- 6 weeks ago
Live Presser from Hobart: Syd Hob Race Committee Chairman Lee Goddard
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00:00So good morning, it's Lee Goddard here, I'm the chair of the
00:06Bollock City to Hobart Yacht Race 2025 Race Committee.
00:10I've just got to read out a statement initially if that's okay.
00:13As you'd be well aware, we've just had our international jury
00:16just hear a protest from myself.
00:20This protest by the Race Committee was versus BNC Mainet Leon
00:25following the race and this protest has been upheld.
00:30The international jury has imposed a time penalty of one hour and five minutes
00:36to the elapsed time against BNC Mainet Leon.
00:40In assessing the penalty, the jury has ensured that any possible performance gains
00:45are accounted for and a proportionate penalty for rule breach is also applied.
00:51The result of the protest and penalty means that Min River is now the overall winner
00:57of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race for 2025.
01:01The full international jury decision can now be found on the official race website.
01:07Thank you very much.
01:09In terms of the decision, what are some of the key factors involved in reaching this outcome
01:14to uphold this protest?
01:16To be frank, the sailing instructions are very clear about what the rules are
01:22and if a rule is actually breached.
01:24In this case, Leon actually declared themselves that they had broken a rule
01:29and therefore the international jury simply had to confirm that rule had been broken
01:33and then applied appropriate penalty in consideration.
01:36That penalty, I think, is absolutely proportional.
01:39Can you explain a little bit to people who aren't in the sailing world
01:42what the rule was that was broken and what sort of advantage it gives?
01:46Yeah, the rule essentially was when they were...
01:48In fact, if you just allow me to read out so it can be a little bit more factual here as well.
01:52Essentially, in the last two miles of the 628 nautical moor race,
01:58Leon set and used its asymmetric spinnaker with a tack connected to the boat's balsprit
02:04and a spar connected to the sheet at one end and the mast at the other end
02:08and this spar exerted outward pressure on the sheet
02:10at a point from which, with the boat upright, a vertical line would fall outside the hull or deck.
02:15This is not legal. Therefore, they've broken a rule.
02:18Are you just able to explain that? Sorry, I'm late then.
02:20Yeah, sorry, I'm just...yeah.
02:22So essentially, they've actually used their spinnaker in an inappropriate way,
02:27which is perceived as an advantage.
02:30They did not deliberately do it.
02:32They probably did not understand fully that they were going to break the rule,
02:35but it was photographed.
02:36And that was at the very end of the race?
02:37That's correct. With two nautical miles to go.
02:39Yeah. After 626 nautical miles, then the last two nautical miles.
02:43Yeah.
02:44Was Min River's protest on the ground?
02:46Min River made a decision once they understood the international jury's decision
02:54to withdraw their protest.
02:56Is it disappointing to see an outcome like this, a rule that's perhaps
02:59very clear to be broken in this way?
03:02Well, I think you'll speak to the Leon team.
03:04I'm sure for them it's very disappointing and completely empathise as well.
03:08I'm not sure I would describe it as disappointing.
03:10The rules are the rules.
03:11And as I've described before this race, you want to make it safe.
03:14You want to maximise participation.
03:16You want to make it fast, but it has to be fair.
03:19So, yes, it is disappointing that the result, especially for BNC Leon,
03:24but in reality it's actually fair that these rules have been applied fairly.
03:29But obviously great news for Min River.
03:30What can you say about the race they've put in and how they must be feeling?
03:34Yeah, look, I think Min River's going to speak to you shortly.
03:37Naturally, they're very excited.
03:39They probably wouldn't have wanted to win this way,
03:41but the reality is it's a very fair outcome and result.
03:45You know, you'll speak to both BNC Leon
03:47and also you'll speak to the Min River team.
03:49I'm incredibly proud of both those crews.
03:52You know, to be double-handers, 628 nautical miles,
03:56and then, you know, in the spirit that they've conducted themselves
03:59this morning during this protest has just been exemplary.
04:02So I'm very proud of them both, both those crews
04:05and those four magnificent sailors.
04:07How did you determine the one-hour time penalty,
04:10like what goes into calculating that?
