October 19, 2023 • 6 mins
The annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race is one of the longest of its kind in the world. Sailors from around the globe make the trip to Sydney each year to compete in this iconic event. But when it was first established in 1945, it wasn't supposed to be a race at all.
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
Near the end of World War Two, a group of
sailors in Sydney Harbor wanted to reinvigorate the sport. They
loved the open air, the salty ocean, the exhilaration of
possibly being eaten by a giant squid. It had been
a few lean years on the water, and they hoped
the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia the CYCA, could be
(00:25):
a way to promote the cruising and casual racing they'd
been missing. The men started meeting in a photography studio
and the club's first official event was held in nineteen
forty four.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
The following year, a special.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Guest changed the fate of Australian yachting forever.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Hey, I'm Tony Armstrong.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Welcome to the poolroom where we celebrate the winners, losers
and the weird stuff between. And today we're putting on
our life jackets and crossing Bass Strait as was the
weather holds out. Captain John Holden Illingworth was Chief Engineer
(01:17):
in the British Royal Navy. He spent most of his
time below the water on submarines. He will go on
to achieve great success and win many awards, but there's
really only one we're interested in today, the Great.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Sydney to Hobart yacht Race.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
After the war ended in nineteen forty five, Captain Illingworth
found himself a long way from home in Sydney, Australia,
where he was getting British ships repaired after fighting in
the South Pacific.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
While he was there, he got roped in all volunteered.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
The history books aren't clear to give a guest presentation
to these guys at the CYCA.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I'm not sure on what exactly, but good chance.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
It had something to do with boats. Some of the
members had planned a cruise to Hobart after Christmas. Each
would take his own respective yacht, as you do. The
club's vice president, Peter Luke, took the opportunity to ask
the captain if he'd be interested in coming along on
his own yacht. One presumes Captain Illingworth allegedly responded, I
(02:20):
will if you make a race of it, and so
it was. An official notice appeared in the Australian Powerboat
and Yachting Monthly, a magazine that advertised essentials for every
boat enthusiast, from sales to deck varnish and lavoratories, alongside
important upcoming events, say Sidney to Hobart yacht races. Allow
(02:43):
me to quote from the notice yacht Race to Tasmania.
It is expected that an ocean yacht race may take
place from Sydney to Hobart, probably starting on December twenty sixth,
nineteen forty five. Yachtsman desirous of competing should contact Vice
President mister p Luke entries close. December one, nineteen forty five,
(03:06):
Illingworth bought and sailed the thirty five foot double ended
cutter named Rani. The yacht was designed by Arthur Barber
and built in Sydney.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
To feed seven people.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
They took a bunch of supplies, including Bonnox, which is
like if.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Veggimite were a drink.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
A scrapbook from the journey shows photos of a motley
crew made up of Royal Navy officers and local amateur yachtsmen.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Their weather beaten but smiling.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Nine boats started on the day in Sydney to Hobart tradition,
the weather was horrendous. It wasn't long before Rannie was lost,
struck by subtly wins that put her main sail out
of action. The yachts were scattered. One retired while others
(03:57):
looked for shelter. When the weather improved, plane scour at
the waters, Rannie was nowhere. She was presumed missing and
her crew feared drowned. Actually, unbeknownst to the pilots or
(04:20):
to Rannie, she was so far ahead of the fleet
that they simply hadn't looked in the right place.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Several days later, she reappeared.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
In the Derwent River, where spectators watched as Captain Illingworth
asked how many boats had finished ahead of him.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
The answer was none.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Illingworth and his crew had claimed victory six days, fourteen
hours and twenty two minutes to win line and overall honors.
For his efforts, he was presented with a wooden bowl.
You can still see it on display at the Australian
National Maritime Museum. Peter Luke, the guy who'd invited the
winning captain along in the first place, must have been salty.
(05:02):
His yacht, The Wayfarer, came dead last worse. He and
his crew finished in a time so slow it's still
the longest anyone's ever taken to complete the race back home.
John Illingworth became a celebrated sailor.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
He was made.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and launched a
sloop called the Myth of Mallam, which went on to
win so many races. She now has her own race
named after her. Captain Illingworth died in nineteen eighty. They
called him quote the father of postwar offshore sailing racing,
which is both an honor and a mouthful. The last
(05:42):
remaining sailor from that in oral event was Honest long John,
who definitely.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Sounds like a pirate.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
He died in twenty twenty one, aged ninety three. Old
long John called the flight down the East Coast and
into the treacherous Tasmanian waters bloody hard work, which sounds
about that Sydney to Hobart winning vessel Rani sadly met
a less than glamorous fate after being sold in the
late forties. She was refurbished, but soon afterwards run aground
(06:13):
on Mungo Beach. She was a total loss. Her portrait
now hangs in the place where the race was born,
the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and to this day
Rannie is still the smallest yacht to ever win it.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You've been listening to the pool.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Room and iHeart production. I'm Tony Armstrong and I'll speak
to you soon.
