News & Events

Two days of racing remain at Whitsunday Sailing Club’s Airlie Beach Race Week, which continues today with a mix of windward/leewards and passage racing, all starting on Pioneer Bay in the stunning Whitsunday Islands – or Paradise, as it is known to those who live there and visitors to the region.

Tim McCall and the Hairy McClary crew from the Capricornia Cruising Yacht Club in Queensland had their day in the sun at Airlie Beach Race Week Festival of Sailing, their race win taking Tim McCall’s Trailable yacht to a one point lead overall

Fun was had by all on yesterday’s lay day and today the proof will be in the pudding at Airlie Beach Race Week – who will turn up prepared, and who will be dusty – the results will be the telling in the Whitsunday Sailing Club’s annual major sailing event.

Three days of superb racing conditions and a fabulous social atmosphere a world away from lockdowns and the serious business of work life as competitors acknowledge and appreciate their week of racing at Whitsunday Sailing Club’s (WSC) Airlie Beach Race Week.

Another day of ideal sailing at Airlie Beach Race Week with a race course weaving through the beautiful Whitsunday Islands and an ideal 15- 20 knot wind, but fun seems to be the focal point for most competitors who are enjoying the freedom they realise they are fortunate to have.

Day 1 out of the way, officials and competitors at Whitsunday Sailing Club’s annual Airlie Beach Race Week have dusted themselves off after the night’s celebrations and are now looking forward to the day ahead, which Event Chairman, Ross Chisholm, says, “should be champagne sailing.”

It had all the drama of soap opera; while some revelled in the 20 knot breeze, others were dismasted or were damaged, which put paid to their race on the opening day of Whitsunday Sailing Club’s (WSC) 33rd Airlie Beach Race Week.

Despite the latest lockdowns in NSW and the south east corner of Queensland, organisers at Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) are looking forward to welcoming competitors and their supporters to the 33rd running of Airlie Beach Race Week (ABRW), which starts on Thursday with registration.

Will Oxley is one of the world’s leading navigators for ocean racing, having sailed over 250,000nm including 5 round the world races and 19 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races, and winner of the CYCA Ocean Navigator of the year award in 2010, 2018 and 2019.