Entries have now opened for the 37th Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA). Competitors will start the challenging 384NM offshore race on Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEST) Saturday 29 July, before heading up the NSW coast to finish off Main Beach on the Gold Coast, Queensland.

Since it first launched in 1986, the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race has continued to grow in prestige. It is a key race in Australia’s offshore calendar and has become an important test bed for boats and crews in the lead up to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Early entrants to this year’s race include Geoffrey Hill’s Santa Cruz 72 Antipodes, Daniel Edwards’ M.A.T 1245 White Noise, Michael Smith’s Super40 Tempo and Richard Harris’ Cookson 50 Sticky. The first three TP52s entered have been Sebastian Bohm’s Smuggler, Andy Kearnan and Peter Wrigley’s KOA and Michael Spies’ Maritimo.

Early entrants in the two-handed division include Rupert Henry and Greg O’Shea on the Lombard 34 Mistral, and two J/99s – Shane Connelly and Andrew Downing on Rum Rebellion and Peter Franki and Drew Jones on Salt Shaker. The 2022 race featured 13 two-handed entries and the fleet is expected to have strong representation again this year.

The Overall Winner of the 2022 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race was Sean Langman’s Reichel/Pugh 69 Moneypenny. This year, Langman, Managing Director of race sponsor Noakes Group, will not be competing due to being in the UK to race to race in the Rolex Fastnet Race with his son Peter on his 30-foot Maluka.

The 2022 Line Honours victor, Andoo Comanche, is expected to return to lead a strong fleet of maxi and mini maxi teams.

Started by Peter Rysdyk in 1987, this wonderful passage north, offers participants from all over Australia the chance to try and beat the record set by Wild Oats XI set back in 2012 when the Oatley owned boat finished in 22 hours 33 minutes 46 seconds.

To take part in this beautiful race starting 29 July, crews need skills, particularly in the hard running conditions often experienced at this time of the year.

Competitors will need first class sail handling and good tactical navigation decisions on board. Apart from variable winds, in direction and strength, the East Australian Current plays a significant role in decision making as the yachts sail up the NSW North Coast and reach the Gold Coast of Southern Queensland.

It’s an attractive race for sailors hailing from the cooler southern states, who are going up to Queensland for any of the regattas in Hamilton Island, Airlie Beach and Keppel Island and will show us a good representation of the fleet who will take part in the Rolex Sydney to Hobart in December.

View entrants so far here.

Follow all the race action here: Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race