Please select your home edition
Edition
Cyclops Marine 2023 November - LEADERBOARD

Antarctica Cup Yacht Race

by Antarctica Cup Yacht Race media on 16 Aug 2007
Antartica Cup Course SW
Albany, Western Australia, has been selected as the start and finish port for the Antarctica Cup Yacht Race. The historic port, 150 nautical miles east of Cape Leeuwin, sits on the very edge of the ‘Roaring Forty’ latitudes and provides crews with a natural springboard to attack the challenging 360° race track around Antarctica.

The event has weathered five years of perseverance to arrive on the doorstep of realisation this coming Southern summer with the first entry expected to set out around the course in December.


Albany, a former whaling station, is one of the oldest ports in Australia. Site of the initial European settlement in Western Australia, it became the first safe port beyond Cape Town for sailing ships bound for Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart and New Zealand. The advent of steamship traffic during the 1850's expanded port activities with a coal bunkering service and the first rail link to the State's Capital, Perth, to speed up the increasing trade in mail, goods and people rushing to the rich Kalgoorlie goldfields.

King George Sound, the gateway into Princess Royal Harbour where the City is located, rivals Sydney Harbour as one of the most beautiful waterways in Australia. The deep-water harbour is the regional centre of the Great Southern region, and a regular port of call for cruise ships. The Princess Royal Sailing Club, which celebrates its Centenary in 2009 and has hosted the ‘Albany Race’ from Fremantle around Cape Leeuwin for the past 40 years, will also host the Antarctica Cup racers and attendant spectator fleet.

Nine hectares of city foreshore at Princess Royal Harbour has been earmarked for redevelopment. Importantly, the AU$100m plan includes a new deep-water marina which will make this Southern City one of the most progressive in Australia, attracting visitors not only for sailing, but to the region’s famous wine growing area and the famed Stirling Range National Park

The ‘Roaring Forty’ and ‘Furious Fifty’ latitudes provide the pinnacle conditions that all ocean racing sailors aspire to compete in at some point in their lives, and with 18 ‘gates’ including Cape Horn within the racetrack, all named after famous explorers in the region, the world at large will be able to follow every mile of this down-wind sleigh ride around the Southern ice via TV and the Web.

Bob Williams, chairman of the organisation behind the Antarctica Cup Yacht Race, is creating an ocean racing business based around Albany and the Antarctica Cup Racetrack.

'Our intensive study of the weather patterns around Australia’s southern region underlines Albany as the best port to start and finish the Antarctica Cup Yacht Race and access the 14,600 mile Antarctica Cup Racetrack. The Westerly winds here are consistently in the 10-20knot region during

December and February, giving crews the sling-shot they need to get down to the ‘Roaring Forty’ latitudes and back again.' Williams confirmed, adding. 'We are very impressed with plans to redevelop Albany’s waterfront, particularly the new marina, which will be deep enough to host the largest superyachts.

The South West region of Western Australia is a major international tourist area and we are confident that with this new investment, the Antarctica Cup Yacht Race event will attract sustainable ongoing interest in the years ahead leading to organised fleet races and class events on the Racetrack. The course is also very sustainable taking only 40-60 days to complete, compared to 70-100 days for non-stop round the world circumnavigations.'

Jack Spaanderman, Commodore of the Princess Royal Sailing Club, is equally pleased with the choice of port. He said today: 'On behalf of the members of the Princess Royal Sailing Club I warmly welcome your decision on choosing Albany as the host port for the inaugural Antarctica Cup Yacht Race.

The Port of Albany has a long history of being a chosen port of call for mariners of the Southern seas as a safe haven from the perils of the Southern Indian Ocean since it was first discovered by Europeans by the Dutch captain Pieter Nuyts in 1627 and most recently during last year’s Volvo Ocean Race. We look forward to working with the Antarctica Cup Management and your first competitor, to ensure that this inaugural attempt runs as smoothly as possible.
Rolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTERSea Sure 2025Selden 2020 - FOOTER

Related Articles

Who let the dogs out?
We can tell you who is going to win the 2025 Sydney to Hobart before it is even run! Yes indeed. Who? Now in the canine world there's a thing called, 'Best in Show'. However, right here, right now, out of all the entries, we can tell you who is going to win the 2025 Sydney to Hobart, before it is even run.
Posted on 19 Oct
Rolex Middle Sea Race Day 2
Leaders Raise the Tempo The 2025 Rolex Middle Sea Race is now over 24 hours in. On the plus side there has been no repeat of last year's heinous first night, and the fleet is making steady progress.
Posted on 19 Oct
iQFOiL Youth & Junior Europeans 2025 day 1
Promising breeze, top performances and high expectations as racing gets underway in Sardinia The 2025 iQFOiL Youth & Junior European Championships officially got under way today in Arzachena, North Sardinia, with 306 athletes from 28 nations ready to battle it out on the pristine waters of this beautiful area.
Posted on 19 Oct
18ft Skiff SIXT Spring Championship Race 2
Also the first race of the Club Championship on Sydney Harbour for the Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy After last Sunday's opening race of the season had to be abandoned when 30-knot Westerly winds swept across the course, racing finally got underway when the Australian 18 Footers League sailed for the Alf Beashel Memorial Trophy, on Sydney Harbour today.
Posted on 19 Oct
Globe40 2025/26 Stage 2 Update
Belgium Ocean Racing - Curium and Credit Mutuel 1 mile apart in the forties The incredible duel between the Belgian and French contenders continues in the forties after 4,890 miles of racing! Late Friday, as they passed Gough Island, Benoit Hantzperg and Renaud Dehareng seemed to have gained a small cushion of miles (28.8)
Posted on 19 Oct
Ensign news, reviews, top picks & upcoming events
Highlighting the upcoming Pittwater Sail Expo and photos of the highly anticipated J/36 In this edition we highlight the upcoming Pittwater Sail Expo at the RPAYC, recap some European highlights from our brands in 2025, and showcase some new photos of the highly anticipated J/Boats J/36.
Posted on 18 Oct
Rolex Middle Sea Race: Up and running
The fleet departed from Grand Harbour at 11am on Saturday This morning at 11.00, the 46th Rolex Middle Sea Race got under way from Grand Harbour. The gathered fleet was gently propelled out of the magnificent amphitheatre, assisted by an easterly breeze that built as yachts closed on the exit to the open sea.
Posted on 18 Oct
iQFOiL Youth & Junior Europeans 2025 preview
306 of Europe's most talented young sailors gather in North Sardinia The stunning waters of North Sardinia are about to welcome the 2025 European Youth & Junior Championships, hosted by Club Nautico Arzachena.
Posted on 18 Oct
46th Rolex Middle Sea Race underway
Competitors tackle the challenging and scenic 606-nautical mile course The 46th edition of one of sailing's great offshore races commenced earlier today from the Maltese capital Valletta. A revered and historic event, the Rolex Middle Sea Race always welcomes an impressive and diverse international fleet.
Posted on 18 Oct
2025 Freestyle Pro Tour Naxos day 2
Foilstyle delivers and tow-in turns up the drama After a lively opening day and a calm morning at the lagoon, the second day of the Freestyle Pro Tour Naxos once again brought light winds to the Aegean.
Posted on 18 Oct