SYDNEY TO AUCKLAND OCEAN RACE 2026
RPAYC boats Frantic and Antipodes completed the challenging 1,250 nautical mile Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, with both boats finishing among the leading boats in the fleet.
Frantic, owned by Michael Martin, crossed the finish line in Auckland in 5 days, 10 hours and 26 minutes, securing second overall. The TP52 previously won the inaugural Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race in 2023, and the crew once again produced a strong performance despite some demanding conditions along the way.
The race presented a mixture of challenging weather and sailing conditions, with shifting winds, a difficult seaway and some testing downwind sailing. The Frantic crew reported several spinnaker losses during the race, including one that exploded, while the changing conditions required plenty of concentration from the crew.
Antipodes, owned by Geoff Hill, finished shortly after Frantic in 5 days, 14 hours and 6 minutes, taking third overall. The boat, which set the race record in the inaugural 2023 edition, encountered its own share of challenging conditions, including light winds and a number of storm cells near the top of New Zealand.
Despite the conditions, Hill said the crew sailed well towards the finish, enjoying a fast run into Auckland once they reached flatter water. Only one sail was blown out during the race, with the crew arriving safely after another demanding offshore adventure.
The Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race is one of the Southern Hemisphere’ s major ocean racing challenges, and the strong results from Frantic and Antipodes are a great result for the RPAYC fleet. Both boats then turned their attention to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in December 2026.