Demanding first night for Sydney Hobart
Published on December 24th, 2025
Strong southerlies and big ocean swell are shaping as the defining features of the opening stages of the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which starts December 26. Given that the 628nm course is to the south, this equats to a demanding first night at sea.
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned crews to prepare for a sharp transition from Sydney Harbour sailing to full ocean conditions almost immediately after the start.
BOM meteorologist Edward Townsend-Medlock outlined a forecast dominated by a slow-moving high-pressure system sitting over Tasmania. While the system brings settled weather overall, its positioning puts the fleet on its eastern flank for the opening phase of the race — a scenario that delivers firm southerly winds and a long, mature swell rolling straight up the New South Wales coast.
At the start cannon, conditions inside Sydney Harbour are expected to be relatively orderly but brisk. Southerly winds in the 15–20 knot range will funnel through the harbor, enough to keep crews alert during the congested spinnaker start without creating the chaotic conditions seen in some recent editions.
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