Warmer waters

Entries are now open for the 2021 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race.

29 March 2021

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has issued a Notice of Race for the 2021 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, currently scheduled to commence on the 31 July.

Regarded as one of the greatest ocean races in Australia, the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast marks the start of the club’s six-month Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore.

The event also acts as an entrée for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, providing both owners and crew members with essential offshore racing experience.

The race will begin in Sydney Harbour and follow a 384 nautical mile passage north towards Queensland, finishing just outside the Gold Coast suburb of Main Beach.

Following the cancellation of last year’s race due to COVID-19 restrictions, both the CYCA and Race Partner, Noakes Group have expressed their excitement over the return of the race.

The fleet in the 2019 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race heads out of Sydney Harbour. (Credit: Andrea Francolini)

Noakes Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race 2018. (Credit: Andrea Francolini)

(Credit: Andrea Francolini)

Voodoo in the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast. (Credit: Andrea Francolini)

“After the unfortunate cancellations in 2020, we are looking forward to seeing a strong fleet out racing for the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race,” said CYCA Commodore, Noel Cornish AM.

“This race traditionally attracts some of Australia’s best-known ocean racing yachts and this year will be no different,” he added.

“We’re thankful for the support of our Race Partner, Noakes Group, and Southport Yacht Club, with whom we have built a strong relationship over the years.

“We have a contingency plan in place in the event of a border closure between NSW and Queensland due to COVID-19, so I encourage all competitors to read through the Notice of Race.”

First held in 1986 as a ‘great winter escape,’ the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race has grown to attract fleets of up to 70–80 boats every year, the highest being in 1997 with 86.

In 2019, Barry Cuneo’s TP52 Envy Scooters won the IRC overall top spot.

CYCA Life Member Matt Allen’s Botin 52 Ichi Ban and CYCA Director Dr Sam Haynes’ TP52 Celestial were also the podium.

Entries for this year’s event are scheduled to close at 5pm AEST, 16 July 2021. The Notice of Race can be seen here.

goldcoast.cycaracing.com

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