PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race draws to a close
by Cruising Yacht Club of Australia 1 Jun 09:04 BST
1 June 2025
Wild Thing 100 leaving Sydney Harbour - PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race © CYCA | Ashley Dart
The 2025 PONANT Sydney Noumea Yacht Race has concluded with all three competing yachts now officially retired.
Earlier today, Wild Thing 100, the last remaining boat on course, made the decision to retire with approximately 800 nautical miles to the finish. Skipper Grant Wharington cited concerns about the yacht's new mast setup in the forecasted upwind conditions, prioritising crew and equipment safety.
"We have had to make the unfortunate decision to pull out of the race," said Wharington. "Our new mast is not set up as well as it could be for another 800 nautical miles in 25 knots sailing upwind. This is hugely disappointing, but safety of crew and equipment can never be compromised. We are looking forward to the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race in July and extend our thanks to everyone for their effort in making this race run."
Earlier in the race, Pacman (DH) retired due to time constraints, and Llama II retired following rudder damage.
After a 25-year hiatus, the race was successfully revived in 2018. However, its momentum was soon after stalled by the Covid pandemic, which forced cancellations in 2020 and 2022. International travel restrictions in 2024 continued to impact the viability of the event, ultimately leading to the postponement of the 2024 race and pushing its long-awaited return to 2025.
The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia thanks all entrants, supporters, race sponsor PONANT and finish partner Cercle Nautique Calédonien for their commitment.