Age at start of race: 73

Yacht Club: Sandspit Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Sparkman & Stephens

LOA: 8.7m

Race Number: 12

Sailing CV:
65 years sailing experience. Auckland Suva Race, Whangarei Noumea Race, Tauranga Port Vila Race, Fastnet Race, Solo circumnavigation of New Zealand,
2025

Personal Goal / Quote: " I've always had a fascination in single handed ocean sailing. I've read all the books and followed all the famous voyages and races including the Trans Tasman. Finally, I've got myself into a position where I can set sail myself. I can't wait to follow in the wakes of kiwi solo legends like Bill Belcher, Tony Armit and Andrew Fagan. My kindred spirits."

Age at start of race: 62

Yacht Club: Tinaroo Sailing Club

Hull Category: Multihull

Design: Crowther - Design #93

LOA: 13.85m

Race Number: 9

Sailing CV:
50 years, over 120,000 nm, Yacht master Offshore (RYA), two circumnavigations, 1 and ½ solo.

Personal Goal / Quote: "During my solo circumnavigation Oceans Tribute made it clear that as she holds the old multihull course record she wants to set the new course one. She has a mind of her own and gets quite lively at times, my personal goal is to Start, hang on and Finish!"

Age at start of race: 79

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Dickson 55

LOA: 16.82m

Race Number: 7

Sailing CV:
Having been brought up designing, building and sailing boats from a very young age, Malcolm considers sailing to be in his DNA.
He can’t really remember when he learned to sail and helm his Dads yacht, but it was certainly well before he started school.
Sailed around the world in 2000 east about south of all the great Capes.

Personal Goal / Quote: "This race will be my eleventh sail across the Tasman, and my sixth time solo. Feel very fortunate to still be able to participate in this great event."

Age at start of race: 68

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: S&S 34

LOA: 10.23m

Sailing CV:
Lifetime of sailing, with plenty of miles offshore cruising and racing. Probably around 40,000 on crewed yachts. This will be first voyage of any great distance single handed.

Personal Goal / Quote: Terry is currently commadore of the Opua Cruising Club

Age at start of race: 52

Yacht Club: Southport Yacht Club/Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Young 11

LOA: 11.17m

Sailing CV:
Multiple Sydney to Hobart Races

Age at start of race: 62

Yacht Club: Tauranga Yacht and Power Boat Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Cav 39

LOA: 11.9m

Race Number: 1

Sailing CV:
Lifetime of sailing with countless coastal and 12,000 offshore miles

Personal Goal / Quote: No solo offshore miles so the journey begins.....

Age at start of race: 52

Yacht Club: Bay of Islands Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Class 40

LOA: 12.17 m

Race Number: 19

Sailing CV:
Sailing CV 1st Women in the World to win a Round the World Yacht Race – 2005
2005 Winner of ORYX Quest (62 days nonstop around the world)
2001 Volvo Ocean Race 7th
1998 Jules Verne Challenge
World Speed Records x 5
Olympic Games
1996 Europe Dinghy Solo 5th Placing
2004 Yngling- Skipper 3 women keelboat 7th Placing
5x New Zealand National Champion
2016 Skipper of Thalassa Magenta Racing,
1st female team in the Extreme Sailing Series
Co-Skipper Armin Strom Sailing Team 3rd GC32 Racing Tour
2018 Skipper Ave Gitana –45 foot Trimaran
2023 - 25 Ocean Sailing Expeditions
2024 – Rolex Sydney to Hobart 14th Line Honors
Awen - IMOCA 3,232nm
124k Offshore Racing Miles

Age at start of race: 49

Yacht Club: Richmond River Sailing Club

Hull Category: Multihull

Design: Mumby 48

LOA: 14.6m

Race Number: 14

Sailing CV:
20,000nm of short-handed sailing experience. Approximately 4000nm Solo (including solo Fiji – NZ and NZ – Australia)

Age at start of race: 69

Yacht Club: New Plymouth Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Wilson 36

LOA: 10.97m

Race Number: 21

Sailing CV:
Over 19,000 offshore miles and another 2,000 coastal miles.
Extensive short-handed and solo experience.

