Santa Claus visits Sydney to Hobart yacht crews at Marina in Sydney

Santa's making a special trip to Sydney this morning, visiting sailors ahead of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.

Transcript

00:00Santa's Christmas cheer has visited sailors now in Sydney, after he delivered uniquely

00:07Australian gifts to two international yachts competing in the 79th Sydney to Hobart race.

00:15Philippines boat Centennial 7, crewed by a 15-sailor team, was treated to an inflatable

00:20kangaroo as well as an assortment of other Aussie gifts, as well as Pulpito of New Caledonia.

00:27Both vessels racing in the Sydney to Hobart will have to take on some fair conditions.

00:32Elsewhere from the race, Sydney is certainly getting right into the Christmas cheer, with

00:36carols at St Mary's Cathedral and Wesley Theatre, as well as several public lunches designed

00:42to help those less fortunate or without a place to go on Christmas Day.

00:46Those events will be taking place right across Sydney city and its suburbs as well.

00:52As for the Sydney to Hobart, well, final preparations are underway as the 104 vessels

00:57prepare for what is sure to be an interesting race.

01:00Windy conditions mean a record-breaking time may be a possibility.

01:03Navigator of Pulpito, Mathieu Landrieu, says the conditions will be an interesting element

01:09of the race, as the windy conditions and start may mean that there's a quick getaway from

01:14Sydney in the early moments of the race.

01:16First day will be challenging, because we will need to go as quick as possible south,

01:24then to manage the weather change, which will probably be a big deal.

01:30So yeah, it's a little bit tenacious for the first day.

01:33After that, we'll be OK.

01:35Last year's finish to the Sydney to Hobart was a scintillating one, with a very tight

01:39less than a minute margin for line honours between LawConnect, the 2023 winners, and

01:44Comanche, a perennial challenger for the Sydney to Hobart race.

01:49Those two are among four super maxi yachts competing for line honours again.

01:53There'll also be stiff competition for who can win in the handicapped system.

01:58Of course, beyond those yachts competing for first class honours, there are those who just

02:02want to make it to Hobart and say they've finished the race.

02:05All to be revealed from Boxing Day onwards.