, Rolex gravitated toward the elite

world of sailing, forming an alliance that dates back to the late 1950s. Since then,

the relationship between Rolex and sailing has grown and prospered.

EVENTS

Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of some 15 major international events in distinct categories.

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race are at the

forefront of the leading offshore races. Fiercely challenging and frequently subject

to extreme weather conditions, these races are often referred to interchangeably

as the Mount Everest of sailing. In a similar vein, the Rolex Farr 40 World

Championship attracts the best sailors from around the world in the highest-level

one-design competition organized for boat owners and their teams.

The Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup is one of the highlights of the Mediterranean yachting

season. Against the backdrop of the luxurious Costa Smeralda, a sizeable fleet

of top-quality, technologically advanced yachts gather each September in Porto Cervo,

Italy for intense competition. Porto Cervo is also the home port for the prestigious

Rolex Swan Cup, a favourite among those looking for an exciting contest among

worthy opponents.



OFF THE WATER

Off the water, Rolex participates in the development of yachting through its support

of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF), the sport’s governing body, and the

annual ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year Awards, recognizing male and female

sailors who have distinguished themselves over the course of a year.

Rolex has also cultivated close relationships with the most prestigious yacht clubs

around the world, including the New York Yacht Club (US), the Royal Yacht Squadron

(Cowes, UK), the Yacht Club Italiano (Genoa, Italy) and the Yacht Club Costa Smeralda

(Porto Cervo, Italy), among others.

TESTIMONEES

In patronage of yachting’s exceptional individuals, Rolex counts among its Testimonees

Danish legend Paul Elvstrom, a four-time Olympic gold medallist; American yachtsman

Gary Jobson, Vice President of the ISAF and the America’s Cup’s Winning Tactician

in 1977; America’s Paul Cayard, a seven-time sailing world champion, seven-time

America’s Cup veteran and two-time Olympian; and Brazilian sailor Robert Scheidt,

a two-time Olympic gold medallist who was twice named the ISAF Rolex World Sailor

of the Year.

Driven by a passion for excellence and a great appreciation for yachting, Rolex,

the world’s leading Swiss watchmaker, is committed to furthering the strong ties

that bind these two prestigious worlds in their shared pursuit of perfection.



PR PLATFORM FOR ROLEX IN YACHTINGFor more information about the 2014 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race or to download high-reso-lution images copyright free for editorial purposes, please register online at www.regattanews.com

regattanews.com is the comprehensive media source for the events that form the Rolex Yachting Portfolio. Incorporating media-driven features, regattanews.com is the reference point.

In addition to high-resolution images, the regattanews.com online media centre offers exclusive video highlights, photo stories, press releases in numerous languages, exclusive, lifestyle-oriented feature articles, the complete event calendar and direct access to regattanews.com social media platforms. OFFICIAL WEBSITESwww.rolexsydneyhobart.comwww.rolex.comwww.cyca.com

PR SERVICES FOR ROLEX IN YACHTING

INTERNATIONAL

Key Partners (KPMS)

20, Avenue Edouard-Dubois

2000 Neuchâtel | Switzerland

T. +41 32 724 28 29

E. [email protected]

www.regattanews.com

UK & IRELAND

Giles Pearman

Key Partners (KPMS)

20, Avenue Edouard-Dubois

2000 Neuchâtel | Switzerland

M. +41 79 348 00 23


SPAIN

Javier Sobrino

Key Partners (KPMS)

C/ María Auxiliadora, 4

36202 Vigo

T. +34 986441001

M. +34 629893637


ITALY

antonella asnaghi & associati

Via Giacomo Leopardi 14

20123 Milano

T. +39 02 48008294


GERMANY

Andreas Kling

Föhrdener Strasse 6 | 25563 Wrist

T. +49 (0)482 236 0900

M. +49 (0)172 257 8817


FRANCE

Thomas Campion – Olivia Payerne

Agence olivia payerne

1, boulevard Jean-Jaurès

92100 Boulogne Billancourt

T. +33 (0)1 46 04 08 62



USA

Susan Maffei Plowden

Key Partners (KPMS)

45 Calvert Place | Jamestown | RI 02835

M. +1 401 855 0234


Barby MacGowan (US Events)

Media Pro International

41 Memorial Blvd. | Newport | RI 02840

T. +1 401 849 0220

M. +1 401 225 0249

E. barby.macgowan@

mediapronewport.com

RUSSIA

Anastasiya Zaytseva

Akademika Millionshikova St., 15-187

115487 Moscow

M. +7 910 484 46 27 (Russia)

M. +39 32 730 63045 (Italy)


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