Entries open for 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race and New Premium Partner Announced
Entries are now open for the Ocean Racing Club of Victoria’s 2025 Melbourne to Hobart (Westcoaster) Yacht Race.
The 435 nautical mile yacht race from Portsea Pier down the West Coast of Tasmania to Hobart starts at 1:30pm (AEST) on Saturday the 27th of December.
The M2H is a prestigious and challenging blue-water ocean classic often described as one of the world’s best ocean races, and affectionately regarded as the people’s race.
The Westcoaster offers passionate skippers and crews an opportunity to pit their race-ready boats against wild and spectacular sailing conditions, from reaching down one of the world’s most stunning and unique coastlines to conquering the bucket list seas of the Southern Ocean.
ORCV Commodore Cyrus Allen, a M2H race veteran and 2025 Melbourne to Osaka competitor, holds the race in high regard.
“The Westcoaster is about grit, seamanship, and the raw beauty of Tasmania’s untamed West Coast.
“It’s a real race for everyday sailors chasing real adventure, not champagne at the dock.
“The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria is proud once again to welcome competitors to experience this iconic and uniquely challenging event,” said Allen.
The race is expected to attract yet another strong fleet of fully-crewed monohull and multihull boats (including four+ autohelm) along with a strong contingent of double-handed entries, while the new race record set by the multihull Rushour in last year’s race will also be up for grabs.
Early registrations include Alien, the Lidgard 36 skippered by the highly acclaimed Justin Brenan from the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria (RYCV).
Brenan, a stalwart of the ORCV racing program for over 20 years, is a five-time overall winner of the race.
This year’s fleet also sees the return of the Spirit of Downunder, skippered by Rick Whitehouse from the RYCV.
Expect to hear more about this 12 metre Cameron De Lange boat which has taken line honours twice in the race and won on performance handicap in 2008, the same year Matthew Short skippered Shortwave to a new race record which stands to this day.
The ORCV is delighted to welcome yet another race supporter with On Track Meals announced this week as a premium partner for the 2025 race.
On Track Meals joins other race sponsors including Grace Removals, Strait Link, National Pies, and the Tasmanian Government (Events Tasmania), in their support for the 53rd race to Hobart.
Erin Wyatt, Co-owner of Australian-owned and made On Track Meals, is excited about the partnership and the alignment of their products with the spirit of the Westcoaster.
“For us at On Track Meals, being the official meal partner of the Westcoaster is about more than just putting food on boats.
“Offshore racing is demanding, both physically and mentally, and we know how important it is for sailors to have meals they can rely on when the conditions get tough.
“This partnership is a chance for us to support the sailing community we admire, to make life that little bit easier when crews are pushing themselves and their boats to the limit.
“We’re hoping that when sailors open one of our meals mid-race, they feel reassured, fuelled, and ready to keep going.
“That’s what this is about for us — keeping people strong, safe, and able to enjoy the incredible adventure that is ocean racing,” said Wyatt.
The diversity of conditions throughout the race necessitates the use of handicapping systems to level the playing field for different boat designs and performance capabilities, with yachts competing for the prestigious Heemskerk Perpetual Trophy, decided on AMS handicap, alongside the (almost) equally prestigious yellow Westcoaster cap.
The Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race is also the highest-ranking race in the ORCV's Offshore Championship Series.
Early bird entries close on Monday the 10th of November with final entries closing on Monday the 24th of November 2025.
Enter the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race here.
Photos provided by On Track Meals
By Jane Austin/ORCV Media
