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The CYCA’s 2026/27 offshore sailing calendar has arrived

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  • 29 Apr, 2026 10:31:00 AM
The CYCA’s 2026/27 offshore sailing calendar has arrived

The CYCA’s 2026/27 offshore sailing calendar has arrived

The dates for the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s (CYCA) 2026/27 offshore season have been finalised, which means it’s time to block out those important weekends in the diary.

The calendar has been locked in for another season of Australia’s premier offshore sailing series – the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore (ACSBWPS). 

These races push sailors beyond their comfort zones, build lasting skills, forge bonds between crewmates and come with the added bonus of a front-row view of Australia's stunning coastline and marine environment.

Start of the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – ROLEX/Kurt Arrigo pic. 

 ACSBWPS races: 

The series comprises six races from the season opener, the popular Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, to the pinnacle of offshore racing, the 81st Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. 

Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race – 25 July, 384 nautical miles (Category 2) 

The course: From the iconic start off Nielsen Park on Sydney Harbour to the high-rise skyline of the Gold Coast, the race covers 384 nautical miles of Australia’s most spectacular coastline. Sail past iconic scenery, including the Cape Byron Lighthouse, the most eastern point of Australia.  

Daguet 2 nearing the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast finish line – CYCA/Ashley Dart pic.

Flinders Islet Race - 26 September, 88 nautical miles (Category 3+) 

Two-months after the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast, the Flinders Islet Race starts a busy run of racing ahead of the Rolex Sydney Hobart.  

The course: The fleet heads south to Flinders Islet, about one nautical mile east of Port Kembla Harbour, Wollongong, before returning to Sydney Harbour. Witness the spectacular views of Sydney’s headlands and the Illawarra escarpment along the South Coast on the way to Flinders Islet and back. 

Watching boats near the finish of the 2025 Flinders Islet Race from the headland – CYCA/Ashley Dart pic.

Tollgate Islands Race - 16 October, 260 nautical miles (Category 2) 

Third longest in length in the pointscore, the Tollgate Islands Race is ideal preparation for crew ahead of the longer offshore campaigns.  

The course: The race takes the fleet south to Tollgate Islands, off Batemans Bay, then back to the Watsons Bay finish line. 

Bird Island Race - 14 November, 83 nautical miles (Category 3+) 

The shortest race in the series. Weather dependent, you might be back in your own bed by nightfall after a great day on the water — but as any sailor knows, that's rarely how it goes. 

The course: Competitors sail north from Sydney Harbour to Bird Island, around three nautical miles northeast of the picturesque Norah Head lighthouse, before returning to the Sydney Harbour finish line. 

Wyuna racing in the 2025 Bird Island Race – CYCA/Ashley Dart pic.

Cabbage Tree Island Race - 4 December, 172 nautical miles (Category 2) 

The last major warm-up for many competitors before the Rolex Sydney Hobart — and the ideal race for crew to clock their Sydney Hobart qualifying miles. 

The course: The fleet heads north on Friday evening to Cabbage Tree Island, just north of Port Stephens, before returning to Sydney Harbour. 

Millennium Falcon leaving Sydney Harbour in the 2025 Cabbage Tree Island Race – CYCA/Ashley Dart pic.

Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race – 26 December, 628 nautical miles (Category 1) 

The course: The  Everest of Ocean Racing takes the fleet into the Tasman Sea, down the southeast coast of Australia, across Bass Strait and along Tasmania's east coast, before rounding Tasman Island and finishing on the River Derwent. 

All smiles on board Pacific Road Xanthus after completing the 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart – CYCA/Salty Dingo pic.

Corinthian IRC Division & the Wild Rose Pointscore  

The Corinthian IRC Division and Wild Rose Pointscore exist to encourage greater participation of amateur and women sailors in offshore racing respectively. The Corinthian divisions recognise the achievements of amateur crews. While the Wild Rose Pointscore celebrates the achievement of crews with a minimum of 25 per cent female crew. Richard Hudson's IC45 MOD Pretty Woman has been a consistent high achiever in the Corinthian IRC Division and Wild Rose Pointscore over the years. Pretty Woman's crew also excels in the Wild Rose Pointscore, with Hudson a strong champion of women in offshore racing. For instance, four of his 12-person 2025 Rolex Sydney Hobart crew were women.

The Pretty Woman crew at the dock in Hobart – CYCA/Salty Dingo pic. 

Youth and women sailors 

As the Club continues to strive to championing women sailors and encourage more youth to participate in offshore racing, an amendment to the IRC Rule has been included in race documentation to encourage this.  

Where a boat has two women, two youth (U23) or one woman and one youth sailor on board, they are able to carry an additional crew member than noted on their IRC Certificate. This ensures that boats are able to ensure they can mix new crew to the sport with their experienced offshore crew and help continue to develop the skills of incoming sailors. 

Highly Sprung boasts a strong youth crew – ROLEX/Andrea Francolini pic.

How to enter 

The Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race is the only race currently open for entries. 

Once entries have opened for each race, registration can be completed online via Top Yacht with further information available on the race  website.  

All block entries must be submitted prior to Race 2 – Flinders Islet Race. No entries will be accepted after these dates.  

See you on the start line 

We look forward to welcoming sailors, friends and families to the CYCA and seeing sailors back out on the water for another successful blue water season. 

Keep an eye on the CYCA website’s What’s On page and our socials for some great social activities that will support the ACSBWPS races, including Official Spectator Boats for the Gold Coast and Hobart races, plus our popular Blue Water Sunday Sessions.  

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