Master Lock Comanche Strikes First in Australian Maxi Championship Opener
The 2025 Australian Maxi Championship is up and running after an energetic start overnight with the Cabbage Tree Island Race, the regatta’s traditional curtain-raiser. Master Lock Comanche, proudly sponsored by Ahoy Club, took the opening win on handicap, edging out URM Group and Moneypenny in a tight early contest that hints at a high-quality week ahead.
Co-skipper Matt Allen said the fleet is embracing the chance to sharpen up so close to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
“We’re really excited for what’s coming over the next few days. This series is a key part of our build-up to Hobart. The racing style is different, but it all adds up. We sail big, complex boats, and the more time we spend on the water the better. This is the strongest group of ocean-going maxis ever assembled here, and that’s a thrill. Handling boats of this size is equal parts fun and adrenaline. With the calibre of yachts and crews on show, you don’t find competition like this in many places worldwide. The goal is to hit our stride at the right moment.”
Navigator Andy Green, a CYCA Youth Sailing Academy graduate and part of the Master Lock Comanche afterguard, walked through the main calls that helped deliver victory in the overnight opener.
“Through the night we focused on playing the shifts in the breeze, while also defending our lane against LawConnect and SHK Scallywag 100,” said Green.
He pointed to an early turning point offshore near Stockton Bight. “The forecast suggested it would go light there in the early hours, and the observation stations were already starting to confirm it. It’s in those moments that experience really matters.”
Green added that the run home presented another decisive moment. “Nailing the timing of our gybe towards Sydney Heads was vital. We felt the breeze might soften closer to the finish, so we held on and didn’t go too early.”
Not yet appearing on the standings is Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing 100, which retired shortly before the start due to a mechanical issue. The 100-footer is expected to rejoin the fleet for the remaining races.
What’s next
Australia’s leading Maxi and Mini Maxi yachts will continue their push for the 2025 Australian Maxi Champion crown across a varied programme of offshore and inshore racing.
Two more days of hard-charging passage racing follow on Sunday 7 December and Monday 8 December, before the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge brings the championship to a dramatic close on Tuesday 9 December. With Sydney Harbour set to provide the stage, another memorable showdown is on the cards.
Australian Maxi Championship competitors
Master Lock Comanche
Now in its second season under the stewardship of James Mayo and Matt Allen, Master Lock Comanche is chasing another dominant week after sweeping Line Honours in all four races at the 2024 Australian Maxi Championship.
Moneypenny
Purchased last year by Rob Appleyard, Moneypenny returns for its second Australian Maxi Championship and SOLAS Big Boat Challenge under his ownership. A flying start to the 2025 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore underlines the boat’s pace, after finishing third overall at the AMC in 2024.
No Limit
David Gotze’s Reichel/Pugh 62, No Limit, is a versatile all-rounder with a design lineage that echoes the 2011 Sydney Hobart winner Loki. The yacht is a year-round campaigner across major regattas, including the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore, the Australian Maxi Championship and the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge.
LawConnect
After Line Honours wins in the last two Rolex Sydney Hobarts, LawConnect is no longer an underdog, but the team is arriving in Sydney ready for another scrap at the front. LawConnect was a standout in last year’s Australian Maxi Championship, finishing just behind Master Lock Comanche on Line Honours.
SHK Scallywag 100
The 100-foot maxi returns to Sydney Harbour after two seasons on the European circuit. Following a breakthrough year in 2024, highlighted by a Line Honours win in the Rolex Middle Sea Race, the team has headed back to Australia seeking redemption after retiring from the 2023 Hobart. Under skipper David Witt, Scallywag has refined its systems, strengthened the boat, and fine-tuned the crew line-up.
URM Group
Anthony and David Johnston’s URM Group is back as a serious challenger for the Australian Maxi Championship, the SOLAS Big Boat Challenge and the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The Reichel/Pugh 72 returns with a new rig and fresh sail wardrobe following a dismasting in the 2024 Hobart. The team previously claimed both IRC crowns in 2023.
Wild Thing 100
Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert’s Wild Thing 100 made its debut as a true 100-footer in the 2023 Rolex Sydney Hobart, arriving in Sydney straight from the Gold Coast with the final finishing touches still underway. Formerly an 80-footer, the yacht has since been upgraded with a full-size 100-foot rig. This championship marks the first time she will line up against other 100-footers since the refit.