04:12The International Jury's got, I guess, a formula to work that through
04:16and in this case it's a discretionary penalty.
04:19So the discretionary penalty was applied for one hour
04:22plus the additional five minutes.
04:23You just talked about how the protest actually happened with Min River,
04:26withdrawing theirs and then the protest came from the race authorities?
04:31That's correct.
04:32It came from myself, overseeing the race committee.
04:34So last night we did receive a protest from Min River,
04:37which went to the International Jury.
04:39This morning, I guess in hindsight, and actually reflecting
04:44and seeing actually, to be frank, the photograph,
04:46BNC Leon then made a decision to declare to the race committee
04:50that they had broken a rule.
04:52And therefore, I'm absolutely obligated as the race committee chairman
04:55to then protest.
04:57And that's a much, to be frank, that's a much better outcome
05:00for the race committee to lead the protest process.
05:03Does this mean BNC might have come the second overall?
05:07That will be declared shortly, but I expect that will probably be the outcome.
05:12Yeah.
05:13What are your reflections on seeing a double handler
05:15take out the event this time around?
05:17Someone groundbreaking the event, I believe?
05:19Oh, again, incredibly excited.
05:22Incredibly proud of the fact that, you know,
05:25a double hander has actually now, you know,
05:27taken out the IRC overall handicap winner at the city of Hobart.
05:31It's fantastic for sailing.
05:33You know, and you can't, you know, look backwards.
05:35The double handers now are just part of this race,
05:38and they bring so much.
05:40So for them to actually take over the prize,
05:42I think is an outstanding outcome.
05:44Do you think we could see that moving forward,
05:45more double handers really sort of make a strong buy
05:48and play for the top title?
05:51Absolutely.
05:52And I think it will be very encouraging for the double handers,
05:56not just within Australia and in the immediate region,
05:58but from around the world.
05:59You know, BNC, as you know, have come from Namir.
06:02You know, and we've had a lot of international crews in this race.
06:04So I think it's an outstanding result.
06:07Thank you so much.
06:08Do you think anyone would have picked up on this bridge
06:10if there weren't any, you know, shots of the tapping?
06:12I mean, if they did it off the coast from no one's inside,
06:14either accidentally or whatever, like, no one actually would know.
06:17Yeah, that's hard to say.
06:19But one thing I do know is, you know,
06:21I sail with a lot of people out there.
06:23They've got great integrity.
06:24No one would have deliberately have done that.
06:26And if they had, you know, they would, you know,
06:28you'll find that people will declare if they broke the rule.
06:31It's a pretty easy mistake.
06:32Absolutely.
06:33Absolutely.
06:34Is there a difference in the Australian sailing rules
06:36and the international rules?
06:38There are differences in the rules, absolutely.
06:40So, yeah, this is actually the Australian sailing rule,
06:43but it has been applied in this case.
06:45Thanks, guys.
06:47Thanks all.
06:48Thanks, Ryan.
06:49Michelle and Jan from BNC.
06:51Well, that's good.
06:54Thanks also, thanks for that.
06:55Never mind, it's good at you.
06:56Sorry, you're right.
06:57I was kind of being factual.
06:58I should have fully explained it a little bit better.
07:00No, it's boring if you're actually at home with the rules.
07:04Seems pretty technical.
07:05Yeah, it does.
07:06If I explain it some other way,
07:08I thought you'd otherwise on in a thousand.
07:09Yeah, it's going from Panama,
07:10just want to get a stop and check, please.
07:11I'm thinking pretty personal,
07:13I'm going to do the basics in the last two miles
07:17on a 600 plane.
07:19They're saying sort of that's the type of thing you need
07:25to use it.
07:26Yeah.
07:27Yeah.
07:28Thanks, mate.
07:29Cheers.
07:30Bye.
07:31Thanks, mate.
07:32Cheers.
07:33Bye.
07:34Cheers, mate.
07:39Dillard Mid-Sidney wants the winners as well.
07:41They've got DNC coming out.
07:43No, DNC coming out.
07:44Oh, to speak.
07:45Yeah.
07:46Yeah.
07:56Turn everything back on.
