Lucky leads in early stages of Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race
by Di Pearson / Sydney to Auckland media 11 Oct 06:44 UTC
11 October 2025
Lucky led the fleet out of the Harbour in the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race © Salty Dingo / S2A Race
Bryon Ehrhart's Lucky was lucky to make the start of the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A) today, but make it the Juan K 88 from the USA did and led the charge to Sydney Heads, turning left at 1.12pm after the 1pm start near Sow & Pigs Reef at Watsons Bay.
Lucky only arrived in the country from New Zealand yesterday - the same day her American owner, Bryon Ehrhart, flew into Sydney.
"Thankfully I'm here and the boat's here," a relaxed sounding Ehrhart said this morning. "An engine problem caused the delay in the boat arriving in Sydney, but we're ready to go."
A stunning blue sky summer like day on Sydney Harbour and a light north-easterly breeze that picked up and dropped off at whim set the scene for the start of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's (RPAYC) biannual race, sponsored by Harken and Palm Beach Motor Yachts.
Geoff Hill's reigning line honours champion and record holder, the Santa Cruz 72, Antipodes (Hong Kong), was second through the Heads. Smaller and not the grand prix boat her main rival Lucky is, Antipodes was not far behind the leader.
Brad Kellett reported from Antipodes at 2.55pm: "The nor' easter built to 14 knots before a transition to a 20 knot westerly. Now, 3 miles from the mark (at Barrenjoey) and we're back in a 10 knot nor' easter."
Behind the pair, Mick Martin's TP52, Frantic (NSW), took a dig in towards North Head, hugging the western shore before making it around the Heads in third place. The rest followed, making a beeline for the Barrenjoey laid mark at Pittwater and then North Cape.
At 4.07pm, Kellett reported, "We are neck and neck with Frantic now. Lucky gone (took off leaving them behind). We're heading to New Zealand now."
From North Cape, the yachts will head across the ditch to New Zealand via the Tasman Sea to the finish line in Auckland's Okahu Bay, where race co-host, Royal Akarana Yacht Club, marks one end of the finish line on the approximately 1265 nautical mile course.
On Thursday night, esteemed meteorologist, Roger 'Clouds' Badham, told crews at the briefing, "The westerly wind regime will continue this weekend and next week. There will be a broad north-westerly flow across the Tasman Sea and New Zealand through to later on Monday, at which time a front will move off the NSW coast and cross the Tasman, crossing the North Island on Tuesday afternoon.
"The front will shift from north-west around to south-west. At the present time, it looks like the pre-frontal north-west flow will be stronger than the post frontal south-west wind. Following the front, high pressure will follow and be over the western Tasman Sea on Wednesday and then move slowly to be over the eastern Tasman on Friday. The high pressure will be located slightly north of the rhumb line and will cross New Zealand on Saturday."
Based on these predictions, Lucky could cross the finish line inside three days, which would smash the inaugural race record of race record of 5 days, 3 hours, 37 minutes, 57 seconds set by Antipodes in 2023.Antipodes and reigning overall champion, Frantic look likely to finish a day or so later, with the rest trailing them.
As the old saying goes though, you have to finish to win.
Lucky, with a swag of trophies already in Ehrhart's possession, is crewed by a top international line-up, led by four-time America's Cup winner, Brad Butterworth. Two credentialled Aussies are also aboard, Rodney Daniel and Will McCarthy.
Ehrhart is enthusiastic about the race ahead: "I think the idea of going between Sydney and New Zealand is fantastic. I'm looking forward to the entire race. It's going to be great. We're staying on to do the Coastal Classic and then we'll be back for the Sydney Hobart," he said.
Michael Martin is ready too: "I'm prepared. I know it can get up to 35 knots. We have new instruments, good crew, good preparations and safe communications with the organisers, so it's all good."
Martin declared, "It's a lot more relaxing sailing on ocean - less rules. We're looking forward to racing over there when we finish too, but we have to get there first. We're also looking forward to renewing friendships with Antipodes and making new friendships with others."
On Wings, owner Ian Edwards says, "The weather is looking fine. We have to stay ahead of the high, because us and the Swan 48 are slower than the other boats. We have to keep speed up and stay ahead of it. The weather is challenging in terms of boat speed versus faster boats."
Edwards has done thousands and thousands of miles with his Dehler 46 and says, "On offshore races, it's the journey and how you sustain the team throughout and optimise the route using the information you receive on the weather. You have to think it through. It's like a chess game."
Commenting on the predicted weather this morning, Geoff Hill said, "It's pretty right still. The different models are gradually coming together. Today, tomorrow and Monday are pretty consistent,. It looks like there'll be a front coming through on Monday or Tuesday and a bit of breeze down the New Zealand coast - 22-23 knots upwind."
Hill said it was hard to tell if the race will be a faster or slower than in 2023. "The models show different things, but I think it'll be round about the same as las time. At this time of year it's pretty good weather, so a perfect time to hold the race," he said.
"The boat is ready," he added while waiting to clear customs. "And then we're ready, set, go," ended Hill, who with his yacht will have racked up close to a million miles of sailing by the end of the race.
His crew line-up consists of regulars such as Allan Tillyer, Brad Kellett and Richard Hudson. "Along with some visitors," Hill said of the experienced Peter 'Fletch' Fletcher, Andrew 'Crowebar' Crowe and 'Marky' Mark Fullerton.
On Alan Hill's Swan 48, Cooloola, Boat Captain Tom Vincent said, "We're pretty happy. Everyone has passports out ready to show border force. The sails are ready, the boat's ready and we're ready."
Cooloola's experienced crew is a mix of ages, working their way down from Hill, a British Octogenarian who calls Australia home. Vincent declared with a laugh, "We're a mix of age and experience and youth and stupidity! It's a good balance of crew and the experience is pretty solid."
Of the race, Vincent says, "The forecast is for primarily downwind and reaching. It's a proper bluewater race, so it'll be nice to go out there and sail.
"We've got a comfortable boat and a great menu. It's hot meals each night, prepared by crew member, Lisa Denvir. We're having chicken pasta tonight, a roast tomorrow night and then there's a green curry and chicken stroganoff. And there's good facilities to make other food, coffee and tea on board."
RPAYC Commodore, Rob McClelland, started the race last Saturday as the only entry in the new Rally for Cruisers Division. Among the crew is his wife Virginia, who has done a lot of miles with her husband in the past. Their vehicle is First Picasso a comfortable Jeanneau 57 with all the creature comforts one can expect from such a design.
The S2A is co-hosted by New Zealand's Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC) and starts at 1pm on 11 October, 2025 on Sydney Harbour.
Enthusiasts can follow the fleet's every move via the Yellow Brick tracker or download the Yellow Brick app.
For all information on the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, please visit www.sydneytoauckland.com