This is the Bureau of Meteorology’s early forecast for the Boxing Day start of the 59th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race this Friday, December 26, and onwards.

While this is good news for race organisers and the lightweight yachts in the 57-strong fleet, skippers of the heavier boats are collectively groaning at the long-range forecast – and hoping that it will be modified over the next four days.

The 1.00pm start of Australia’s premier ocean race could see a spectacular spinnaker run down the harbour with the light sou’easter predicted to stay in for most of the afternoon before the north-easterly sea breeze kicks in later in the day.

The first night at sea should be quite comfortable for competing crews with a 10-15 knot west sou’wester replacing the sea breeze and holding until a high that is currently centered in the Great Australian Bight descends on the racecourse.

“The quicker boats could ride the west sou’wester all the way to Hobart before the high moves in but for the smaller boats, it could be quite a long race,” said the Bureau’s senior meteorologist Brett Gage this morning.

Should these conditions ensue, the big boat skippers could be collecting their fair share of silverware for handicap places while the small boat skippers are pulling the warm bottle of champagne from the bilges to celebrate New Year’s Eve at sea.

Four crew members from each boat will attend the official race briefing at 9.00am on Wednesday morning at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia in Rushcutters Bay, where they will receive the Bureau’s official race forecast.

On Boxing Day, a final weather briefing will be held at the Club before competitors head out into the Exclusion Zone on Sydney Harbour to parade for the more than 300,000 spectators expected to line the foreshore and the harbour on private vessels.

Source: Rolex Media Centre, CYCA