The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is renowned for being one of the toughest tests of sailing ability and an icon of the sport since its inauguration in 1945.
The 2022 edition of the so-called Great Race South featured a fleet of 109 yachts, comprising professionals and Corinthians, and 20 two-handed crews that set off under blue skies and bright sunshine from Sydney Harbour on 26 December.
Sam Haynes, owner of the 52-foot Celestial, received the Tattersall Cup, the most coveted prize awarded for overall victory on corrected time, while John Winning Jr’s Andoo Comanche took Line Honours, completing the 628-nautical mile course in one day, 11 hours, 56 minutes and 48 seconds – two hours outside the race record established in 2017.
Rolex has supported this offshore classic, organised by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) with its partner the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, for 20 years as part of the brand’s wide-ranging support for yachting dating back almost 70 years. Discover more.
Rolex has always associated with activities driven by passion, excellence, precision and team spirit. The Swiss watchmaker naturally gravitated towards the elite world of yachting six decades ago and the brand’s enduring partnership now encompasses the most prestigious clubs, races and regattas, as well as towering figures in the sport, including ground-breaking round-the-world yachtsman Sir Francis Chichester and the most successful Olympic sailor of all time, Sir Ben Ainslie.
Today, Rolex is Title Sponsor of 15 major international events – from leading offshore races such as the annual Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and the biennial Rolex Fastnet Race, to grand prix competition at the Rolex TP52 World Championship and spectacular gatherings at the Maxi Yacht Rolex Cup and the Rolex Swan Cup.
It also supports the exciting SailGP global championship in which national teams race identical supercharged F50 catamarans on some of the world’s most famous harbours.
Rolex’s partnerships with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Ocean Racing Club, Yacht Club Costa Smeralda, Yacht Club Italiano, New York Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Squadron, among others, are the foundation of its enduring relationship with this dynamic sport.
