1. Race History

2. Race Details and Sailing Instructions
    Race Divisions  Race Trophy  Sponsorship 

3. Inaugural Race - 2007

4. Results
    Line honors winners^[3]  Overall winners^[3]  All results 

5. References

6. External links

The Launceston to Hobart yacht race is a 285 nautical mile race,^[1] commencing at Beauty Point on the Tamar River, with competitors sailing out of the Tamar River, east along the northern coast of Tasmania (eastern Bass Strait), through Banks Strait and south down Tasmania's East Coast, through Mercury Passage between mainland Tasmania and Maria Island, across Storm Bay, to a finish line in the Derwent River. The race departs on the 27 December each year. The race is known as the L2H race (Launceston to Hobart) despite the race commencing at Beauty Point, some 45 kilometers north of Launceston .

Race History

The proposal for a Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race originated with the Geilston Bay Boat Club (in southern Tasmania) and the Derwent Sailing Squadron (DSS) (also in southern Tasmania) supported the proposal. The Tamar Yacht Club agreed to cooperate in the staging of the race.

The race was named the Launceston to Hobart and it was to be an annual race held to coincide with the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race. The DSS conducts the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race. In 2007, for the first time, the Melbourne to Hobart Yacht Race (M2H) allowed entrants to sail to Hobart via the East Coast of Tasmania, now called a Melbourne to Hobart East Coaster. Previously, this race had sailed the treacherous Tasmanian west coast only. A Launceston to Hobart race, means Tasmanian yachts could race over the Christmas to New Year period in a multi day race in Tasmanian waters. It also meant Tasmanian yacht owners avoided the costs and time required to deliver and moor yachts in Sydney and Melbourne prior to the race start dates of the 26 December (Sydney to Hobart race) or 27 December (Melbourne to Hobart race).

The plan was that three yacht races, Sydney to Hobart, Melbourne to Hobart and Launceston to Hobart, would a finish at the time of the popular Hobart Summer Festival, which includes the Taste of Tasmania.

On Tuesday 30 October 2007, Hobart Lord Mayor Rob Valentine, launched the race at a ceremony held at the Derwent Sailing Squadron. Attending the launch were the Commodores from the Derwent Sailing Squadron, Bellerive Yacht Club and Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania; Life Members of the Derwent Sailing Squadron; competitors and race officials; and representatives from Clive Peeters sponsor.

Race Details and Sailing Instructions

The race distance is {{convert|285|nmi|km}} and commences on the 27 December off Inspection Head on the Tamar River at Beauty Point. Prior to the 2009 race started at Low Head at the mouth of the Tamar River in Launceston and race distance was {{convert|285|nmi|km}}. The race commences mid river, adjacent to the docks at Inspection Head at Beauty Point and the course is north and out the month of the Tamar River at Low Head into Bass Strait, east along the northern coast of Tasmania, through Banks Strait, then south along the east coast, through Mercury Passage (as Maria Island is a mark of the course requiring competitors keep the island to port), around Tasman Island, across Storm Bay and up the Derwent River, to a finish line off Castray Esplanade. The Launceston to Hobart shares the same finish line as the Melbourne to Hobart and Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races.

The Sailing Instructions^[2] require yachts to be a minimum of 8.5 metres in length, although those who do not meet these requirements may be granted permission to participate in the cruising division. The race is governed by the rules of the Racing Rules of Sailing (RRS) of the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) together with the prescriptions and safety regulations of Yachting Australia, the International Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea and, where applicable, the rules and regulations of the International-Rule Club (IRC) where rules 1, 2 and 3.

Race Divisions

The race offers several divisions for yachts. These are [https://www.ircrating.org/introduction/an-introduction-to-irc International Racing Certificate (IRC)], Australian Measurement System (AMS), Performance Handicap System (PHS) and cruising division for monohuls and multihulls.

Under L2H race rules, the Overall Winner is the yacht with the lowest corrected time under AMS handicaps. Previously, the Overall Winner has been eligible for only one trophy and, as a result, the next three boats moved up one place in the AMS and PHS handicap categories. The rules have been changed for the 2012 L2H to enable the Overall Winner to also receive the trophies for any Divisional first places on corrected time.

Race Trophy

The overall winner of the race, or the handicap winner, collects a perpetual trophy known as the Sphinx Tea Trophy. The trophy is affectionately known as "The Teapot" due to its original use serving tea to the Governor of Tasmania. It was later awarded to George Chevert, the skipper of a yacht named Mabel that won a Derwent Sailing Squadron pennant in 1893.

Sponsorship

The major sponsor for the inaugural race was furniture retailer Clive Peeters, thus the official naming of the event as the Clive Peeters Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race. The race in 2008 was also known as the 2008 Clive Peeters Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race, in 2009 the Sargisons Jeweller L2H Race, in 2010 the Sargisons Jewellers and Natuzzi L2H Race, in 2011 the Optus L2H Race, in 2012 The Good Guys L2H and 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 as the National Pies Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race. The 2017 event was the Riversdale Estate Wines L2H 2017.

Inaugural Race - 2007

In the inaugural year in 2007,^[3] 17 yachts participated in a number of classes. The inaugural race produced one winner for both line and handicap honors, Host Plus Executive.

Host Plus Executive achieved in the inaugural Launceston to Hobart race what Rani did in the inaugural Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race in 1945, winning line and handicap honors.

Results

Line honors winners^[3]

¹ Race distance was increase in 2009 (280 to 285 nautical mile course). The 2009 race started from Inspection Head on the Tamar River at Beauty Point instead of at Low Head at the mouth of the river, increasing the length of the race to 285 nautical mile.

² Only seven finishers in fleet.

³ Due to lack of wind the start line was changed to a new line six nautical mile down the Tamar River and out of the river at Low Head. There were 8 retirements in 2018.

DSS - Derwent Sailing Squadon; RYCT - Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania; BYC - Bellerive Yacht Club;

Overall winners^[3]

All results

References

External links

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20071227221749/http://l2h.com.au/ National Pies Launceston to Hobart Yacht Race - Official site]
• Live Race Tracker on OceanTracker.net
• Derwent Sailing Squadron - Race's official organising authority
• Tamar Yacht Club
• New Offshore Classic - The Mercury newspaper

• The Hendrix Set
• The Hendrix Set /Paul Rodgers
• The Henley College (Henley-on-Thames)
• The Hennessys
• The Henrietta Barnett School
• The henrietta marie
• The Henry Cort Community College
• The Henry Ford Museum
• The Henry James Review
• The Henry Peacock Gallery
• The Henry Road
• The henry rollins show
• The Henry Rollins Show
• The Hepatitis C stem-loop 7
• The Hepatitis C stem-loop 7 structure
• The Hepatitis C stem-loop VII
• The Hepatitis C stem-loop VII structure
• The Hepparays
• The Heptarchy
• The Heptones
• The herald and post
• The Herald and Post (Gateshead)
• The Herald (Australia)
• The Herald (Bradenton)
• The Herald Bulletin