07:57Oh, right.
07:58No, that's all good.
07:59I was going to have to say that.
08:00Yeah.
08:01You're all right.
08:02Go for it.
08:03Sure.
08:04You're all right.
08:05You're all right.
08:06Sure.
08:07Oh, right. No, that's all good. I was going to have to say it was done.
08:23Yeah.
08:24Yeah.
08:25Yeah.
08:26Yeah.
08:28Yeah.
08:29Yeah.
08:30Yeah.
08:41Oh, yes.
08:43Yeah.
08:44I was your name?
08:49Yeah.
08:50Yeah.
08:55Yeah, very interesting part of the event, but yeah, I think it's a good show of it.
09:09And it's next, yeah, coming out of October, overall, that's it.
09:16Oh, right.
09:18So, are you ready?
09:25Will this gentleman be able to get a shot?
09:31Yeah, no, no.
09:36If the gentleman was to hold his wife front, is that going to be in your shoulders?
09:39Is that going to be okay?
09:41Because I'm just going to have a look at that room for the two gentlemen to stand in.
09:44You'll see the figment of Rollins.
09:47Yeah.
09:48Yeah.
09:49Yeah.
09:50Yeah.
09:51Yeah.
09:52Yeah.
09:53Yeah.
09:54Yeah.
09:55Yeah.
09:56Yeah.
09:57Yeah.
09:58Yes.
09:59Sure.
10:00All right.
10:01Good to go, guys.
10:02Yeah.
10:03Yes.
10:09We'll just read something before questions, eventually questions.
10:16So, this is the story of Dupont and Dupont, two friends from New Caledonia who prepared themselves
10:25during five years to compete a world-class offshore sailing race as quarantine.
10:31We made a mistake in the two last nautical miles before the finishing line of a 636 nautical
10:43mile race.
10:44We didn't know we were breaking a rule as we didn't know this rule.
10:51But we recognized the breaking of the rule and left the penalty decision to the international
10:58jury.
10:59Congratulations to all the finishing competitors and the winners.
11:04Big thanks to the race organization, the race committee, international jury, and we invite
11:11everyone to come and participate in our race, the next Iran New Caledonia Groupama race in
11:18June 27 in Numea.
11:23Thanks a lot.
11:24How are you and the BNC crew feeling?
11:27It must be a difficult time at night.
11:30Yeah, the decision was difficult to listen, but it's sport, it's life.
11:35We respect the decision of the international jury.
11:40So we thought we could manage to have a smaller penalty, but that's the choice.
11:46We lose the race for just nothing, but we are really happy of our race.
11:51We enjoy it.
11:52We feel like we have done something really special on this race.
11:56And that's the principle.
11:58We still are.
11:59We think for us, we are winning the race for us.
12:02Our race.
12:04I think there are storms offshore, and this was a storm that we never experienced, the
12:09media and other stuff, and onshore.
12:12But I think we manage that quite well, and we go through this too, so we are happy about
12:18the race we did.
12:20What does it mean for a boat from New Caledonia to do so well at a race here?
12:27To be there is fantastic, and to race so well, to have this kind of results, it was
12:33unexpected.
12:34We didn't know that it couldn't happen.
12:38The result was historical because no French boat has ever won the elapsed time.
12:46Tar Barley won in real, but not in elapsed.
12:49This is why the news was spread all around, and it was quite a historical moment for French
12:56sailing, New Caledonia, and even the race of English.
12:59And for us.
13:00And for us.
13:02But we did a mistake, so we leave it to that.
13:05So we respect the decision.
13:08Was it special to have your family there at the finish line?
13:11Yeah, yeah, yeah.
13:12That's part of the story.
13:13You know, we think it's a nice story.
13:16You know, we come from nowhere.
13:18No one knows us.
13:19We come with our family sailing international class event together, double-handed.
13:27So that's, it's new for the race because it's only the fifth edition, double-handed.
13:33So, and to have double-handed winning overall, even if it's not us, it's historic also.
13:39And can you tell us a little bit about the mistake and how it happened?
13:44It's a silly mistake.
13:46I can explain.
13:47I do match racing.
