2023 Melbourne to Hobart “Westcoaster’ - Final Wrap and Results

10am Tuesday 2 January 2024

Skippers, sailors, supporters and plenty of locals finally got to soak up some Tasmanian summer sun in the Willie Smith Race Village in Hobart on Sunday afternoon for the presentation of trophies for the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (the Westcoaster).

This year’s fleet had a quick but intense race to Hobart, battling wind gusts of up to 50 knots, five to six-metre seas, with close rivalry on the race course, but the overall winner of the event was sailing itself, with the exhaustion, smiles, relief and enormous satisfaction etched on the faces of this close-knit group.   

Cyrus Allen, Commodore of the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV), and David Schuller, Race Director, officiated proceedings and awarded the prizes.

Alex Toomey, skipper of Ryujin from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, accepted the Wrest Point Abel Tasman Trophy as line honours winner for monohulls from the Right Honourable the Lord Mayor of Hobart, Anna Reynolds. 

ORCV Commodore Cyrus Allen Lord Mayor Cr Anna Reynolds and Alex Toomey skipper of Ryujin Winner of the Wrest Point Abel Tasman Trophy Monohull Line Honours Image Jane Austin

Justin Brenan, skipper of Alien and twice-crowned the ORCV Offshore Champion, graciously accepted the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy awarded to first place overall on corrected time on AMS handicap.

Brenan, from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, and his crew of Allison Wilson, Andrew Vincent, Glen Cowan, Benjamin Tyrrell, Katrina Hartman, Michael Noy and Paul Neilson now have the enviable record of four Westcoaster titles along with a win in the Melbourne to Hobart Eastcoaster Race in 2008.   

Brenan’s experienced crew includes long-term Westcoaster sailors with over 75 races between them.

The crew of Alien overall winners of the 2023 M2H Yacht Race and Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy Image Jane Austin

Brenan credited the race win to his ‘evergreen yacht’, a Lidgard 36 design, his loyal, skilful and seasoned ocean racing crew, and his onshore support team.

The Edward Henty Perpetual Trophy was awarded to Ginan, skippered by Cameron McKenzie and Nigel Jones from the Mornington Yacht Club, for second place overall on AMS, with the team also winning on ORC handicap.

The double-handed entry, Maverick, co-skippered by Rod Smallman and Leeton Hulley, received the Batman Perpetual Trophy for third place overall on AMS.

Maverick had more trophies than hands by the end of the presentation with the team winning the City of Melbourne Perpetual Trophy for first on corrected time on performance handicap as well as the Double-Handed Perpetual Trophy.

Charles Meredith and the crew from the multihull, Peccadillo, sailing in their first Westcoaster, won the Port Phillip Sea Pilots Trophy for the first yacht to exit Port Phillip Heads and won line honours for the first multihull home, setting a new race record for multihulls along the way.

Michael Graham, skipper of Santana from Newcastle, New South Wales, received the Alan Collins “Rookie Skipper” prize which is selected by the Race Director for the best performing ‘first-time’ skipper.

Graham and his crew sailed from Newcastle in NSW - a distance greater than the Sydney to Hobart course - to get to the start line just in time for the race. They then sailed their Swan 43 safely and steadily to Hobart in the first Westcoaster for the boat and skipper and were a popular choice for the Rookie award. 

The Zeehan Trophy was awarded to Andrew Vincent and Katrina Hartman as co-navigators on Alien, the boat first on corrected time in the premier AMS division.

ORCV Commodore Allen also presented the Robin Hewitt trophy and the coveted yellow 10+ Westcoaster cap to Chris Webster, an award for sailors who have achieved the milestone of competing in ten Westcoaster races.

Commodore Allen noted how tough this year’s race was.

“Like many of you, in the deep of the night with the wind howling through the rig and seas tumbling over the deck, I wondered about ocean sailors who keep coming back year after year to race offshore.

“The answer I came to was that we do this for the adventure and the challenge”.

“But mostly we do this because of the camaraderie that develops between people racing in an offshore race.  

“Existing friendships grow stronger, and new friendships are forged.

“Each skipper and crew who made it to Hobart this year – including those who tactically withdrew for safety reasons – displayed seamanship and determination in line with the very best of Ocean Racing Club standards,” said Allen.  

The 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race was one of intensity and diversity and of personal and team achievements.

This year saw the return of the first multihull in 35 years and continued representation in the double-handed division, a division the ORCV has been promoting for over 20 years.

The exhausted but relaxed award-winning co-skippers of Maverick talked with ORCV Media about the tough conditions experienced on the last night of the race.

