A Newcastle sailor has overcome a dislocated shoulder and punishing conditions to claim a major victory in one of the world's toughest ocean races, the 2025 Sydney to Hobart.
A Hard-Fought Victory Against the Odds
Joe de Kock, a 56-year-old veteran of 15 Sydney to Hobart races, described this year's edition as his toughest yet. Sailing his 12.41-metre Farr 40, KD1, out of the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC), de Kock and his crew faced relentless strong winds and heavy seas that forced 23 of the 103 starters to retire.
The boat reached Constitution Dock in Hobart around 4am on Tuesday, December 30, after three days, 15 hours, and six minutes of racing. While 23rd over the line, their performance was stellar on corrected time, finishing 11th overall and clinching the Division 3 handicap honours by a convincing margin of over two-and-a-half hours.
"Catastrophic" Situation Averted by Quick-Thinking Daughter
The race took a dramatic turn on the second day. As the smaller boats were being violently tossed around in up to 30 knots of wind and large waves, de Kock was thrown from the helm by a wave, landing heavily on his shoulder.
"Everyone was on the rails and, as I got washed off the helm, the boat skewed up into the wind and went into a violent tack in a lot of wind," de Kock recounted. In that critical moment, his 25-year-old daughter, Karma Randall, who was on the main sheet, acted instantly.
"She was able to dive and save the boat on the helm to get everyone out of the water, because that would've been catastrophic," de Kock said, full of pride. "That would have very likely washed people over the side." Her quick reaction prevented a potential man-overboard emergency.
De Kock was out of action for about six hours, relying on painkillers and his strong crew to manage. While he could return to his primary role of steering, he was limited in helping with other onboard tasks for the remainder of the gruelling race.
Newcastle Fleet Battles Through "Horrendous" Conditions
The 2025 race was a severe test for the entire fleet, particularly the Newcastle contingent. De Kock was far from alone in facing the challenge.
Frantic, skippered by Michael Martin from NCYC, was the first Newcastle boat to finish, arriving on Monday night in 15th place. Mako and She's The Culprit, also from NCYC, finished 36th and 40th respectively.
In a remarkable achievement, retired Newcastle dentist Paul Beath, 69, sailed his 9.9-metre yacht Verite double-handed with Teresa Mitchell to an incredible seventh place on overall handicap. "At one point, at Tasman Island, we looked like we were going to come third in the whole race," Beath said, describing the "messy and weird" seaway with three to four metre waves coming from all directions.
Other local performances included:
- Brad Dodds and Harry Miller on Smugger, which finished 10th in line honours.
- Ashley and Peta Rose on board Kanreki, finishing 43rd.
- Belmont Olympian Chris Nicholson sailing on the supermaxi LawConnect, which took second in line honours.
Despite the pain and the extreme conditions, de Kock's focus, like many sailors, turned to the better moments. "You always remember the end of the race rather than the beginning," he said, "and the last 24 hours was just spectacular sailing." His victory, secured with a dislocated shoulder and aided by his daughter's bravery, marks an unforgettable chapter in Newcastle's rich sailing history.
