Sydney to Hobart Start Time 2025: TV, Stream & Tracker

Boxing Day means one thing for Australian sailing fans: the starting cannon fires on the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. For the 2025 edition marking the milestone 80th race, organizers set the start at 1:00 PM AEDT from Nielsen Park — with live TV coverage kicking off half an hour earlier on Channel 9. Whether you’re planning to watch from your lounge or track the fleet online, here’s everything you need to be in the right place at the right time.

Start Time: 1:00 PM AEDT · Date: December 26, 2025 · Location: Nielsen Park, Sydney Harbour · Live Coverage Start: 12:30 PM AEDT on Nine · Official Tracker: rolexsydneyhobart.com/race/2025/tracker

The table below consolidates the essential event parameters for quick reference.

What time does the Sydney to Hobart race start?

The 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race fires its starting cannon at 1:00 PM AEDT on December 26, marking the traditional Boxing Day start that has anchored the event since its inception nearly 80 years ago. This timing has remained consistent year over year, with the official race website confirming that the start location is Nielsen Park on Sydney Harbour. The compulsory race briefing took place two days prior, on December 24, 2025.

2025 schedule details

• December 24: Compulsory race briefing for all competitors
• December 26 at 12:30 PM AEDT: Live broadcast begins on Nine and 9Now
• December 26 at 1:00 PM AEDT: Starting cannon fires at Nielsen Park
• December 27–31: Daily live shows at 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM AEST

For viewers outside Australia’s eastern seaboard, time zone adjustments matter. During Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), which runs from late October through early April, Sydney operates on UTC+11. Brisbane stays at UTC+10 (AEST), meaning the race starts at 12:00 PM Brisbane time. Adelaide operates at UTC+10:30 during daylight saving, placing the start at 12:30 PM local time.

Time zone conversions

The following breakdown shows how the Sydney start time translates across major Australian cities.

What TV channel is Sydney to Hobart on?

Australian viewers can watch the race start live on the Nine Network, with streaming available through 9Now at no cost. This arrangement has held steady across recent editions, with Race organizers confirming that Nine’s Wide World of Sports provides the domestic broadcast. International audiences without Australian TV access can follow the live start via the official race website or the CYCATV YouTube channel.

Channel 9 broadcast

• Domestic coverage: Nine Network (Channel 9)
• Streaming: 9Now (free, no subscription required)
• International coverage: rolexsydneyhobart.com and CYCATV YouTube

9Now streaming

The 9Now platform requires no login for live viewing — viewers simply visit 9Now.com.au or open the app and select the live channel at 12:30 PM AEDT. A replay of the start broadcast runs approximately 90 minutes and is available on both 9Now and the official race YouTube channel shortly after the live window concludes.

Where can I watch the start of Sydney to Hobart?

Beyond television, the race organizers have built multiple touchpoints for spectators who want to experience the start in person or through digital channels. The official Sydney Race Village operates on Boxing Day with a large screen for public viewing, while those physically present on Sydney Harbour have a range of vantage points to choose from.

Free streaming options

• 9Now (Australia only): Free live stream with no account required
• CYCATV YouTube: Available internationally, requires no subscription
• Official race website: Live stream for international viewers

In-person viewing spots

Sydney Harbour offers two distinct viewing zones. The western side — including South Head, North Head, Christison Park, and Watsons Bay — provides excellent sightlines to the starting area near Nielsen Park. The eastern shore options include Rose Bay, Nielsen Park itself, Camp Cove, and Lady Bay Beach.

For those wanting the most immersive in-person experience, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Sydney Race Village features a big screen showing live coverage alongside the physical atmosphere of fellow spectators. Organizers note that the cannon firing signals the official start, so arriving beforehand is essential to catch the beginning.

Securing a spot at one of these vantage points rewards spectators with a visual spectacle no live stream can replicate.

How to track Sydney to Hobart yacht race 2025?

Once the fleet clears Sydney Harbour, the official fleet tracker becomes the primary tool for following yacht positions in near-real time. The tracker displays elapsed time, current speed, and geographic position for each competing vessel.

Official tracker use

The official tracker activates after the starting cannon fires and runs throughout the race duration. For the 2025 edition, CYCA TV on YouTube also provides ongoing race tracking with subscriber alerts — a useful supplement for viewers who want notifications when specific yachts pass waypoints.

Live updates

• Official fleet tracker: Live position updates at rolexsydneyhobart.com/race/2025/tracker
• CYCA TV YouTube: Race tracking videos and crew alerts (subscription-based alerts)
• Daily live shows: 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM AEST from December 27–31 via the race website and CYCATV YouTube
• Line Honours finish: Livestreamed when weather permits

The tracker is particularly valuable during the race’s middle stages, when yachts are spread across the Tasman Sea and visual confirmation from TV becomes impossible. Position updates refresh at regular intervals, with photo galleries and written articles supplementing the data throughout the event.

For fans following specific yachts, the CYCA TV alerts give an edge that the official tracker alone cannot provide.

Why are the Sydney to Hobart yacht sails black?

The distinctive black sails visible on many Rolex Sydney Hobart competitors serve a functional purpose tied to material performance. North Sails, a leading manufacturer of racing sails, has explained that black sails typically utilize carbon-fiber reinforcement woven into the cloth — a configuration that increases strength-to-weight ratio compared to traditional white sails.

Material and performance reasons

Carbon fiber sails conduct heat differently than standard sailcloth, which affects the sail’s shape retention under load. The dark pigmentation also reduces UV degradation in the reinforcement fibers, extending usable sail life in a race that spans over 600 nautical miles across potentially harsh Tasman Sea conditions.

For the 80th edition of the race, this technical evolution reflects how the event has matured alongside sailing technology — from the wooden-hulled yachts of the inaugural 1945 race to today’s carbon-fiber creations that push the boundaries of speed and durability.

The shift to carbon-black sails underscores a broader trend: elite ocean racing increasingly rewards material science as much as seamanship.

For viewers planning their Boxing Day around the race, the logistical clarity is reassuring: the start time is fixed, the broadcast options are free for Australian audiences, and the tracker is accessible globally. The one variable that remains unpredictable is weather — and that unpredictability is precisely what makes the 600-nautical-mile passage from Sydney Harbour to Hobart a genuine test of skill and endurance.

The 2025 race delivered its most historic result in decades, with Jiang Lin and Alexis Loison becoming the first double-handed crew to claim the Tattersall Cup. Their achievement rewrote the record books while the rest of the fleet navigated the Tasman Sea under unpredictable conditions.

Related reading: Watsons Bay Hotel · Australian Men’s Cricket Team Players

While Channel 9 broadcasts the 1:00 PM AEDT start, the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2025 tracker delivers live updates, winner insights, and start-line drama for enthusiasts.

Frequently asked questions