Hamilton Island Race Week 2025
Hamilton Island Race Week 2025
In late August I was lucky enough to compete in the 40th Hamilton Island Race Week in North Queensland, Australia. This was the fifth time I have competed in the event which is Australia’s largest offshore sailing regatta.
Hamilton Island is one of the 74 islands in Queensland’s Whitsundays group and at that time of year has perfect weather (18°C-23°C every day) and a challenging mix of winds, tides, currents and sea-swell, plus the ever-present risk of colliding with one of the many whales migrating through the area at the time. This year the first two races lacked wind at the starts but picked up nicely throughout, and some days we had an excellent 12-20 knots all day.
Despite being the 40th anniversary, numbers were down slightly with 145 entrants in total. This year’s classes were IRC (Div 1 & 2 and Super 40), One Design (Cape31), several PHS divisions, and three Multihull divisions. Easily recognisable entries in the IRC were Sydney to Hobart regulars Wild Oats X and (our namesake) Wild Thing 100. Ando Commanche has been there in recent years but unfortunately wasn’t present this year.
I’m privileged to sail on a friend’s Seawind 1160 named St Arnou. Along with the two owners and four other crew (all of them friends from Launceston in Tasmania), we boast an average age of a spritely 71 so are proud to remain competitive each year. This year was more challenging as after an equal third on points last year in a field of 17, and with less entrants this year, we were combined into a tougher and smaller fleet. Regardless, we managed 6th overall out of ten which included a podium 3rd in race 5 so we were quite happy.
Hamilton Island itself is a magnificent destination that I recommend to anyone for a holiday; but for sailors Race Week is enormously enjoyable with great competition, fun on-shore entertainment, and excellent camaraderie. I even recommend a round of golf on lay-day at the course on next door Dent Island. You will likely lose 16 balls on that monster like I do every year, but the location and views are beyond spectacular.
Hope to see you there next year!
John Moore
Wild Thing
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