Key Points
- Sydney to Hobart participant Oli the cat crossed the finish line a week after the race commenced.
- His arrival at Hobart's Constitution Dock was met with cheers, banners and gifts, including cat treats and toys.
- Contrary to earlier reports, Oli probably wasn't the first feline to take part in the Sydney to Hobart race.
Even though they came dead last, Bob and Oli's crossing of the finish line was perhaps as highly anticipated as that of any other entrant in the Sydney to Hobart yacht race.
That was in no small part due to the fact that Oli is a cat.
His owner and Sylph VI skipper Bob Williams said in a very emotional speech that he was surprised his furry crew member touched the hearts of so many people.
"It's quite amazing how people have taken a shine to Oli. It is not something I expected," Williams said.
"For me, Oli is part of my crew, part of the boat."
The cat and crew were greeted by about 40 fans on Hobart's waterfront. Source: AAP / Ethan James
Williams said it was "quite a moving moment" to see all of Oli's fans out showing their support after the team's "rather long race".
Williams, his co-skipper Chris Warren, and Oli docked at Hobart on Wednesday, 3 January, just before 8:30 am. It took them seven days, 19 hours, 26 minutes and 15 seconds.
The 2023 race winner, LawConnect, arrived on Thursday, 28 December, after one day, 19 hours, three minutes and 58 seconds on the water.
"We thought when we got in, everybody would have gone home, packed up and gone home," Williams said.
He said that even though they came last, finishing something that has taken a lot of work and effort is what really matters to him and he feels "very privileged".
"For sailors, it's something you've got to do if you can.
"Not everyone is privileged enough to have that opportunity. I am very privileged to have this old boat."
Ten-year-old Oli the cat has plenty of experience at sea, having sailed with Bob Williams for about five years, including a trip across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins
He had finished a non-stop solo circumnavigation last year when a conversation with his sister stirred him to enter the Sydney to Hobart.
"When I mentioned the Sydney to Hobart, her [sister's] eyes lit up, and she smiled. And I thought, OK, that's what I got to do next
"(The race) means a lot to most Australians — most Australians know about it," he said.
The 'two-handed, four-pawed division'
The 10-year-old cat has plenty of experience at sea, having sailed with Williams for about five years, including a trip on the Tasman Sea to New Zealand.
"He's an experienced sailor. He's spent several years on the boat now. He's been to New Zealand and back. So I think he's, you know, got his sea legs. I think he's all good," Williams told Reuters before the race.
"He used to get seasick, and he was a bit stressed to start off with ... but now he's fine. He quite enjoys life. He's very sensible... Whenever it gets rough, he'll disappear down below to find a nice, safe spot to curl up."
Williams, his co-skipper Chris Warren and Oli docked at Hobart on Wednesday, 3 January, just before 8:30 am. Source: AAP / Ethan James
"Crew morale struggles a bit more in the light patches where you're going nowhere, when you're obviously trying to get to Hobart, and we spend a fair bit of time bobbing around, trying to get the boat to move and keep moving," Warren said.
"I go into my bunk and there's [Oli] just waiting for a cuddle," said Williams.
"He's good company."
Despite the earlier reports, it appears Oli was not the first of his kind to feature in the Sydney to Hobart, with a media report pointing to a cat being on a yacht in 1947.
Williams said he and Oli would explore Tasmania's waterways over the coming days.
"We're proud to be the winner of the category of the two-handed four-pawed division," Williams joked.
