New Zealand's Vixen Racing has become the first and only boat in the 2025 Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race fleet to withdraw due to a crew injury, bringing an end to a determined debut campaign in one of offshore sailing's most demanding events.
The retirement was confirmed at 5:20pm AEDT. At that point, the Verdier 40 had last been reported 48 nautical miles east of Montague Island, with skipper Sharon Ferris-Choat and her crew making the call on safety grounds. No details of the injury have been released.
Our thoughts are with everyone aboard, and we wish the whole crew the safest possible return.
The withdrawal brings an end to a campaign that faced adversity from the very first moments off the start line. Vixen Racing lost ground when an equipment failure prevented the A2 from deploying as the fleet pushed out through Sydney Heads. Ferris-Choat made no attempt to dress up the experience.
"After a horrible start with our A2 failing to deploy, we're clawing our way back," she told Boating New Zealand during the early stages of the race.
By mid-morning on day one, Vixen Racing was moving through around 15.6 knots of true wind as the crew worked to recover from the slow getaway. Progress south was steady, though conditions below deck were far from comfortable, with heavy slamming through the hull making simple movement a challenge.
"Life on board feels like walking like a crab," Ferris-Choat said, noting that stronger conditions were forecast to follow.
Despite the troubled opening, Vixen Racing had begun to find her rhythm and recover positions as the fleet spread down the coast. The last complete race update before the retirement decision placed her east of Batemans Bay, sitting 61st on line honours and 11th in IRC Division 2, with the bulk of the course still ahead.
The conclusion is a disappointing one for a crew that had shown real resolve across a difficult first Sydney Hobart campaign. Offshore racing offers no allowances when crew welfare is at stake, and Vixen Racing's team made the right call.