13:49So when we arrived in the bay just there, the wind was very low and the wind dropped.
13:55So we started to get the anchor out of the boat.
13:58So Michel was down and trying to get the anchor out to Mooring.
14:02So we were not going backwards.
14:04And I was preparing the anchor and then I left my heads up and the wind just came back
14:09by the other way.
14:10So the boat made a round.
14:12So we lost the control of the boat and the wind came back and we were just at two knots
14:16going on the shore because we wanted to be on the side.
14:19So there's no current.
14:21And at some point Michel told me, we won't be able, won't be ley line of the red, the red,
14:27the red point.
14:28So we need to jibe.
14:29But if we jibe, we go back in the current.
14:31And I told him because I do match racing, maybe we can do a butterfly like in match racing.
14:35And he told me, it won't work.
14:37It's not the boat.
14:38It's not made for that.
14:39I said, yeah, so let's jibe.
14:41He said, I don't want to jibe.
14:42So let's, let's try.
14:44So we tried first and I did a pool, a human pool butterfly to put the butterfly and it
14:51worked.
14:52And so when we went to the point when we decided to go straight to the line, we were in butterfly.
14:59And because it was just the finishing line, we wanted to prepare the boat to clean the
15:03boat, all the shit and all runs because we knew the media were here.
15:06So Michel, we decided together, let's put the pole because so I don't have to stand like
15:13that until the finishing line.
15:14So I can prepare the boat for the media and for everything after.
15:17So we put the pole to prepare the boat and all the stuff.
15:20So this is how it happened.
15:21Do you think you got, did you get any advantage in doing that with your time?
15:26We, we, we tried to analyze the, on the, on the laptop, we have the, the, the tracking.
15:31So we measure what was our speed when I was doing a pole, a human pole and what was the
15:36speed after.
15:37And the speed is, is the speed is nearly the same because the wind came up.
15:42But so we didn't have a real, if we estimate between three and five minutes, the advantage
15:48on that leg.
15:49But the, the question is not that is that it's prohibited to put a pole.
15:53So we broke a rule and we recognize that.
15:55So, but the advantage is, is between three and five minutes.
15:58We estimate, but it's hard to estimate because the wind is not the same.
16:03And we have no electronic, no, no speed information on the boat since the north of Tasmania.
16:10So since the north of Tasmania, we have no automatic pilot and we have no speed, surface speed on the boat.
16:17So we had to do everything without that.
16:20So on the tracking, we don't have the boat speed.
16:23We have only the speed on ground and the speed on ground is, is not reliable because of the current.
16:29So we don't really know what was the advantage.
16:32Do the rules need to be clearer or is this a pole on your own part?
16:36No, we, we didn't use the rule.
16:38The rule is good.
16:40It's well written.
16:41We took time to understand the rule because in English we were not understanding some words.
16:49And, but yeah, make it clear yesterday night that we had broken a rule.
16:56But we had to call somebody when we realized the protest.
17:00For us, we do understand the rule.
17:02So we call a French expert jury in France who told us, who explained us the rule.
17:09So it took us until 11 PM yesterday to work on that.
17:14And once we realized that we broke the rule, it's too late to do a declaration.
17:19So this morning the race committee came and asked us if we accept to do a declaration of breaking a rule.
17:26And we straight away accepted it because we knew about that.
17:29So I think this is part of the process.
17:31So the real question is not about this.
17:34We broke the rule.
17:35And Min River have been declared the winners now.
17:38Do you have anything to say to them?
17:39Yes.
17:40Congratulations.
17:41Congratulations because it's a tough race and we know about it.
17:45We are very happy it's a double-handed because we know it's hard to win.
17:50And we know a French skipper on board.
17:53So we spent Christmas with him.
17:54Alexi is doing the performance this year to win the Rolex Fastnet race
18:01and the Sydney Hobart double-handed.
18:03So that is true and we are happy for him.
18:06Are we still friends with Alexi after this?
18:09Yeah, no problem with that.
18:10We spent Christmas last Christmas and next Sydney Hobart, if we come,
18:14we spend Christmas together.
18:16He might have a new haircut tonight.