Near the end of World War Two, a group of
sailors in Sydney Harbor wanted to reinvigorate the sport. They
loved the open air, the salty ocean, the exhilaration of
possibly being eaten by a giant squid. It had been
a few lean years on the water, and they hoped
the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia the CYCA, could be
(00:25):
a way to promote the cruising and casual racing they'd
been missing. The men started meeting in a photography studio
and the club's first official event was held in nineteen
forty four.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
The following year, a special.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Guest changed the fate of Australian yachting forever.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Hey, I'm Tony Armstrong.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Welcome to the poolroom where we celebrate the winners, losers
and the weird stuff between. And today we're putting on
our life jackets and crossing Bass Strait as was the
weather holds out. Captain John Holden Illingworth was Chief Engineer
(01:17):
in the British Royal Navy. He spent most of his
time below the water on submarines. He will go on
to achieve great success and win many awards, but there's
really only one we're interested in today, the Great.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Sydney to Hobart yacht Race.
Speaker 1 (01:33):
After the war ended in nineteen forty five, Captain Illingworth
found himself a long way from home in Sydney, Australia,
where he was getting British ships repaired after fighting in
the South Pacific.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
While he was there, he got roped in all volunteered.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
The history books aren't clear to give a guest presentation
to these guys at the CYCA.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
I'm not sure on what exactly, but good chance.
Speaker 1 (01:57):
It had something to do with boats. Some of the
members had planned a cruise to Hobart after Christmas. Each
would take his own respective yacht, as you do. The
club's vice president, Peter Luke, took the opportunity to ask
the captain if he'd be interested in coming along on
his own yacht. One presumes Captain Illingworth allegedly responded, I
(02:20):
will if you make a race of it, and so
it was. An official notice appeared in the Australian Powerboat
and Yachting Monthly, a magazine that advertised essentials for every
boat enthusiast, from sales to deck varnish and lavoratories, alongside
important upcoming events, say Sidney to Hobart yacht races. Allow
(02:43):
me to quote from the notice yacht Race to Tasmania.
It is expected that an ocean yacht race may take
place from Sydney to Hobart, probably starting on December twenty sixth,
nineteen forty five. Yachtsman desirous of competing should contact Vice
President mister p Luke entries close. December one, nineteen forty five,
(03:06):
Illingworth bought and sailed the thirty five foot double ended
cutter named Rani. The yacht was designed by Arthur Barber
and built in Sydney.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
To feed seven people.
Speaker 1 (03:16):
They took a bunch of supplies, including Bonnox, which is
like if.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Veggimite were a drink.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
A scrapbook from the journey shows photos of a motley
crew made up of Royal Navy officers and local amateur yachtsmen.
Speaker 2 (03:30):
Their weather beaten but smiling.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Nine boats started on the day in Sydney to Hobart tradition,
the weather was horrendous. It wasn't long before Rannie was lost,
struck by subtly wins that put her main sail out
of action. The yachts were scattered. One retired while others
(03:57):
looked for shelter. When the weather improved, plane scour at
the waters, Rannie was nowhere. She was presumed missing and
her crew feared drowned. Actually, unbeknownst to the pilots or
(04:20):
to Rannie, she was so far ahead of the fleet
that they simply hadn't looked in the right place.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
Several days later, she reappeared.
Speaker 1 (04:28):
In the Derwent River, where spectators watched as Captain Illingworth
asked how many boats had finished ahead of him.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
The answer was none.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Illingworth and his crew had claimed victory six days, fourteen
hours and twenty two minutes to win line and overall honors.
For his efforts, he was presented with a wooden bowl.
You can still see it on display at the Australian
National Maritime Museum. Peter Luke, the guy who'd invited the
winning captain along in the first place, must have been salty.
(05:02):
His yacht, The Wayfarer, came dead last worse. He and
his crew finished in a time so slow it's still
the longest anyone's ever taken to complete the race back home.
John Illingworth became a celebrated sailor.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
He was made.
Speaker 1 (05:19):
Commodore of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and launched a
sloop called the Myth of Mallam, which went on to
win so many races. She now has her own race
named after her. Captain Illingworth died in nineteen eighty. They
called him quote the father of postwar offshore sailing racing,
which is both an honor and a mouthful. The last
(05:42):
remaining sailor from that in oral event was Honest long John,
who definitely.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
Sounds like a pirate.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
He died in twenty twenty one, aged ninety three. Old
long John called the flight down the East Coast and
into the treacherous Tasmanian waters bloody hard work, which sounds
about that Sydney to Hobart winning vessel Rani sadly met
a less than glamorous fate after being sold in the
late forties. She was refurbished, but soon afterwards run aground
(06:13):
on Mungo Beach. She was a total loss. Her portrait
now hangs in the place where the race was born,
the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, and to this day
Rannie is still the smallest yacht to ever win it.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You've been listening to the pool.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
Room and iHeart production. I'm Tony Armstrong and I'll speak
to you soon.
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