“The last night was a cracker, an absolute blinder – it was the most frightening, and the most fun at the same time, that I have ever had.

“This year we had access to the BOM [Bureau of Meteorology] access models and they were unbelievably accurate which helped us go in the right spot, because there is no use being the best sailor if you aren’t in the right wind,” said Smallman.   

And on sailing down the West Coast of Tasmania double-handed?

“One word, its just awesome. When things are running smoothly then it’s a lot less hectic on a two-handed boat.

“What makes us work is that we think the same,” said Smallman.

“When you are two-handed, you are solo sailing while the other person is having a sleep.

“You have to know every job on the boat. you’ve got to be a good steerer, you’ve got to be a good main trimmer, you’ve got to be a good bowman,” said Hulley, although both agreed they needed to do some work on their diesel mechanic skills.

Leeton Hulley and Rod Smallman co skippers of Maverick and winner on performance handicap and the double handed division Image Jane Austin

Dark and Stormy, skippered by Tobias Swanson of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, welcomed three Italian sailors to his crew for this year’s race bringing skill and enthusiasm to the team - and an antipasto platter to the onboard pantry.

Tommaso Mattia Pretto is a recent graduate of Monash University with a Master of Environment and Sustainability degree and works at the Climateworks Centre in Victoria. He sailed this year’s race with his father Giolio Pretto and Paolo La Face who had flown to Australia in September from their home in Ancona, Marche, on the East Coast of Italy.

“Since I came to Australia a few years ago, I did a fair bit of ocean racing with ORCV. It’s really different sailing [to the Mediterranean].

“I would say it’s not as easy at all…the swell and the way that it pushes you is a completely different experience,” said Pretto.

And on sailing with his father?

“We were looking after each other all the time. I was the youngest onboard and he [Giulio] was the oldest.

“We’ve never had an experience like this before. I grew up sailing with my Dad since I was in the womb of my Mum…going to Croatia, so more cruising then, but having him here with me was just fantastic,” said Pretto.

The Dark and Stormy crew is a close crew with affection across the team on show.

“We experienced gusts of 50 knots of wind, and as they predicted, five to six-metre seas, and it was heavy. We struggled to gybe and struggled to put up all the other sails…and we tried not to have any accidental gybes.

“I’m really proud of my crew…a couple of key crew, Rob [Newman], Bart [Archbold] and Tommaso (Pretto] did an amazing job last night ...with high speed downhill runs down waves, we had a great time, we really enjoyed it,” said Swanson.

This year’s race also had a focus on environmental sustainability with crews providing advice on what to take onboard, on local endangered marine life such as the spotted handfish, and on ways to recycle used or damaged sails.

Melissa Warren, ORCV Committee member and on the bow on Jaffa, sailed her first Westcoaster and was beaming from ear to ear after the race.

“Honestly, I feel great. This was my first Hobart race, I’m so glad that I had a really supportive team to do it with.   

“I like to get the sport of sailing out there as much as possible, to put on lots of different events, talking to kids, and making sure we start from the ground up,”
said Warren.

And Warren’s final words of encouragement for sailors on the edge, contemplating sailing in a Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race.

“Don’t be on the edge. You want to be involved. It’s [the Southern Ocean] one of the hardest seas to sail and is just a privilege,” said Warren.  

Next year’s event is shaping up to be another great race with interest growing from the multihull contingent in Europe and across the double-handed fleet.

In the words of Maverick skipper, Rod Smallman, “Give it a go!”

The race was run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

Race results here.

Jane Austin/ORCV media

Alien wins record-breaking fourth Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy and Peccadillo smashes multihull record in 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race

After a gruelling last 24 hours of sailing in winds gusting greater than 40 knots and battling 4 to 5 metre seas along the South Coast of Tasmania, Alien, skippered by Justin Brenan from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, was victorious in the intense battle for the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual trophy while the multihull Peccadillo took line honours in the 51^st Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race.

Justin Brenan, and his seasoned ocean racing crew, flew under the radar for the first part of the race but positioned themselves well for the final run home to Hobart to win the coveted Heemskirk Perpetual Trophy for the overall winner determined on AMS handicap.

The modest skipper and his crew sailed Alien into the record books by winning the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (Westcoaster) on AMS handicap for the fourth time, a record that will take a long time to beat. Brenan also won the Melbourne to Hobart Eastcoaster Race in 2008. 

The battle for AMS honours was on in earnest on the second day of sailing with Ryujin, skippered by Alex Toomey, last year’s runner-up Ginan, skippered by Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie, and Lord Jiminy, skippered by Jimmy Oosterweghel, primed for a three-way battle for the AMS win, but three-time winner Alien picked up speed overnight and had a great race into Hobart.

