1997 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race

53rd Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race
Date	26 December 1997 – 2 January 1998
Defender	Morning Glory
Number of yachts	115
Coordinates	33°51.35′S 151°12.40′E- 42°52.7′S 147°19.58′E
Winner	Brindabella
Official Website	https://web.archive.org/web/20091030152304/http://rolexsydneyhobart.com/default.asp

The 1997 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, sponsored by Telstra, was the 53rd annual running of the "blue water classic" Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race. As in past editions of the race, it was hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia based in Sydney, New South Wales. As with previous Sydney to Hobart Yacht Races, the 1997 edition began on Sydney Harbour, at noon on Boxing Day (26 December 1997), before heading south for 630 nautical miles (1,170 km) through the Tasman Sea, past Bass Strait, into Storm Bay and up the River Derwent, to cross the finish line in Hobart, Tasmania.

The 1997 fleet comprised 115 starters of which 99 completed the race and 16 yachts retired.

Results

Line Honours results (Top 10)

Position	Sail number	Yacht	State/Country	Yacht type	LOA (Metres)	Skipper	Elapsed time d:hh:mm:ss
1	C1	Brindabella	NSW	Jutson 75	22.85	George Snow	2:23:37:12
2	HKG 88	Exile	HKG	Reichel Pugh Pocket Maxi	20.00	Warwick Millar	2:23:46:40
3	SM1	P.L. Lease Future Shock	VIC	Elliot 56	16.96	Peter Hansen	3:04:59:56
4	SA 1431	Marchioness	NSW	Lavranos Maxi Sloop	22.80	Anthony Beilby	3:05:15:00
5	AUS70	Ragamuffin	NSW	Farr 50	15.15	Syd Fischer	3:08:42:00
6	HKG 1997	Beau Geste	HKG	Farr 49	15.74	Karl Kwok	3:08:42:06
7	SWE 2001	Nicorette	SWE	Ribadeau-Dumas IHS Maxi	21.78	Ludde Ingvall	3:08:59:00
8	M250	Seac Banche	ITA	Farr IMS 50	15.75	Adamo Ricci	3:10:12:00
9	SM100	Ausmaid	VIC	Farr 47	14.49	Giorgio Gjergja	3:10:36:00
10	S4606	Motorola Young Australia	VIC	Nelson-Marek NM46 IMS Racer	14.20	Lawrence Shannon	3:13:13:00

Handicap results (Top 10)

Position	Sail number	Yacht	State/Country	Yacht type	LOA (Metres)	Skipper	Corrected time d:hh:mm:ss
1	HKG 1997	Beau Geste	HKG	Farr 49	15.74	Karl Kwok	2:17:21:27
2	AUS70	Ragamuffin	NSW	Farr 50	15.15	Syd Fischer	2:17:42:53
3	SM100	Ausmaid	VIC	Farr 47	14.49	Giorgio Gjergja	2:17:44:54
4	HKG 88	Exile	HKG	Reichel Pugh Pocket Maxi	20.00	Warwick Millar	2:18:43:29
5	B2000	Brighton Star	VIC	Reichel Pugh 45	13.57	David Gotze	2:20:41:57
6	S4606	Motorola Young Australia	VIC	Nelson-Marek NM46 IMS Racer	14.20	Lawrence Shannon	2:20:44:40
7	9797	Ninety Seven	NSW	Farr 47	14.32	Andrew Strachan	2:20:54:19
8	8887	Australian Challenge 2000	NSW	Murray Sydney 46	13.93	Ray Roberts	2:20:58:31
9	C1	Brindabella	NSW	Jutson 75	22.85	George Snow	2:22:36:37
10	IRL8000	Atara	NSW	Lyons 41	12.99	Roger Hickman John Storey	2:23:35:43