18:19Did you try to argue for a lesser penalty at all today?
18:25No, that's the decision of the jury.
18:28We just try to analyze what advantage we could have had.
18:33But after the decision of the jury, we are not expert in that.
18:37So we are disappointed that the penalty was not less than 53 minutes.
18:43So you won't appeal the decision that was made?
18:48No.
18:49No, no, no.
18:50Do you have any comments or reflections on the protest that Min River initially put
18:54that was ultimately rejected by racing authorities?
18:56I think it's very good that Min River put the protest because Min River put the protest so the race committee can deal with the problem.
19:10Otherwise, what would happen is that we would have all the ceremony and we will have to deal with the problem after the ceremony, which is not good for anybody.
19:19the race and the organization and competition and emotion.
19:23So it's a hard moment, but it's better to deal with it now than tomorrow.
19:28All right.
19:29Thanks, guys.
19:30Thanks, guys.
19:31Appreciate it.
19:35It's excellent.
19:36Cool done.
19:37I'm very proud of you both.
19:38Okay.
19:39I'll grab...
19:40You have me just wait for one minute.
19:45We'll see Min River and make a step and then we'll pull it off.
19:48Yep.
19:49These guys are good, aren't they?
19:51Yeah, I'm very photogenic as well.
19:53It's organic as well.
21:53So you guys will just stand here next to each other.
22:07Guys, Alexi and Jiang, first ever double-handed winners of the Rolex Sydney Hobart and the
22:20first ever female skipper to win the Rolex Sydney Hobart.
22:25It's a historic moment.
22:27The guys will be happy to take questions.
22:29Do you want to just step a little closer here?
22:33Yep.
22:34All right.
22:35Did you have anything you'd like to begin with?
22:39I don't.
22:40It's a happy to answer the question you guys may have.
22:42I don't know about others.
22:43No, it's okay.
22:44What's your reaction to the news?
22:45Missed.
22:46But I think it's the right thing to do.
22:51We didn't protest in the end.
22:54We had to withdraw our protest because the community, a lot of protest, was the same issue.
23:01But obviously to play the winners of the overall Sydney Hobart, that must sound pretty good.
23:08Can't be bad.
23:09Alexi, did you have anything you'd like to add to that?
23:12What are the emotions?
23:13What's going through your head at the moment to be declared the winner of this iconic event?
23:17Yes, the iconic event.
23:19I think we don't expect to win overall.
23:22We just want maybe to win the 200 division class.
23:28So yes, completely crazy.
23:31Good for 200.
23:33Good for our crew.
23:36Good for GPK.
23:38I want to say the incredible performance for Leon.
23:44They sell very well.
23:46They are my friends.
23:47So we are very happy to finish one or two.
23:50It doesn't matter for the ranking.
23:53It's very nice to have a double team like that.
23:59How does it feel to be the first female skipper to win the Telescope Cup?
24:04I can't believe it.
24:07But it's nice, I think, to encourage more women to help, you know, to try.
24:13Middle of a camp happened.
24:15What do you guys think you guys did right out there on the water?
24:18Why do you guys think you did so well?
24:21Keep pushing, I guess.
24:24Stay safe.
24:25We didn't break anything.
24:26So that's most important, I think.
24:29What were the conditions like this year?
24:31Sailing, was it difficult out there?
24:33Yes.
24:34The first two days was very bad.
24:36Upwind with a sea state very pushy.
24:39And the best state was very nice.
24:44Sunny conditions, champagne sailing.
24:46Yeah.
24:47And the last night at the end there was a strong wind.
24:51Upwind but strong.
24:52And we were very tired at the end.
24:57But yes, it was very nice and a lot of different conditions.
25:02And a lot of strategy also.
25:05We see a lot of different options.
25:07So, yeah, very nice race.
25:11Very emotional race.
25:15Were you following the overall standings?
25:17Did you know that you were in the shot when you sailed up the River Derwent?
25:21Only after, yeah, enter the river because the weather was calmer, you know,
25:26so we got time to, you know, to look at.
25:28We got signal as well coming in.
25:30Before, no, we just focused on the race.