Skipper Justin Brenan, twice-crowned the ORCV Offshore Champion, reflected upon the 51^st race to Hobart.

“The winds were warm all the way, we didn’t get any cold weather at all.

“It was an interesting race. Normally we have a beat and then a reach and then we’re running under spinnakers but this year there were no spinnakers really.

“We had good breeze. A 50-knot gust went through and at that stage we only had a double reefed mainsail and a small headsail up and doing 19 knots which was good.

“It’s not every day you can go sailing in the Southern Ocean, in warm conditions and go fast.

Coming across the bottom of Tasmania presented the most significant challenge to Brenan and his crew.

“There was enough wind to make it interesting. Most of the time we had 35 knots and a bit of rain…going through the islands in the dark meant you had to watch your navigation a bit because in the rain you just couldn’t see them.

Brenan has won the race each time on the Lidgard 36 designed boat, which he affectionately describes as an evergreen yacht, which was designed in 1990, built in 1996, and, according to the winning skipper, “still beats some of the most expensive ones around”.

The remarkable achievements of this humble crew bear testament to what can be achieved with a combination of a well-designed boat, a skilful and experienced crew, and excellent seamanship.  

“The other good thing about this race was how close it was. Ourselves, Vertigo [retired] and a few other boats were all within a couple of minutes of each other.

“Coming up the River [Derwent] we knew we had about an hour and forty minutes if we wanted to win so it was pretty close and a good fleet,” said Brenan. 

Alien wins the Heemskirk Trophy for a fifth time in the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race. Image Michael Currie    

Peccadillo, skippered by Charles Meredith in his first Westcoaster, was thrilled with his win and relished the heavy conditions.

“Blowy was good for us, we enjoyed that, it was the long upwind legs down to the bottom of Tassie that were not really our favourite, but across the bottom [of Tasmania], in a nice 30 knot breeze, that’s what this boat likes.

“We don’t point the same as a monohull, so we tended to sail bigger angles than the rest of the fleet, but we also wanted to get out further west after King Island so we could get a better angle when the wind came around from the west which worked for us.

“Lord Jiminy followed us after a while as that type of boat sails somewhat similarly to us. It was a good place to be with a nice set of angles coming down the West Coast.

Meredith, a seasoned ocean sailor, was enthralled by the stunning West Coast of Tasmania.

“Travelling the West Coast of Tassie is always something special, whether it’s a cruise, racing or whether you are bushwalking on the land.

“As we came in closer to the Coast around Maatsuyker [Island] and the rock stacks – it’s just such a spectacular place, with big seas, and it looks like you are in the Southern Ocean because you are. I’ve never sailed that far South before – that was certainly a highlight,” said Meredith.    

Meredith is keen to defend his multihull record in 2024.

“The ORCV has done the hard work in making it possible for multihulls to enter the race, but because it’s so new, we really need to get the word out a year ahead, and I think there’s potential overseas interest – this really is one of Australia’s great ocean races,” said Meredith.

Charles Meredith Skipper of Peccadillo. Image Jane Austin

Peccadillo smashed the previous multihull record set by Bagatelle in 1988 by almost 10 hours, with an elapsed time (which included a time penalty for a course-sailed error leaving Port Philip Heads) of two days, 18 hours, four minutes and one second.

Bagatelle’s previous record on elapsed time was three days, three hours, 35 minutes and 23 seconds.

Rod Smallman and Leeton Hulley, from the Sandringham Yacht Club, co-skippered their Jeanneau Sunfast 3600 Maverick, to win the double-handed division and the overall race on performance handicap.

Ryujin was the first monohull into Hobart with Ginan the winner on ORC handicap.

Official presentations for the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race will be held at Race Village, Elizabeth Street Pier at 5pm on Sunday 31 December 2023. 

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

For Entry, Notice of Race and List of Entries, please visit: https://www.orcv.org.au/hobart

Race results here.

Jane Austin/ORCV media

***Ends***

Please credit photos as attached

Website www.orcv.org.au

Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/OceanRacingClub 

Further information: Steph McDonald 0431 286 745 /  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

About ORCV: A leading authority on ocean sailing, racing and training in Australia, the Club was formed so that ocean races in Victorian waters could be efficiently developed and run by an organisation focusing specifically on the needs of ocean racers.

About the race:

The Westcoaster, as the race is affectionately known, is one of the world’s great ocean races, covering 435 nautical miles from the start in Port Philip Bay to the finish line in the River Derwent in Hobart.

The Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race is one of the world’s great ocean races, providing fierce competition against a backdrop of extraordinary scenery and abundant sea life.

The race starts with a 125 nm passage across Bass Strait before the fleet sails 200 nm south down the West Coast of Tasmania, past Maatsuyker Island, east to South East Cape then turning northeast towards the more sheltered, but equally challenging waters of Storm Bay and the River Derwent.

Peccadillo leads while Ginan, Lord Jiminy and Ryujin battle for Heemskirk Perpetual Trophy and line honours

Ginan, Ryunjin, and Lord Jiminy battling for line honours in the Melbourne to Hobart. Photo Michael Currie

Peccadillo has regained the lead overnight and has set up what will be a thrilling race finish as the monohulls chase down the only multihull entrant in the battle for line honours in the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (the Westcoaster).

Despite the softening breezes overnight, Peccadillo surged ahead and is making a run for it down the West Coast of Tasmania, maintaining a steady 10 knots as they prepare for the intensifying winds expected later today.  

Peccadillo leading the line honours. Photo Michael Currie

Ginan, Lord Jiminy and Ryujin are not only battling for a line honours win but are also chasing the prestigious Heemskirk Perpetual Trophy awarded to the best performing boat on AMS handicap.

Peccadillo, skippered by seasoned multihull campaigner Charles Meredith sailing his first Westcoaster and is on track for a fast finish to Hobart.

“Peccadillo is a well-made and manufactured multihull with a very competent crew. David Blake has been sailing offshore for over forty years and Al Bennett has competed in several offshore and Three Peaks Races so is familiar racing in Tasmanian waters.

“We have modified the rig twice and have recently upgraded to a carbon fibre rig and square top mainsail which has improved her stability and performance and has given us twenty per cent more sail area,” said Meredith.

Vertigo, skippered by Tim and Clare Olding, retired from the race early Friday morning following an equipment issue and is making her way to Macquarie Harbour. All are safe onboard.

Behind Peccadillo, the Melbourne to Hobart fleet has split into two distinct groups and while the race is certainly on for line honours there is also plenty of competition further back in the field.

Lord Jiminy, the Class 40 design monohull under skipper Jimmy Oosterweghel, is neck and neck with Ryujin in the lead group of boats and is likely to relish the stronger conditions that have been forecast.

Lord Jiminy took line honours in 2020 and 2021 under previous owner Guillaume Leroux and could make it three wins if the crew can unleash but control the power of this racing machine in the run across the South Coast of Tasmania up to Hobart.

Oosterweghel will be looking to experienced crew like Ashley Bartle who has competed in 19 Westcoaster races and will be key to bringing this boat home at the front of the fleet.

Ginan has consolidated her position in the top group and is shaping up as a strong contender for the prestigious Heemskirk Perpetual Trophy.

Ginan, a strong contender. Photo Steb Fisher

Making up the first group is double-handed entry Joker x2, skippered by Grant Chipperfield and Peter Dowdney, the Runnals 39, Jaffa, skippered by Andrew Neeson, and Cadibarra which is sitting 11 nautical miles behind Jaffa.

Dark and Stormy is spearheading the second group and is currently leading on performance handicap but is facing tough competition from Faster Forward. Rounding out the group are Maverick, sailing double-handed, then White Spirit and Alien. 

Tobias Swanson, skipper of Dark and Stormy, is keen to see the finish line after retiring from the 50^th anniversary race last year and has a special affinity for the race.

“I’ve always wanted to do this race, having lived along the West Coast of Tasmania and around the D’Entrecasteaux Channel. I hope the local knowledge will be an advantage as I have sailed around the area for years,” said Swanson.

Santana, the entry from Newcastle, New South Wales, is at the tail end of the fleet but performing well.

Race Director David Schuller expects the leaders into Hobart late Friday or in the early hours of Saturday morning, with the fleet expecting a cracking ride along the South Coast of Tasmania in the forecast strong westerly air stream.

The Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race is one of the world’s great ocean races providing fierce competition against a backdrop of extraordinary scenery and abundant sea life.

The fleet is carrying trackers enabling race followers to track the action from start to finish. To follow the fleet, go to https://race.bluewatertracks.com/2023-melbourne-to-hobart-westcoaster

The monohull race record of one day, 17 hours, 28 minutes, and 59 seconds was set by Shortwave in 2008.

The multihull race record of three days, three hours, 35 minutes, and 32 seconds was set by Bagatelle in 1988.  

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron.

Jane Austin/ORCV media

Further information: Steph McDonald 0431 286 745 /  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

About ORCV: A leading authority on ocean sailing, racing and training in Australia, the Club was formed so that ocean races in Victorian waters could be efficiently developed and run by an organisation focusing specifically on the needs of ocean racers.

