The 80th edition of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, one of the world’s most grueling and storied ocean races, concluded with a dramatic and historic twist that will be talked about for years to come. What started as a fierce contest on the waves ended with a landmark victory for Min River, skippered by Jiang Lin, after a post-race protest and subsequent penalty against the French-crewed yacht BNC altered the final standings. The events that unfolded both on the River Derwent and in the hearing room at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania have etched new milestones in the annals of ocean racing.
Setting sail from Sydney Harbour on December 26, 2025, 128 yachts embarked on the 628-nautical-mile journey south to Hobart, braving notoriously unpredictable weather and punishing seas. More than a quarter of the fleet retired early, battered by brutal upwind conditions—a testament to the race's reputation as a true test of endurance and seamanship. Among the survivors, the double-handed yachts Min River and BNC, each crewed by just two sailors, emerged as unlikely contenders for the coveted Tattersall Cup, awarded to the overall winner on corrected time.
Min River, skippered by Jiang Lin—a Chinese-Australian sailor who has called Sydney home since October 2023—and co-skippered by Frenchman Alexis Loison, made history in more ways than one. Not only did Min River become the first double-handed yacht to win the overall race, but Lin also shattered the glass ceiling as the first female skipper to claim the Tattersall Cup. "I can't believe it. It's wonderful. I hope it will encourage more women to try. You never know what can happen," Lin told reporters, her voice brimming with emotion and pride. Her words echoed the hopes of many aspiring female sailors worldwide, signaling a new era in ocean racing.
Yet, this triumph was not without controversy or heartbreak. For much of the race, it appeared that the New Caledonian-flagged BNC, skippered by Michel Quintin and Yann Rigal, would secure the overall win. The pair, both based in New Caledonia and experienced ocean racers—Quintin is a two-time world champion and represented France in windsurfing at the 1988 Olympics—crossed the finish line as the first double-handed yacht and initially claimed the best corrected time. Their celebrations at the Hobart docks on Tuesday morning were filled with joy, as family and friends welcomed them after four nights at sea, during which they battled not only the elements but also the loss of critical wind detection instruments while crossing Bass Strait.
However, the mood shifted dramatically after the Min River team lodged a protest against BNC for a breach of Racing Rule of Sailing 55.3, relating to the configuration of the spinnaker sail. The protest, initially filed on December 30, was withdrawn the following morning. But by then, Quintin and Rigal had reviewed photographic evidence of the breach—occurring with less than two nautical miles to go in the race—and, realizing their unintentional error, voluntarily admitted it to the race committee. "We didn’t fully understand the rule, so we called an expert jury in France who explained it," Quintin explained. "Once we realized the situation, it was already too late to make a declaration. So this morning, the race committee asked us if we intended to declare that we had broken a rule, and we accepted straight away."
The breach, as described by race committee chair Lee Goddard, involved the use of an asymmetric spinnaker with the tack connected to the bowsprit and a spar connected to the sheet at one end and the mast at the other. "This configuration exerted outward pressure on the sheet at a point where, if the boat were upright, a vertical line would fall outside the deck. Under the rules, that setup is not permitted, and therefore, the rule was broken. That penalty is absolutely proportionate. They used their spinnaker inappropriately—not deliberately, but it was photographed," Goddard told the media.
The international jury convened at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania for an hourlong hearing on December 31. After careful deliberation, they imposed a discretionary penalty of one hour and five minutes on BNC’s elapsed time. This adjustment relegated BNC from first to second place overall, and elevated Min River—previously 54 minutes behind on corrected time—to the top of the standings. Min River’s official corrected winning time for the Tattersall Cup is now four days, one hour, 56 minutes, and nine seconds. BNC’s revised corrected time stands at four days, two hours, nine minutes, and 45 seconds. Rounding out the podium, Simon Kurts’ fully crewed Love & War finished third with a corrected time of four days, two hours, thirty minutes, and 58 seconds.
The outcome, decided not on the water but in the jury room, was bittersweet for the BNC crew. Quintin, reflecting on the decision, said, "The decision was difficult (to hear). But it’s sport, it’s life, and we respect the decision of the International Jury. We thought maybe we could receive a smaller penalty, but that was the jury’s choice. We lose the race for almost nothing, but we are really happy with our race. We feel we did something really special in this race." He added, "It’s a beautiful story. We came from nowhere, nobody really knew us, and we arrived here with our families at an international event, racing double-handed. It’s new for this race. It’s only the fifth edition allowing double-handed entries, and for a double-handed boat to win overall, even if it’s not us in the final result, is historic."
Meanwhile, the Min River team’s achievement resonated far beyond the docks of Hobart. Lin’s victory was hailed as a breakthrough moment for women in sailing and a testament to perseverance and skill. "It will encourage more women I hope ... Look at me, if I can do it, surely you can," Lin stated, her words capturing the spirit of inspiration that defined this year’s race. The yacht itself, named after the river in China’s Fujian province where Lin’s parents lived, symbolized both personal heritage and the power of dreams realized through determination.
Elsewhere in the fleet, Master Lock Comanche claimed line honors on December 29 after a tense battle with fellow supermaxis LawConnect and HSK Scallywag 100. As of late morning on December 31, five yachts remained at sea, with the 69-footer Wind Shift from New South Wales expected to complete the race on January 4, more than a week after the start—another reminder that in this classic race, just finishing is a feat in itself.
With new records set and history made, the 2025 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race proved once again that the ocean is as unpredictable as it is unforgiving. For Jiang Lin and Min River, the journey from Sydney to Hobart was not just a race, but a story of resilience, sportsmanship, and the breaking of new ground in the world of sailing.