Age at start of race: 67

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Outbound 46

LOA: 14.02m

Race Number: 17

Sailing CV:
Logged over 125,000nm. Sailed across Pacific five times, Indian Ocean two times, Atlantic two times. ASA Instructor, VSCG – 100T

• Charter yacht skipper 44 Kalik, 1987-1991 Caribbean
• Delivery skipper 1991-2020, various vessels, Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico.
• Sailing instructor 1992-2003 week long learn and cruises around the San Juan Islands and Gulf Islands, Pacific Northwest.
• Owner of BROAD REACH SAILING, 2003-2014 sailing school for women, San Diego, CA.
• Yacht salesperson, San Diego CA 2003-2014
• Crossed the pacific from west coast USA to NZ 2001-2024 five times in my own yachts varying from a 1946 wooden gaff schooner to 2007 Outbound 46.

Personal Goal / Quote: “Life is an adventure, or it is nothing.” I wanted to enter the race because life was getting a bit mundane, I am now a first time home owner and live in Opua, with my favorite human, Peter, and a strange little dog Scuppers.

Age at start of race: 63

Yacht Club: Bellerive Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Knoop 39

LOA: 11.98m

Race Number: 16

Sailing CV:
Over 50 years, dinghy’s, trailer sailors, keel boats, coastal and offshore cruising & racing, usually fully crewed. Multiple Launceston to Hobart, Melbourne to Hobart & Sydney to Hobart yacht races. Sailing highlight so far was the 2025 Melbourne to Osaka yacht race (5500nm, double handed), which we were the first ever father daughter team.

Personal Goal / Quote: The STT is definitely the next level, I plan to sail the solo qualifier early next year, then probably short hand the delivery from Tasmania to Opua.

Age at start of race: 56

Yacht Club: Mount Maunganui Yacht Club & Southport Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Tiller 35

LOA: 10.9m

Race Number: 10

Sailing CV:
Sailing since very young. Four Round North Island races, Deliveries from Fiji & New Cal NZ. NZ to Vanuatu. Tasman crossing 2 handed. Brisbane Tauranga.
Significant coastal shorthanded and crewed racing

Personal Goal / Quote: For me this race has always been a bucket list thing that I have dreamed of for a long time but never had enough money or the right boat. But in the words of RKJ, sometimes the best boat is the one you have. My goals are to enjoy the race and to finish.

Age at start of race: 53

Yacht Club: SSANZ / RNZYC

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Grand Soleil 50

LOA: 15.0m

Race Number: 4

Sailing CV:
Grew up sailing in dinghies and cruising Hauraki Gulf with parents.
Croatia to NZ 2022, Auckland to Vanuatu, Four times SSANZ Round North Island, Two times Tasman crossings, Three times Auckland to Fiji, Ten Coastal Classics.
SSANZ winter series 8x (2 handed)
SSANZ enduro 3x (2 handed)
RNZYS evening series 5x (crewed)
RYC evening series 10x (crewed)
White island race 4x (2 handed)
NZ keel boat champs 2x
NZ IRC champs 1x
Marsden Cove/Route 66 7x (crewed/solo)
RYC solo series 5x

Personal Goal / Quote: “If you have to ask why, you wouldn’t understand the answer.”

Age at start of race: 60

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Ross 12m

LOA: 12.2m

Race Number: 5

Sailing CV:
Sailing since childhood. Significant events include Round the North Island 1999, Offshore cruising with family 2009, 2017.
Coastal cruising and racing, club racing – keelboats, multihulls, skiffs, dinghies.

Personal Goal / Quote: “Do it today, because tomorrow doesn’t exist”

Age at start of race: 64

Yacht Club: Port Stephens Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: 1997 Lutra BOC Open 40

LOA: 12.2m

Race Number: 18

Sailing CV:
2025 solo Osaka Japan to Port Stephens; 2025 DH Melbourne to Osaka race;
2025 DH Hobart-Melbourne; 2024 DH RSHYR; 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge 13000nm Spain-Hobart solo, non-stop & unassisted; 2023 solo Spain-UK-Spain; 2000nm GSC qualifier Falmouth UK to Fastnet Rock-France-Spain-UK; Five solo crossings Bay of Biscay: 2022 solo Netherlands-UK-Spain; 2021 DH RSHYR; 2019 Crewed RSHYR;; 2010 solo Malaysia to Port Stephens.

