Cooloola crew latest to be lured by Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race

Coolooola on Sydney Harbour © Matt Cumming

A well-travelled Englishman, who these days calls Australia home, is among the entries in the 1250 nautical mile Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A) sponsored by Harken, which starts on 11 October on Sydney Harbour at 1pm.

Alan Hill, the octogenarian owner of the elegant Swan 48, Cooloola, admits: "This will be the longest and most challenging race I have done, to be honest. I am very much looking forward to it.

"How well we do will be down to my crew. Tom (boat captain Tom Vincent) is a wonderful chap. I have a lot of confidence in him. There are a lot of logistics involved and he is taking care of them, including getting the boat ready for Category 1 racing."

Originally from Devon in England, Hill says, "I came to Australia in 1968. I didn't take up sailing until I came to Sydney and that was in catamarans. After, I mostly sailed on other people's boats, but then I bought a Swan 37, the first of four Swans I've owned. They are a good style cruiser/racer.

"Then my firm sent me to work in Hong Kong, where I had a Swan 53. I did several South China Sea races while there. Then I went back to England and owned a Swan 46 and I did several Cowes Weeks while I was there."

Hill then returned to Australia to live permanently, "In around 2018 or 2019. By then, I thought I had done with sailing, but the facilities were good. And I saw the Swan 48. I had no intention of buying it, but I did!"

Cooloola, which appropriately carries the sail number 480, was launched amid Covid in 2020. Hill purchased her two years ago and mainly races on Wednesdays out of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), organiser of the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race.

The 81-year-old also contested the frustratingly slow-going 2024 Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race. Ultimately, just three yachts finished, though Cooloola was among the retirements.

Hill explains his reasons for entering such a long offshore race: There's a line from an old poem I recall reading; 'If I not know when'...

"The race sounds like quite a challenge. Tom was in touch with our crew from Airlie Beach Race Week - I had my 80th birthday there - and Hamilton Island last year - and the idea was formed.

Several of those people, Nicole Butcher (navigator), Lisa Denvir (drive/trim/organise), Ed Wray (pit/trim/drive), Callum Cecil (bow/fixer/float) and Mark Hunter (main/trim/drive/float) are confirmed.

The appeal, Hill says, "Is the fact that the race is there to be done. And it's very much a new race. This is only the second time it will be held. I thought it sounded like an interesting one and I like to support the Club.

"Tom (Vincent) has been very much at the forefront of me going, he is organising everything down to getting the boat ready for Cat 1 racing," Cooloola's owner explains.

"We just want to go out and have some fun and hope the weather is kind to us. I'm looking forward to some reaching and downwind sailing. I like to do my time as required on board, do all my watches and fit in with the rest of the crew. I am happy for people to share the steering."

While accommodation has been booked in Auckland for their arrival, Hill, who is also a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club in the UK, does not anticipate staying ashore for long.

"After the race, we will probably do some cruising in the Bay of Islands. I've been to New Zealand several times, but this is the first time I will have sailed there and I'm looking forward to that."

The RPAYCs biannual race from Sydney to Auckland is co-hosted by New Zealand's Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC),

For all information, including entry and Notice of Race, please visit: www.sydneytoauckland.com.

For enquiries regarding the race, please contact Race Director, Nick Elliott on +61 2 9998-3700 or email: .