How the Sydney Gold Coast was won

Since its inaugural running in 1986, the Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race has become one of Australia’s most respected offshore races. Covering 384 nautical miles from Sydney Harbour to Gold Coast’s Main Beach, it has long served as the traditional opening act of the CYCA offshore season and an important stepping stone toward the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race at the end of the year.

Across four decades, the race’s honour roll has featured many of Australia’s iconic racing yachts from Roger Hickman’s Farr 43 Wild Oats to Grant Wharington’s Wild Thing to Syd Fisher’s Ragamuffin and George Snow’s Brindabella in the early decades to later Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban, Sean Langman’s Moneypenny and Sebastian Bohm’s Smuggler.

The race’s winning history highlights the competitive nature of the blue water challenge as well as the diversity of the winners, with the S&S 34 Komatsu Azzurro having won the race twice in the 2010’s, the Beneteau First 40 Brannew claiming Overall honours in 2013 and Sam Haynes’s first offshore Celestial, the Rogers 46, claiming Overall in 2014.

The Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race continues to be a staple in the Australian ocean racing calendar and a major crew training event ahead of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. Explore the fleet for the 2026 event at goldcoast.cycaracing.com and make sure to follow the race starting 25 July at 1300 hours AEST.

Photos of the race over the years

1980s & 1990s

2000-2010

2013-2019

2022-2025