The faithful look forward to 74 Islands Distillery Airlie Beach Race Week
by Di Pearson/ABRW media 24 Jun 22:33 PDT
7-14 August 2025
Team Hollwyood is a defending champion at Airlie Beach Race Week © Andrea Francolini / ABRW
Just as Whitsunday Sailing Club (WSC) is looking forward to 74 Islands Distillery Airlie Beach Race Week, so too are competitors, including those in the Performance Racing category where already 15 have signed up ready to race in the 37th edition between 7-14 August.
Paul Jackson has been to Airlie Beach Week (ABRW) a number of times but it is the first time he will race BKT JAMHU (Just A Minor Hickup) in the Whitsundays event and is looking forward to racing against all comers in Performance Racing.
"I've owned the boat (a Hick 39 Racer/Cruiser) for about five years, but sailed on it for at least 10 years," Jackson said.
The Victorian yachtsman will kick off with Airlie Beach Race Week and then head to the other northern Race Weeks at Hamilton and Magnetic Islands.
"It's a way to get out of Melbourne's crappy weather," Jackson says, laughing. "It's a great regatta, that's why we're going. My first Airlie Beach was 2004 and I sailed an old IRC boat and before that, I had a Duncanson 28. Then I got my Thompson 870, Keep on Running, which I keep at Whitsunday Sailing Club on the hardstand. I'm a member there."
It's not just about the competition either, Jackson says, "We race for fun and if we do well, great, but if we get beaten by a better team, then that's fine too. And if you're not having a good time, it's your own fault," he said with another laugh.
The BKT JAMHU crew also enjoy the social side that ABRW offers: "We usually get an apartment or two for the team. We go to the Club for drinks after racing and Northerlies (Beach Bar and Grill) on layday. La Tabella is a favourite restaurant and we try to support the Club as much as we can while we're there," Jackson finished.
Another looking forward to coming in out of the cold is veteran Tasmanian yachtsman and previous ABRW competitor, Hughie Lewis, who has entered Hartbreaker, the Reichel/Pugh 46 he purchased recently.
"I tried to charter a boat and Hartbreaker was on the market, so I bought it," Lewis said. "I got it home and fixed it up and it's now on its way to Airlie Beach. From there, we'll do Magnetic Island Race Week and leave the boat at Townsville, so we can do both regattas every year."
Lewis shared, "We're going to have fun with the boat - a heap of old blokes. It's a good old person's boat - it's got a lot of room in the cockpit - and it's got a fridge and an oven and no spinnaker pole, so it's good for us! At Airlie the boat will be sailed by me, my wife Julie and lot of mates."
As to the fascination of ABRW, Lewis comments, "Airlie Beach is always about the good racing, warm weather and the social life after sailing.
"The people at Whitsunday Sailing Club have been fantastic too, they've been very helpful to us," said Lewis, who is the Commodore at Bellerive Yacht Club, directly opposite Hobart on the Derwent River.
Jon Cray could not resist coming back to ABRW. He was here in 2021 and again in 2022. "I finished on the podium twice. We were equal first in 2021 (relegated to second on countback) and finished third the second time. I reckon we've got a chance to do it again, but I won't know if we don't try," said the Mooloolaba sailor who is again bringing his Swan 42, Sea Bass back for a third tilt.
"This time I'm bringing some of my family up for the first time and because of that we be staying in a hotel for the first time. The crew and I usually slum it, staying on the boat. We're really looking forward to Airlie Beach, I think it'll be a good one this year and I'll be there pretty much with my usual crew," Cray said.
A good mix is entered for the Rating Passage division, among them defending champion, Ray Roberts and his Botin 40, Team Hollywood (NSW). Roberts has cleaned up the last two years and will be hard to beat. There are also two TP52s; Annika and Ian Thomson's Ocean Crusaders J-Bird (Qld) and Brian Petersen's V5 from New Zealand.
Petersen is on a racing odyssey that began with the Groupama Race around New Caledonia that started on Sunday. By the time he gets to Airlie Beach, the Kiwi sailor will have a lot of miles under the belt.
David Currie's modified Farr 40, Ponyo, will also be on the start line again and will be joined by fellow Victorian, Phil Simpfendorfer's Melges 40. Veloce 4. South Australia is also represented by Scott Mutton's Beneteau First 45, Cool C4ts.
WSC thanks and apologises to all those who emailed via online enquiries on the official regatta website, but did not receive a timely response. A glitch in the system has been identified and rectified. Thank you all for your patience.
Over 100 already entered across 10 classes in this sailing paradise. No matter what type of boat you sail, there is a division for all at Airlie Beach Race Week.
Don't miss out, go online now to enter and view the Notice of Race: www.abrw.com.au