Please select your home edition
Edition
Lloyd Stevenson - AC Alinghi 1456x180px TOP

Go for Launch: GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2025 entries now open!

by Southport Yacht Club 6 Feb 21:25 NZDT 1 August 2025
GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2025 © Southport Yacht Club

The countdown is on with today marking 175 days to Australia's newest ocean race, the GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race kicks off on the 1st of August.

With the official release of the Notice of Race today, entries are now open for the 2025 race, which finishes during Mackay's highly popular Festival of Arts event.

Offering 520 nautical miles of spectacular coastal offshore racing from the iconic skyline of Australia's Gold Coast, the course sends the fleet around the outside of K'gari and weaves past many tropical islands of the Great Barrier Reef.

Organised by the Southport Yacht Club, Commodore Glenn Burrell said the timing of the Gold Coast Mackay race helps feed boats into the northern race weeks, such as those hosted by Whitsunday Sailing Club in Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island Yacht Club.

The Monohull Line Honours in 2024 was snapped up by Grant Wharrington's supermaxi Wild Thing 100 with an elapsed time of just 35 hours and 36 minutes, whilst Greg Alder's 50 foot Top Gun earned the Multihull honours just 3 hours later.

Grant Wharrington will be back in 2025 with a taller mast and wardrobe of larger sails, after purchasing Wild Oats XI's mast and a rigorous refit scheduled at the Gold Coast City Marina & Shipyard early 2025.

He's thrown down the gauntlet to other big boats looking for a thrilling long-distance race in warm waters to contest their inaugural Line Honours record.

Feedback from last year's inaugural race showed that skippers and crew were delighted by the spinnaker start and range of downwind surfing, whilst the absence of marks made for a navigators delight and tactical routing between the islands and reefs enroute to Purdue.

As one of the longest passage races for multihulls in Australia, Commodore of the Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland, Adrian Relf, said "With such a growing presence of raceable, cruising multihull yachts heading north for their annual cruising season or northern regattas, the GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race presents a great challenge and logical option for multihull racer/cruisers."

Commencing after the Noakes Sydney-Gold Coast race, the GCCM GOLD COAST MACKAY YACHT RACE kicks off on the 1st August, with an epic start line off the beachfront, straight in front of Cavill Avenue, Surfers Paradise. Spectators on pleasure craft will be welcome.

Entries are now open to all Australian and international boats via the official race website, goldcoastmackay.com. Early Bird entries close Saturday May 10.

Related Articles

2nd GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race kicks off
The start line was considerably more congested than last year Against the dramatic beachfront skyline of Surfer's Paradise, a fleet of 27 yachts competing in the 2nd GCCM Gold Coast to Mackay Yacht Race got off to a spectacular start. Posted on 1 Aug
Superstar last minute entry into race
Elizabeth Tucker enters her Class 40 in the GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race Race Organiser Southport Yacht Club is excited to announce that a last minute entry into the GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2025 has been accepted by the Race Committee! Posted on 31 Jul
Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race starts tomorrow
Connecting two regional cities with the glamour and passion of sailing After a Welcome Party for all crew from around Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Hong Kong held last night at the Southport Yacht Club, today marks the final day of race preparations for the 2nd GCCM Gold Coast Mackay Yacht Race 2025. Posted on 31 Jul
Smuggler puts down hammer and goes unchallenged
In the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race The reigning Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Champion, Smuggler, set a clear goal to open her offshore season with strength and continue her streak of top performances. She delivered on that promise, outpacing the competition and never looking back. Posted on 29 Jul
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race start
The weather gods promised and delivered The start gun for the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race fired at 1300hrs sharp, sending the fleet off in stunning conditions. Posted on 26 Jul
Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race Preview
This year's edition is looking to break the light wind pattern and possibly set new records The Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race (NSGCYR) has long been regarded as a cornerstone of any Australian offshore yachtie's calendar. Posted on 25 Jul
Newcastle fleet gears up for Sydney to GC Race
One of the most important events on Australia's ocean racing calendar Seven vessels representing Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club (NCYC) will compete in the prestigious Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race this Saturday, 26 July, marking a significant milestone for the Club and its offshore racing cohort. Posted on 22 Jul
J/99s the in Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race
There will be a race within a race taking place in the 63 yacht fleet When the fleet of 63 yachts set off in the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast (NSGCYR) on 26 July, there will be a race within a race taking place. Posted on 18 Jul
Meet the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Commentary Team
Olympian Lisa Darmanin and Rolex Sydney Hobart Winner Jack Macartney to lead live broadcast The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) is pleased to confirm Olympian Darmanin and 2022 & 2024 Rolex Sydney Hobart winner Macartney as the lead commentators for the live broadcast of the 2025 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. Posted on 16 Jul
Noakes Sydney GC Yacht Race: Don't stop me now
Corinthian sailor Elizabeth Tucker takes on the world Elizabeth Tucker had barely stepped on board a yacht before 2021. Fast forward four years to 2025 and the English-born, Sydney-based sailor has sailed her Class40 yacht, First Light, from Spain to Australia. Posted on 9 Jul
Doyle_SailWorld_728X90px_cruise BOTTOMNorth Sails Loft 57 PodcastSea Sure 2025