The fun is about to start as officials at Townsville Yacht Club (TYC) prepare for the SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (SMIRW). With boats arriving ahead of the sold-out event, excitement builds just eight days before the races commence.
Competitors are gearing up, many having recently performed well at the Airlie Beach Race Week. The same waters will host classes competing for the 2032 Olympics and its Test Events, promising thrilling times ahead.
Kate Leeson and Garth Riley’s Wazza Red Boat, which previously won Division 4 at SMIRW in 2025, will race in the IRC Rating division. Hughie Lewis’s Hartbreaker returns after a strong showing last year, while Peter Byford and Rob Aldis’s Daguet 2 aim to challenge again after being a formidable opponent in 2025.
Ian Frankhanel’s Salt narrowly missed out on first place last year and will be back to compete fiercely. Newcomers such as Thomas Woods with his JPK 10.80 Saltwater Wine and Steven Brockwell with his Neel trimaran Triple Shot are also looking forward to their first experience at Race Week.
The fun is about to start – officials at Townsville Yacht Club (TYC) are putting the final touches to SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week (SMIRW) as boats are already arriving, because in eight day’s time the much loved sold out event will be on again in full swing.
Quite a few are bringing their ‘A’ game, having stood on the podium at Airlie Beach Race Week earlier this month. They will be sharp and ready to race on the same waters of Magnetic Island and Townsville, where classes in the Sailing Competition for the 2032 Olympics and its Test Events beforehand, will compete. Exciting times for the region.
Kate Leeson and Garth Riley’s Wazza Red Boat (Qld) was third in a very competitive IRC Rating division at Airlie, the same class it will race in at Maggie Island. Wazza Red Boat also won Division 4 at SMIRW in 2025, her owners and crew are always on the boil.
Hughie Lewis (Tas) did the same with Hartbreaker in Performance Racing, despite hitting a reef in an early race and retiring. Lewis was second in Spinnaker Division 1 at Maggie Island last year, losing the top spot on countback – and the boat will be lifted in Townsville for a spit and polish beforehand, so beware.
Peter Byford and Rob Aldis’ Daguet 2 (NSW) was the thorn in Hartbreaker’s side at Maggie in 2025, and will likely be so again in 2026. Seeking Alpha (David Hamilton, NSW) finished third and returns, so it’s sure to be on for young and old between the trio again.
Ian Frankhanel’s Salt (Vic) just missed top place in Spinnaker Division 1, accepting second on countback. In Division 2, Burke Melia’s No Mercy (NSW) won from Matt Doyle’s La Troisieme Mitemps (NSW) and Matthew Kingsberry’s Amaya II. In a close Division 3, Phillip Cormie’s Dreamtime Solutions (Vic) won, while Geoff Adams’ Rampallion (Vic) was one point away in third.
These boats and crew should have the upper hand, although it is not always the case, as some crews change from regatta to regatta and then there is local knowledge. Event Chairman, Mike Steel (Boudica) and TYC Director, Tony Muller and wife Selena’s Brava are among those who have topped the podium before.
Here for the first time and currently competing at Hamilton Island is Thomas Woods and his JPK 10.80 Saltwater Wine (NSW). Competing alongside them is Grant Golombick’s TP52, Quest, a two-time winner of the Sydney Hobart (as Quest and as Balance), David Currie‘s Ponyo and David Hamilton’s Seeking Alpha (NSW). They will arrive at Maggie ready to go head-to-head.
Ray Martin brought Beatrix all the way from WA to compete in all three Northern Queensland tropical regattas. He missed out on a top place at Airlie, but will come ready to face his opponents: Queenslanders Dennis Coleman’s Mistress (third in 2024), Graeme Etherton’s The Boat (second last year) and Gordon Beath’s 2023 winner, Roamance (NSW).
A newcomer to SMIR is Steven Brockwell and his Neel trimaran, Triple Shot. The Victorian is looking forward to everything Race Week has to offer.
Brockwell concedes, “We’ve never been to Race Week before – we’ve never been in a race before! I think my parents took me to the Island for a couple of days when I was 14, but I don’t really remember it.
“We’re looking forward to being at Magnetic Island. It’s me and my wife, Yvonne. I also have my cousin, Marco Westmaas, a chef in Bangkok, coming with his wife,” he says of famed Dutch Master Chef, Westmaas, who is credited with revolutionising healthy and flavourful cuisine through his ‘vegetarian butchery’.
Brockwell, who bought Triple Shot near new in Europe, sailed her to New Zealand and Australia over a seven year period. “Now we spend our time sailing north from Melbourne during winter and absolutely love it,” he said.
“We’re really looking forward to meeting like-minded people at the Island and enjoying all the social activities and festivities. We’ve been told it’s the friendliest regatta, so that’s why we entered,” Brockwell finished.
The Victorian has been giving the rundown on shoreside activities: The Yachties Welcome on Thursday’s opening night, daily prize giving with live music to follow and the Leisurely Long Lunch at Peppers Boardwalk Restaurant for those who choose to stay ashore on Friday.
Lay Day Sunday’s Townsville Airport Island Breeze Festival with artisan markets, free kids paradise, food stills, Afrekete dancers, Townsville Radio Controlled Yachting Regatta, Queensland Country Bank Great Inflatable Race, mud crab races and so much more in the way of fun on the Island. The full social program is available to view at the official site.
Inaugurated in 2007, this increasingly popular event is now in its 19th running (2020 was cancelled due to COVID). This year, Victoria, NSW, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and of course, Queensland, are represented,
SMIRW is the final stop on the Northern Queensland circuit of regattas. It is centred around Peppers Race Headquarters at Blue on Blue Resort where the sailing is first class and the fun is unlimited.
Entries at SMIRW, supported by Townsville City Council through Townsville Enterprise and Tourism and Events Queensland, are comprised of across IRC Rating, Spinnaker, Non-Spinnaker, Multihull and Trailable Yachts classes.
For more information, visit: www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au
By Di Pearson/SMIRW media
#SMIRW #MagneticIsland #miraceweek #SailingAustralia
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