First Picasso rounds out Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race entries

Rob McClelland's First Picasso © Ivor Wilkins

Rob McClelland, Commodore of Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), has spent a great deal of time playing a part in organising and encouraging entries into the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race (S2A) which finally debuted in 2023, after Covid delayed the inaugural race by two years - and the Commodore has backed his words with action, entering his own yacht in the upcoming race.

The biannual race, sponsored by Harken, with the new addition of support sponsor, Palm Beach Motor Yachts, is in its second edition and just 10 days away from its Sydney Harbour start north of Shark Island at 1pm on 11 October. And Commodore McClelland is as keen as the rest to get going.

Commodore McClelland said, "Palm Beach Motor Yachts was founded by ocean racing great and RPAYC member, Mark Richards. They're also a sponsor of the Newport Bermuda Race and the 49ers at Hamilton Island. We're thankful to them for putting so much back into sailing.

"There is a great market for Palm Beach's in Sydney and Auckland, so it's a nice connection."

It was the addition of a Rally for Cruisers Division that inspired Commodore McClelland to enter: "I wasn't able to do the inaugural race, but this year things are different," he said. "I'm most looking forward to the fun of sailing. I love being at sea and enjoy the ocean for what it is. Arriving into Auckland is special and I'm looking forward to welcoming the other competitors there," he said.

First Picasso, named for the famous artist, is the lone entrant in the Rally for Cruisers Division, which departs this Saturday, a week ahead of the rest, meaning her owner will be in a position to greet all arrivals.

"We like Picasso's art. We don't own any originals, we just have prints, so we figured we'd call the boat after him," the yachtsman explained the name of his Jeanneau 57, a yacht with a 250 ton displacement. "It has all the creature comforts as it was designed for cruising, but we should we get there in between five and seven days depending on conditions," Commodore McClelland says.

"The other good part of the race for me is that I'm sailing with a nice bunch of people," he says of his all 'Alfreds' crew of Jenny Danks, Hugh Richardson, Whitney Taylor, Dan Sayce, "and my wife Virginia - so that's six of us." Commodore McClelland and his wife have cruised and raced together for years, including contesting the Bay of Islands Race four times, winning it twice.

"The race course itself is a great challenge - 1000 nautical miles across the Tasman and then 200 more down coast - the two parts have quite different conditions. Because the race is in October, you get Transpac type conditions with swells and winds. It should be a fun but challenging race," the yachtsman says.

"I've never done a race this long, although I've done the Hobart and Fastnet races and cruised to Noumea and New Zealand and return. We've done several trips across that part of the ocean pre Covid."

Commodore McClelland is rightly proud of the race and his Club, which was successful at the recent NSW/ACT - Australian Sailing Awards, being named Club of the Year, alongside members taking the Lifetime Achievement, Youth Sailor and Volunteer of the Year awards.

"The Club has proudly served Australia's sailing community since 1867. With over 1800 members and 600 boats on our register, we provide opportunities for sailors of all ages, from beginners on Pittwater to seasoned ocean racers. One of our most exciting initiatives is the Sydney to Auckland Ocean Race, a true trans-Tasman challenge, which was first proposed by the Club in 2018."

The S2A is co-hosted by New Zealand's Royal Akarana Yacht Club (RAYC) and starts at 1pm on 11 October, 2025 on Sydney Harbour

For all information, please visit: www.sydneytoauckland.com