Sydney Hobart: Comanche's record since 2017
The Rolex Sydney Hobart leaves Sydney Harbour every 26 December and reaches Tasmania after 628 miles down the Australian coast and across Bass Strait. Since 2017 its record has belonged to the 100-foot supermaxi Comanche, in 1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds.
Three records in six years
| Year | Boat | Time |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Wild Oats XI | 1 d 18 h 23 min 12 s |
| 2016 | Perpetual LOYAL | 1 d 13 h 31 min 20 s |
| 2017 | LDV Comanche | 1 d 9 h 15 min 24 s |
In 2016, Anthony Bell's Perpetual LOYAL beat Wild Oats XI's record by 4 hours 51 minutes, after the favourite retired with a broken hydraulic ram (official site, 2016).
2017: a record decided by the jury
In 2017, Wild Oats XI crossed the line first, 26 minutes and 34 seconds ahead of LDV Comanche. But the international jury gave her a one-hour penalty for a port-starboard incident shortly after the start. Comanche, run by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, took line honours and the record, improved by 4 hours 15 minutes and 56 seconds (official site, 2017).
A record still standing
The record depends on the wind: it needs downwind conditions all the way down the coast. In 2025, Master Lock Comanche took line honours again, but upwind, in 2 days 5 hours and 3 minutes, far from her own time (Yachting World).
The overall win is decided on corrected time: it rewards the best boat once handicaps are applied, not the fastest. That is the IRC rating ranking.
Further reading
The course is on the Rolex Sydney Hobart page of the globe, and the next edition, on 26 December 2026, is in the 2026 calendar. Comanche also holds the Transpac monohull record. Its 695-mile European counterpart has records of its own: see the Fastnet Race records.