About the race:

The Westcoaster, as the race is affectionately known, is one of the world’s great ocean races, covering 435 nautical miles from the start in Port Philip Bay to the finish line in the River Derwent in Hobart.

The race starts with a 125 nm passage across Bass Strait before the fleet sails 200 nm south down the West Coast of Tasmania, past Maatsuyker Island, east to South East Cape then turning northeast towards the more sheltered, but equally challenging waters of Storm Bay and the River Derwent.

Ryujin leads on line honours in 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race 

Race Update 10.30 December 28th.

Ryujin, the Sayer 12 skippered by Alex Toomey and racing fully crewed in this year’s race, is leading the race on line honours and is in fine shape on the second day of sailing in the 2023 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race.  

Ryujin skippered by Alex Toomey is leading on Line Honours Photo Michael Currie

Toomey, from the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, would be delighted with his crew’s performance with the boat more than delivering on their race plan which was to hang onto the leaders and then stretch their legs in the run along the South Coast of Tasmania before heading northeast to Storm Bay.  

Handicap favourite Ginan, co-skippered by best mates Nigel Jones and Cam McKenzie from the Mornington Yacht Club, is currently six nautical miles behind Ryujin in second place.  

Ginan is certainly one boat to watch as the race unfolds over the next 24 to 36 hours with the very experienced crew looking to better last year’s second place on AMS handicap and get their hands on the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual trophy which will go to the handicap winner on AMS.  

Andrew Neeson’s Runnalls 39, Jaffa from the Royal Brighton Yacht Club is in third place on line honours only one nautical mile behind Ginan. 

Vertigo, skippered by father-daughter combination Tim and Clare Olding from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria is leading the race on AMS handicap. At 23 years of age, Clare is the youngest skipper in the race. Winner of the Rookie Skipper award in the 50^th anniversary race, Clare has experience beyond her years, skippering Vertigo twice in the Australian Women’s Keelboat regatta in which she finished third this year.   

The Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race is one of the world’s great ocean races providing fierce competition against a backdrop of extraordinary scenery and abundant sea life.  

The race attracts and encourages short-handed crews.  

Rod Smallman and Leeton Hulley from the Sandringham Yacht Club are co-skippers of Maverick, a Jeanneau Sun Fast 3600. The boat is perfectly designed for short-handed offshore racing with twin rudders, a lead bulbed keel and with the construction designed to maximise the power-to-weight ratio. She is currently leading the double-handed division. 

Rod Smallman has sailed the race five times, three times in the double-handed division, but this is the first time he has sailed the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht double-handed with Hulley. 

The skippers talked with ORCV media from the water today and are feeling pretty good about their race so far.   

“We had pretty good conditions over night. We stayed to the west more than the rest of the fleet and we are now enjoying them tacking back in behind us.  

“With any luck the wind will turn more westerly very soon and we won’t have to tack. 

“We are just about past King Island which is awesome and puts us ahead of schedule.  

“We look like being off the [West] Coast tonight. We just have to negotiate a potential light patch on the north western end of Tasmania,” said Smallman. 

Co-skipper Hulley is relaxed and looking forward to the heavier conditions which are likely to come tonight and into Friday.  

“We are one of the smallest boats in the fleet.  

“No one has had a serious break away which leaves us right in the thick of it. 

“We are hoping to get down south soon where it gets a bit more intense which will play into our hands,” said Hulley. 

The team is currently enjoying ham and cheese salad sandwiches and pot noodles to ensure they keep their strength up for what will be harder sailing in coming days. 

Rod Smallman and Leeton Hulley on Maverick, one of the smallest boats.  Photo Michael Currie.

Maverick is racing against the J133 design, Joker x2, in the double-handed division while third entrant Alex Team Macadie retired just before the start of the race.  

The winds are forecast to pick up on Friday evening which will provide more challenging conditions for the crews with strong west to south westerly winds of 30 knots, gusting to 40 knots. 

While it is still too early to call, line honours contenders are expected to arrive in Hobart late Friday or in the early hours of Saturday morning.  

The fleet is carrying trackers enabling race followers to track the action from start to finish. To follow the fleet, go to the race tracker on Blue Water Tracks

The monohull race record of 1 day 17 hours 28 minutes 59 seconds was set by Shortwave in 2008, winning the race with an average speed over the course of 10.49 knots.  

The race is run with the cooperation of the Derwent Sailing Squadron. 

For Entry, Notice of Race and List of Entries, please visit: the website here  

Jane Austin/ORCV media