Hamilton Island Race Week returns from 15th to 22nd August 2026

Hamilton Island Race Week has already drawn more than 180 boats for its 41st edition, with racing set for 15th to 22nd August 2026.

American Express will present the 2026 regatta in the Whitsundays, where the fleet includes maxis, TP52s, Super 40 Plus boats, multihulls, cruising yachts and trailer yachts.

Entries remain open, and organisers say the 2026 line-up is shaping into one of the event’s strongest fleets in recent years. Spectator tickets and event packages are on sale at hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au.

New Zealand crews will add a Trans-Tasman edge to the week, including solo sailor Bill Kidman aboard his Ross 12 Pretty Boy Floyd.

Bill Kidman and Pretty Boy Floyd

Earlier in 2026, Kidman fought a close battle with Sharon Ferris-Choat’s Vixen Racing in the Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge before his campaign ended early.

That result sets up another meeting in the Whitsundays, where Kidman and Ferris-Choat can renew their rivalry in August 2026.

Kidman ran the Great Escape Sailing School in Opua for nine years before making the solo crossing, and he said Hamilton Island Race Week had long been on his list.

“We’ve heard plenty about Hamilton Island Race Week over the years and it’s one we’ve always wanted to do,” Kidman said.

Kidman also highlighted the Whitsundays and the strength of the fleet, saying Kiwi and Australian crews bring friendly rivalry to the regatta.

Across the fleet, the Super 40 Plus division has attracted a strong entry and could deliver one of the closest contests from 15th to 22nd August 2026.

Race director Denis Thompson said entries were growing across every division, from the Super 40 Plus class and TP52s to multihulls, cruising yachts and trailer yachts.

Thompson also welcomed the New Zealand crews, saying they add another competitive element when they cross the Tasman for Race Week.

At the top end of the fleet, Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert’s 100-foot super maxi Wild Thing 100 leads the headline entries, with Sandy Oatley’s Wild Oats X also among the leading maxis.

The TP52 division includes Highly Sprung, Quest, Virago, Zen and New Zealand’s V5.

Other entries include New Zealand multihull Cat+Ion, a Non-Spinnaker division, a Cape 31 one-design fleet and a Trailable Yachts division.

Alan Beavis has also entered Aquila, his 6.9-metre Sonata 7.

Off the water, Hamilton Island Race Week pairs racing with a lifestyle programme that includes beach parties, spectator cruises, guest speakers, dining experiences and entertainment.

The shore programme includes the Balter Beach Party on lay day, the Presentation Dinner, spectator cruises aboard M/Y Rascal presented by Ahoy Club, and an evening with Olympic silver medallist Olivia Price and America’s Cup sailor Cole Tapper.

Hamilton Island Race Week will run from 15th to 22nd August 2026, with entries still open through the event website.