Fremantle to Albany Race
The Fremantle to Albany Race is a Western Australian offshore classic — a long passage down the WA coast from Fremantle to the historic port of Albany on the south coast, run by the Royal Perth Yacht Club since the 1950s.
Photo: Port of San Diego, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
2 min read
The Fremantle to Albany Race is one of Western Australia's classic blue-water races — a long passage down the WA coast from Fremantle to the historic port of Albany on the south coast, run by the Royal Perth Yacht Club since the 1950s. It takes the fleet from the Indian Ocean towards the Southern Ocean, a genuine test of offshore sailing in often big conditions.
What it is
The race is a point-to-point offshore passage down the exposed Western Australian coast, finishing at Albany on King George Sound. As the fleet works south, the water grows wilder — this is coast that faces the Southern Ocean — making it a demanding piece of offshore racing that rewards seamanship, navigation and preparation, the roles set out in our guide to crew positions.
History
The race dates to the 1950s, growing out of the Royal Perth Yacht Club's earlier programme of coastal races — the Bunbury and Cape Naturaliste return races — as WA sailors pushed further offshore. The Royal Perth Yacht Club is one of Australia's most storied clubs, best known for winning the 1983 America's Cup with Australia II, and the Fremantle to Albany is part of its long offshore tradition.
How to enter and follow
Entries and event information are published by the Royal Perth Yacht Club. As a serious offshore race, it carries safety-category requirements, so crews should read the Notice of Race and prepare well ahead. The first boat to Albany takes line honours, with the overall result decided on corrected time under handicap — see line honours versus handicap. For the wider Perth scene, see sailing in Perth and Fremantle, and the sailing terms glossary for the vocabulary.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Fremantle to Albany Race?
- The Fremantle to Albany Race is a long offshore yacht race down the Western Australian coast, from Fremantle near Perth to the historic port of Albany on the south coast. Run by the Royal Perth Yacht Club, it is one of the state's classic blue-water races, taking the fleet from the Indian Ocean around towards the Southern Ocean.
- Who organises the Fremantle to Albany Race?
- It is organised by the Royal Perth Yacht Club, one of Australia's most historic clubs — the same club that won the 1983 America's Cup with Australia II. The race began in the 1950s, following on from the club's earlier Bunbury and Cape Naturaliste return races.
- Where does the Fremantle to Albany Race finish?
- It finishes at Albany, the historic port city on Western Australia's south coast, on King George Sound. The passage south takes the fleet down the exposed WA coast towards the Southern Ocean, making it a demanding offshore race in often big conditions.
- How old is the Fremantle to Albany Race?
- The race dates to the 1950s, growing out of the Royal Perth Yacht Club's established programme of coastal races such as the Bunbury and Cape Naturaliste return races. It is one of the longer-standing offshore races on the Western Australian calendar.
More regattas
Fremantle to Geraldton Ocean Classic
The Fremantle to Geraldton Ocean Classic is Western Australia's premier offshore race — a roughly 220-nautical-mile blue-water sprint north from Fremantle, around Rottnest Island and up the coast, and an accepted Sydney Hobart qualifier.
Read the guideBunbury and Return Ocean Race
The Bunbury and Return Ocean Race is a 170nm offshore passage from Fremantle south to Bunbury and back, run each February by Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club since 1948.
Read the guideRoland Smith Ocean Race
The Roland Smith Ocean Race is an 80-nautical-mile Western Australian offshore classic — starting off Fremantle, out around Rottnest Island and back — run by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club.
Read the guide