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Sailing News for December 31, 2025

The Hobart season delivered fresh names and familiar drama, with The Jackal dominating the Melbourne to Hobart and Jiang Lin becoming the first woman to claim Sydney Hobart overall honours after a protest reshaped the podium. Double handers and lighter boats underlined a generational shift offshore, while the Half Ton Classics Cup received a major boost as Seldén signed on for 2026.

Inshore & Offshore Racing

The Jackal wins line honours in 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (5 min read)
Matt Setton’s Ker 11.3 The Jackal led from start to finish to take line honours in the 2025 Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster, clocking 3 days, 5 hours on the tough 435-mile course. A strong downwind leg gave them breathing room over Faster Forward, with Alien charging late. First Hobart as skipper, whales everywhere, no damage, and a family welcome at the dock. Pretty much the dream debut.

Lin becomes first woman to claim Sydney to Hobart overall title after protest (4 min read)
History, but with a twist. Jiang Lin became the first woman to skipper the overall winner of the Sydney to Hobart after her double-handed boat Min River was promoted to the top spot following a successful protest. A sail breach knocked French entry BNC off the podium, handing Lin the handicap win days after the finish. First female skipper, first double-handed winner, and one very emotional moment on the docks. The Hobart still delivers drama.

Sydney Hobart – A very ordinary Hobart (6 min read)
This was a classic Hobart in disguise. Big breeze, cold days, sunshine later, and a result shaped by modern 30-footers going fast for a very long time. The double-handers played the conditions perfectly, and Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race overall honours going to Min River felt less like a shock and more like the future arriving early. Generational shift confirmed. Smaller, lighter, smarter boats just rewrote the script.

Half Ton Classics Cup 2026 gets a big boost as Seldén signs on (4 min read)
The Half Ton scene just got louder. Seldén is stepping in as main partner for the 2026 Half Ton Classics Cup, set for Hankø, Norway next August, and the fleet is already stacking up. With 36 boats signed up more than seven months out, this is shaping up as one of Europe’s must-watch retro battles. Expect polished rigs, serious nostalgia, and some very sharp sailing from a very international crowd.

Sailing Highlight of the Day

Anna Weis is grinding, trimming, and quietly rewriting the SailGP rulebook. In this candid sit-down, she opens up about seasickness, imposter syndrome, and being one of just a handful of women in a brutally physical role. The banter is real, the pressure is higher, and the expectations are huge, but Weis is not chasing “best female grinder.” She’s chasing best, full stop. Honest, funny, and genuinely inspiring. Definitely worth your time.