#RSHYR - An Australian journalist has written of her shock at being barred from the Sydney to Hobart Race media centre over an article criticising the rising cost of competing in major sailing events.

Sue Neales, a rural and regional affairs reporter with The Australian, says she arrived at the press centre yesterday morning (31 December) as she had done each day since the race began, only to be pulled aside by centre head Di Pearson.

Neales recounts: "'[Title sponsor] Rolex is very unhappy with your article yesterday about how sponsorship is ruining sailing,' Ms Pearson told me angrily. 'You are no longer welcome in this media centre. Please pack up your things and leave.'"

The article in question draws connections between the public's waning interest in the Sydney to Hobart and other major sailing events and the funding from high-level sponsors that puts bigger teams at a significant performance advantage on the water.

The Australian has more on the story HERE.

#rshyr – With less than 24 hours  left to the start of the 70th edition of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Race, Irish sailors, Barry Hurley, Catherine Halpin, Alexander and Kenneth Rumball sailing aboard the First 40 BREAKTHROUGH are completing some last minute touches prior to the start writes Kenny Rumball. The rest of the crew on the boat consist mainly of Australians with Matthew Vadas (skipper), Ben Hunter, Jonny Hoover, Adam Carpenter and Peter Thorp completing the 10 strong team.

The First 40 has undergone an extensive programme in preparation with new standing rigging, a largely new sail wardrobe and other essentials with Barry overseeing many of the upgrades throughout the year. The Australian crew have worked hard to tune the boat up in the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Blue Water Points Score with the Sydney to Hobart being the last race in the series. Breakthrough have performed well in the series and currently stand 8th in the series and scoring a 4th place in the last race.

With the initial forecast giving 25-30kts for the first 24 hours after the start, the crew will have to work hard through the first night going down the eastern shoreline. The east Australian current will give the fleet a nice help along as they race south. The wind should hopefully swing into the north after day 1 allowing the teams to crack sails and raise spinnakers as they enter the Bass Straits. The infamous stretch of water between the south coast of Australia and Tasmania usually serves up a good test of man and ship with a large oceanic swell and some good breeze.

The 'organ pipes' on the south eastern coastline of the island of Tasmania will be a welcome sight for the tired sailors before the sail through storm bay passing the iron pot at the mouth of the Derwent river leading up to Hobart.