The Racing Supermaxi ALFA ROMEO (NZ) owned by Neville Crichton which won line honours and winner IRC 0 division in the 2009 Sydney to Hobart Race - Photo by Rolex & Daniel Forster
At the Annual General Meeting of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, outgoing Commodore Matt Allen announced that Rolex SA will extend its naming rights sponsorship of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and its associated regattas, the Rolex Trophy One Design and Rolex Trophy Rating Series, up to and including the 2015 race.
Rolex has been the naming rights sponsor of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Race since 2002.
Rolex is a brand that has become synonymous with yachting and major sporting events worldwide. “As one of my final duties as Commodore of this great club I am pleased to announce that Rolex will continue to sponsor one of the greatest ocean races in the world – the Rolex Sydney Hobart, for a further five years,” said Commodore Allen.
“Their commitment to the sport and to the Rolex Sydney Hobart greatly assists the international reputation of the race. From the time of Rolex’s involvement we have seen an increasing level of international interest combined with a strong Australian fleet from the smallest yachts at just over 30ft to the larger maxis at 100ft.”
Since the tough 60th anniversary race in 2004 when 116 starters lined up for Australia’s ultimate blue water event the fleet size has steadily climbed with 100 yachts taking to the start line on Boxing Day last year, including a record eight maxis.
Commodore Allen continued “The CYCA has had a close collaboration with Rolex since it first entered into the sponsorship of the blue water classic. Their association with us has greatly enhanced the Rolex Sydney Hobart and lead up Rolex Trophy Series for the competitors and the interested followers of these events.
“The CYCA is delighted to make this announcement and thanks Rolex for its ongoing involvement and support,” Commodore Allen concluded.
To “do a Hobart” is every sailor’s dream and as skipper Andrew Saies said when he accepted the Tattersall’s Cup after surviving a protest last year to claim overall victory and his Rolex Yacht-Master timepiece “I’ve always dreamed about the opportunity to run my own campaign in a Hobart.”
The Racing Supermaxi ALFA ROMEO (NZ) owned by Neville Crichton which won line honours in the 2009 Sydney to Hobart Race - Photo by Daniel Forster
“The enormity and significance of the win…you go into the history books as the overall winner of the Rolex Sydney Hobart – that’s pretty illustrious company, with the people and boat’s who have won it over the years. It’s really exciting to know that our name is on the trophy forever,” concluded Saies. The 628 nautical mile race is often described as one of the most grueling ocean races in the world and is a veritable test of seamanship.
Immediately following the 65th edition of the race Rolex articulated an enthusiastic ongoing commitment to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race which has now been formalised with an extension of the current sponsorship arrangement.
