2016 Hamilton Island Race Week heads for record

Australia’s largest offshore sailing series, Hamilton Island Race Week 2016 — or Hammo as its affectionately known — is hotting up, with news that the fleet is approaching 200 for the August 20-27 tropical sailing soiree.

Of course, Hammo caters for a wide range of sailboats from sportboats and trailables through to Grand Prix level keelboats, maxi and supermaxi yachts,
cruising yachts of all sizes and configuration, and multihulls.

But organisers say that with the recent entry of the 100-footer, Scallywag, the scene is set for a spectacular supermaxi showdown with rival Wild Oats XI at the Race Week 2016.

Previously owned by Australian ocean racing legend Syd Fischer and named Ragamuffin100, Scallywag has been purchased by prominent Hong Kong-based businessman, Seng Huang Lee. His sailing master will be the hard-driving ex-18ft skiff sailor, and now offshore campaigner, David Witt, who held the same position for Fischer.

Born and educated in Australia, Lee is a newcomer to offshore racing, but he has already hit the ground running. After competing in this month’s Sydney to Gold Coast Yacht Race, Scallywag will head north to Audi Hamilton Island Race Week before continuing on into Asian waters for a series of major events. She will then return to Sydney.

For Witt, racing Scallywag against Wild Oats XI on the scenic courses around the tropical Whitsunday islands during Race Week will be an invaluable part of the yacht’s preparation for this year’s Hobart race. Wild Oats XI, owned by the Oatley family and skippered by Mark Richards, is the Hobart race record holder, of course.

"Fortunately, I’ve managed to retain the majority of the Ragamuffin100 crew for the Scallywag campaign," Witt said. "Consequently, we are really looking forward to lining up against Wild Oats XI at Race Week. We have increased the area of the mainsail and improved the water ballast system, so it will be very interesting to see how we go."

As well as racing to win Grand Prix Division trophies, Wild Oats XI and Scallywag will be competing for top honours in their class in the prestigious Australian Yachting Championships, which will also be decided at Race Week.

Scallywag and Wild Oats XI, both measuring 30.5 metres overall, are the largest yachts entered to date, while Monkey Business (Jon Rowe) and Hydraplay (Justin Hickey) are the smallest at a mere 6.5 metres in length.

Sposored by Audi, Hamilton Island Race Week – which will be staged from August 20 to 27 –  is destined to top 200 this week,  38 per cent up on the previous best in the regatta’s history, organisers say. The multihull fleet also stands at a record number with 36 entries.

Exciting tradewind racing, exceptional dockside camaraderie among competitors, and an unprecedented party agenda across the entire week combine to make Audi Hamilton Island Race Week unlike any other local or international regatta.

The Notice of Race and entry form for the 33rd staging of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week are now posted on the website, www.audihamiltonislandraceweek.com.au.