25:32Many sales changes because of the weather.
25:35We don't have time to think of anything else apart to focus on race, you know.
25:39Just two of us, so.
25:41Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?
25:43How long have you guys both been sailing?
25:45How long have you two known each other?
25:47And when did you guys decide to team up for this year's Sydney River?
25:51I met Alice a few years ago.
25:54And I always like to have him come over to do a race with me
25:58because he's a professional sailor and he's up there.
26:02I'm just, you know.
26:04So conversation has been going on for some time, but he's always so busy.
26:10So this year seems a good opportunity.
26:12So, yeah, here we are.
26:14And have you been sailing for quite a long time as well?
26:16Together? No.
26:17No.
26:18Actually, we only got two weeks to prepare for this race, really.
26:21It was a rush and we had to do qualified passage as well.
26:25So we didn't really have much time to prepare together as a team.
26:31But Alice knows the boat really well because he done the fast net on 1030,
26:36JPK 1030 and won the division.
26:40And so I have full comfort in that, you know, we'll be OK.
26:47Do you have anything to say to other young women out there
26:50that might dream of one day winning the Sydney Dubovar themselves?
26:54Look at me.
26:55If I can do it, surely you can't.
26:59How does it feel to be the first double-handed team to win this event as well?
27:03And do you think this potentially sets a precedent moving forward
27:06that double-handed teams can win the Sydney Dubovar from this year moving forward?
27:10Yes, I am sure of that.
27:12I am sure we can, 200 teams can do the same things as a full crew.
27:19It's not the same spirit on board, but if the boat is OK with that,
27:25if you have passed a lot of training before, we see for different races,
27:31that is possible, especially if the crew is complementary.
27:39So, yeah, I think if you have a good versatile boat, you can do the same as a full crew.
27:49And maybe, yes, I hope there is more to only to win the Sydney Dubovar next year.
27:56Leon, for example.
27:58And you guys both know the Leon crew?
28:01They're friends. They sell together before.
28:04And do you feel sorry for them in a way that they lost the race in this fashion?
28:08They sell so well, yeah.
28:12But Alice probably could know them better than I do.
28:18So, Alice would be more of other.
28:20No.
28:21No.
28:22For me, it's not very nice the jury decision.
28:27I know how Ian and Michelle push hard during the race.
28:32And, yeah, that's life.
28:37But, yeah, since ten years I spent more Christmas with Michelle than my family.
28:44So, we are very good friends.
28:46What does winning the Sydney Dubovar mean for you?
28:50What were your ambitions coming into the race?
28:52I never dreamed of winning it.
28:55But my ambition was just, as Alice said earlier, you know, if we could win the division, that would be nice.
29:00That was my goal.
29:02Does it feel like it hasn't really sunk in yet that you guys have won?
29:07Not for me, it feels unbelievable.
29:10Not real, but, yeah.
29:14And just with the protests that you guys lodged, what prompted you to lodge that first initial protest?
29:23Oh, some other boat approached us, you know.
29:26We didn't, we were so busy doing other things.
29:28And we looked at, yeah, it's clear, rule broken.
29:31So, to me, it's not just for my boat.
29:33It's not like they did something against my boat.
29:37It's something that will have an effect on the whole fleet.
29:42So, we thought that's quite important.
29:45Do you think it's a difficult rule to follow, or is it something...
29:50No, it's clear, bright and white.
29:52It's there.
29:54It's not difficult.
29:56It's a simple term.
29:58Yes and no.
29:59And where did you see them doing it?
30:01The official video, finished.
30:04Oh, so you didn't see it on the video?
30:06Not on the video?
30:07On the video.
30:08Live video, you can see.
30:10Everybody can see if you're on there.
30:12And what's next for you guys?
30:13How do you plan to celebrate?
30:15Go have breakfast first.
30:17We're hungry or anything.
30:18We're hungry.
30:19And what about after that?
30:20What about for tonight?
30:21Are you guys sticking around in Hobart for a little bit?
30:24A couple days.
30:25And then heading back.
30:26Cool.
30:27Alright, thanks guys.
30:28Thank you guys.
30:32.
30:34.
30:36.
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