We are expecting 30 starters for the 2024 Great Veterans Race (GVR) on Saturday 11 May. To qualify for the race each yacht has competed in at least one Sydney – Hobart and, as with the famous race, the GVR fleet is a mix of the mighty and the magnificent.
Nigel Stoke’s Fidelis, winner of Sydney – Hobart line honours in 1966, and a six time GVR winner is always a memorable sight on the course. Nigel recalls his first GVR as 1995 when the race was organised by the CYCA Associates Committee, chaired by club life member Jeanette York. After the NOR was mailed the ladies of the Associates Committee followed up with a phone call. The rule among the veteran yacht skippers seems to have been that if you were phoned by Jeanette you said yes. There was no other option. When Fidelis won her first GVR in 1997, the fleet raced along with Ladies Day, on the first day of the Winter Series.
Fidelis will be joined by Simon Kurts’ Sparkman & Stephens designed Love and War, a three time overall winner of the Sydney – Hobart. For those who haven’t noticed, the S&S lines plan of Love and War is on the wall behind the food and coffee service area in the downstairs bar area in the CYCA club house. Have a look, it’s a piece of ocean racing history.
Madame X, skippered by barrister Allysha Merrett is the only yellow yacht in the GVR, and one of only two Adams 10s to have competed in a Sydney – Hobart. Racing in 1980 as Waggers II, the 10m boat was 41st to finish in a fleet of 102 yachts. Another notable starter is Peter Stern’s beautiful Kintail, launched in Tasmania in 1936 and deceptively quick given her “I’m just a cruiser” persona. Kintail’s best Sydney – Hobart result was in 1954, 2nd over the finish line, 1 hour and 14 minutes behind the legendry Kurrewa IV, and 4th on handicap. She had also placed 4th in 1947.
Ross Wards’ Camille is one of the more famous yachting names in the GVR. Built to a 1964 design credited to Wally Ward, the Ron Swanson skippered Camille finished 2nd to Freya in the 1964 Sydney – Hobart and in 1965, together with Freya and Caprice of Huon formed the first Australian team to challenge for the Admiral’s Cup, the world championship of ocean racing. While they were generally dismissed by the English yachting establishment, “very sporting of the Australians to send over a couple of cruising boats (double enders) and a very old Robert Clark design”, the team finished 2nd overall with Caprice of Huon as the top individual point scorer. Gordon Ingate, who skippered Caprice of Huon, tells a wonderful story about an English delegation meeting with him mid series to complain that the Australians were “trying too hard”, and “it isn’t the way we do it here”. Australia again challenged in 1967 and this time brought home the Admirals Cup.
The only third generation skipper in the GVR fleet is David Hardy, sailing the yacht built for his grandfather Tom Hardy in 1933. Nerida was the overall winner of the Sydney – Hobart in 1950 and came back to the Hardy family in 1971. Under the direction of David’s father, Sir James Hardy, Nerida has been perfectly restored, including the original gaff sail plan. She is a remarkable sight under full sail and the GVR fleet is the Greater for having Nerida among us.
We are hoping to see the same fleet and more on the water for the Sydney Hobart Classic Yacht Regatta, 13 to 15 December 2024.
Story written by: David Champtaloup
Images by: Andrea Francolini/CYCA
