Expressions of Interest for the Shorthanded Ocean Racing Association of Australia Inc (SHORAA) organised Race Around Australia 2028 (RAA) opened earlier this year, leading to 10 teams being approved as provisional entrants, with more considering participation.
This double-handed yacht race, celebrating 40 years since the 1988 Bicentennial Around Australia Race, will cover over 7,000 nautical miles across five legs with four stopovers and two sprint stages featuring pitstops.
Scheduled to commence in Sydney in August 2028, teams will sail north to the Whitsundays, then to Darwin, Fremantle, and Hobart, before returning to Sydney in November 2028.
The inaugural 1988 Bicentennial Race was won by Sir Peter Blake and Mike Quilter aboard the 60-foot trimaran Steinlager 1 in a total of 33 days. The second place in multihulls was secured by Ian Johnston and Cathy Hawkins aboard Verbatim, while Gavin and Catherine LeSueur finished third on their catamaran, John West.
In the monohull category, Peter Neale and Philip Airey won in 45 days with custom extreme 50’ NBL Technovator, followed by Alby Burgin on Alstar and Mayer Page on Australian Pacific.
Gavin LeSueur is set to return as the first entry in the 2028 race, this time racing with his son Fletcher aboard a sistership to Verbatim. LeSueur expressed his excitement, stating, “Around Australia with two people is the ultimate adventure sail, from the tropics to the roaring 40’s. I was there in 1988 and will be there again 40 years later in 2028. Excited!”
The race is open to both multihull and monohull yachts measuring 40 to 60 feet (12-16m), with smaller, fast, and seaworthy monohulls able to seek eligibility. Of the current entrants, five are monohulls, and five are multihulls, ranging from 12 to 15 metres.
A notable entry is Zulu Chief, a monohull from the 1988 race, now being refitted by Peter Aitcheson of Brisbane to ensure it is race-ready 40 years later. Other entrants are actively searching for the perfect boat, with some leaning towards fast monohulls and others considering trimarans.
Three Lock Crowther-designed multihulls based in Cairns have entered, alongside participants from Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, and New Zealand. The youngest crew is 23 years old, while the oldest skipper will be over 70 at the race’s start.
Some crews consist of established teams, but at least one is still searching for a co-skipper. Rick Whitehouse and his co-skipper, Marty Bennett, have entered their proven vessel, Spirit of Downunder.
Race Director Guy Chester expressed enthusiasm about the early entries: “It is great to see we have 10 entries two years out from the start. There is much interest, and skippers are encouraged to express interest now to guarantee their place in what will be an amazing race.”
Discussions with stopover hosts are ongoing, and the maximum fleet size will depend on logistics at ports, with places being offered on a first-come, first-served basis.
The race will operate under monohull and multihull handicapping, allowing smaller entries to compete against larger yachts. Additionally, a unique PredictWind Navigation Challenge will be available across the fleet.
Chester noted the enthusiasm surrounding the race and the establishment of SHORAA, supported by experienced advisors and patrons Lisa Blair OAM and Don McIntyre. He stated, “We plan to honour the 1988 race while adopting current safety standards. With modern communications, we expect to create a great event for competitors and fans alike.”
Expressions of Interest remain open, with the Preliminary Notice of Race already published and the official Notice of Race set to be released later this year.
For more information, please visit Race Around Australia: www.racearoundaustralia.au and Shorthanded Ocean Racing Association of Australia: www.shoraa.org.
More information on SHORAA
A group of experienced sailors recently formed the Shorthanded Ocean Racing Association of Australia. They are: Chair – Guy Chester (150,000nm, two circumnavigations mostly solo, ran the Louisiades Yacht Rally 2007-2013); Secretary – Don Cortis (Atlantic crossings, Commodore Yorkeys Knob Boating Club); Treasurer – Gavin LeSueur (100k nm,1988 Race); and the committee: Ian Johnston: (150k nm,1988 Race, SoloTransTasman), John Cadwallader (200k nm,1988 Race); Kevin Le Poidevin (90k nm, Globe Solo Challenge, Melbourne to Osaka, SoloTransTasman, RSHYR Doublehanded), Mark Hipgrave (Melbourne to Osaka, SoloTransTasman, Solo Fastnet, RSHYR Doublehanded) and Bruce Arms (SoloTransTasman current fastest solo sailor around Australia). SHORAA also has experienced advisors: Sharon Ferris Choat, Jon Henry and Nic Douglass.
SHORAA is honoured to have Lisa Blair OAM and Don McIntyre as our Patrons to offer guidance and support for the Race Around Australia 2028. Lisa holds many solo sailing records including around Antarctica and around Australia aboard her yacht Climate Action Now; and Don McIntyre who ran the 1988 Bicentennial Around Australia Yacht Race, has had many extreme sailing adventures and created the Golden Globe, Ocean Globe and Mini Globe around the world races.
#RaceAroundAustralia #Sailing2028 #OceanRacing #SHORAA
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