Whitsunday SC confirms dates for Airlie Beach Race Week, Reef Festival

by Corrie Gardner on 26 Nov 2012 Whitsunday Sailing Club announced on Monday the scheduled dates for the 2013 Airlie Beach Race Week, featuring six days of competitive sailing race from 8-15 August off Airlie Beach in Queensland. It will be immediately followed by the 2013 Whitsunday Reef Festival from 15-18 August.

Rob Davis, Commodore of the Whitsunday Sailing Club said, 'we are thrilled to have received funding from Events Queensland for 2013 which will go towards increased marketing efforts. Events Queensland funding not only promotes the event but helps deliver tourism benefits to the region and to a wider audience.

We have also had tremendous feedback from all stakeholders from this year’s event and we are now working to ensure 2013 is bigger and better.'

In line with boosting tourism to the region the Whitsunday Sailing Club and the Reef Festival have aligned events to encourage visitation to the Whitsundays in August. Mr. Davis said, 'the Reef Festival will round off a week of fantastic sailing and provide additional events, fireworks and entertainment for the support teams, spectators and visitors and encourage them to stay a bit longer in Airlie Beach.'

Airlie Beach Race Week is a major regional Queensland event which receives support from the Whitsunday Regional Council and Tourism Queensland through the Queensland’s ‘Season of Sailing’ campaign over the past three years. The Whitsunday Sailing Club held the most successful regatta this year with over 120 yachts registered and over 40 sponsors supporting the event. Mr. Davis says, 'we are already talking to businesses regarding next year’s event and we would be happy to hear from anyone who would like to come onboard.'

For more information about the region, events, accommodation and tours, visit Tour Whitsundays.

The Airlie Beach Race Week website will be up and running with new information for 2013 in the near future.