Personal Goal / Quote: "I missed competing the 2023 Solo Trans-Tasman as I was overseas prepping Roaring Forty to race the 2023-24 Global Solo Challenge, so there was no way in hell I was going to miss my 3rd Solo Trans-Tasman in 2026! The Solo Trans-Tasman event is an iconic challenge and a real test of a sailors skill, preparation, courage and determination; both mental and physical. It's fantastic to see the race move to Opua and immediately attract more skippers. A huge shout out to the Taranaki mob for their incredible effort and support in running the event every 4y since the race inception. Stand proud. Aviator Ocean Racing sails to support our charities Brain Tumour Alliance Australia and Soldier On"

Age at start of race: 50

Yacht Club: Mersey Yacht Club / Ocean Racing Club Victoria (ORCV)

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: S&S 34

LOA: 10.23m

Race Number: 2

Sailing CV:
Currently based in Tasmania, Sam has over 15 000 miles logged from the Pacific to edges of the Southern Ocean. Sam's miles are made up of bluewater deliveries, crewing in full and short handed offshore races, tall ship training vessels and soloing and short handing her S&S 34, Star Path.
She will participate in her first Sydney to Hobart this year on The XX Factor who sports an almost all female crew led by female owner/skipper Janet Thornley.
For Sam, the STT is an opportunity to rise to a personal challenge/ dream, drink in the beauty of ocean sailing, participate in an iconic event and race with other solo sailors.

Personal Goal / Quote: "You do not ask a tame seagull why it needs to disappear from time to time toward the open sea, it goes, that's all" Bernard Moitessier

Age at start of race: 72

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: B and G 36

LOA: 11.0m

Race Number: 8

Sailing CV:
As a teenager, sailing and racing dinghies - generally with indifferent results
Coastal cruising
Solo non-stop around New Zealand - NZ first
Solo non-stop around world, short course - NZ first
Two-handed Opua to Seattle - with stops

Personal Goal / Quote: “If ever you think you've got this sailing thing sorted, there will be something new to mess you up. This race is more a pacing of an ageing body than keeping a boat on pace.”

Age at start of race: 62

Yacht Club: Kerikeri Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Sweden 340

LOA: 10.36m

Race Number: 20

Sailing CV:
NZ Ocean Yacht Master, Blue Water Cert. Many offshore miles, Pacific and Atlantic crossings, Tasman and Pacific deliveries
I previously sailed the Solo Tasman in 2007 aboard Nimbus II, a 6.9-metre three-skin kauri sloop designed by John Hakker and built by Alan Hooper. Nimbus is the sister of Crewcut, also a Tasman Veteran, sailed to notoriety by Denis Lobb of New Plymouth—this should ring a bell for the older dock rats! I am hoping to better the 13 days and 20 hours I spent bobbing along in 2007.

Personal Goal / Quote: Personal competitor goal / Personal quote For me, the Solo Tasman is less about being first across the line—why the hurry? Dealing with Border Force, overpriced marinas, exorbitant garbage disposal fees, and insurance demands makes an early arrival feel a little like a self-inflicted poke in the eye. However, this sailing race (regatta) appeals to me on many fronts. It is a true sailing adventure, offering moments of great joy interspersed with great terror, but also providing an opportunity for much-needed time out from the demands that shape our days, weeks, and years. As with my last Solo race, I look forward to meeting excellent people, including fellow sailors, committee members, volunteers, and an interested public. Talking about boats is my happy place.

Yacht Club: Opua Cruising Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Elliot

LOA: 12.5m

Age at start of race: 42

Yacht Club: Kaikōura Boating Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Contessa 32

LOA: 9.75m

Race Number: 13

Sailing CV:
Approx 10,000nm sailed. Five offshore passages. Approx 1,500nm solo.
Skippered the coast of NZ North & South Island. First Mate sailing a small yacht to the SubAntarctic. Several NZ - Pacific Island passages.

Age at start of race: 69

Yacht Club: Lowry Bay Yacht Club

Hull Category: Monohull

Design: Beneteau First 45

LOA: 14m

Race Number: 22

Sailing CV:
Numerous coastal races out of Wellington, NZ, most of which involved Cook Strait in all its moods. Delivery trips and races to the South Pacific and three trans-Tasman trips, including the Solo trans-Tasman race in 2018. Numerous double handed coastal races including the Two-Handed Round North Island race in 2020.

Personal Goal / Quote: “The Solo trans-Tasman is the ultimate sailing challenge. The memory of that first challenge has never left, and it keeps calling me to do it again.”