Roland 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.
Photo: greenacre8, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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The Roland Smith Ocean Race is a Western Australian offshore classic — an 80-nautical-mile run starting off Fremantle, out around Rottnest Island and back, on the open Indian Ocean. Run by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, it is one of the staples of the WA offshore calendar and a good day's offshore racing in the reliable Fremantle breeze.
What it is
The race sends the fleet from Fremantle out into the Indian Ocean to round Rottnest Island — leaving the island to starboard — before returning to Fremantle. At 80 nautical miles it is a substantial offshore race, exposed to the open ocean and the famous Fremantle Doctor sea breeze that gives Perth its breezy reputation.
The race has grown over the years. It began as a shorter 29-nautical-mile event in Cockburn Sound, and evolved into the longer Rottnest-rounding ocean race it is today — a common story for club races that mature into offshore fixtures.
How to enter and follow
Entries and event information are published by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. As an offshore race it carries safety requirements, so crews should read the Notice of Race and prepare accordingly. The first boat home takes line honours, while the overall winner is decided on corrected time under handicap — see line honours versus handicap. For the wider Perth scene, see our guide to sailing in Perth and Fremantle, and the sailing terms glossary for the language of the racing.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the Roland Smith Ocean Race?
- The Roland Smith Ocean Race is an 80-nautical-mile offshore yacht race in Western Australia, run by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. It starts off Fremantle, takes the fleet out around Rottnest Island, leaving the island to starboard, and returns to Fremantle — a solid day's offshore racing on the Indian Ocean.
- How long is the Roland Smith Ocean Race?
- The modern race is 80 nautical miles. In its early days it was a shorter, 29-nautical-mile event raced in Cockburn Sound, but it grew into the longer Rottnest-rounding ocean race it is today, one of the staples of the Western Australian offshore calendar.
- Who organises the Roland Smith Ocean Race?
- It is run by the Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, one of Perth's major clubs on the Swan River. The race is part of the club's offshore programme on the Indian Ocean out of Fremantle.
- What is the course of the Roland Smith race?
- The fleet starts off Fremantle, heads out into the Indian Ocean and rounds Rottnest Island — leaving it to starboard — before returning to finish at Fremantle. Rottnest sits about 20 kilometres offshore, so the race is a genuine open-water contest rather than a sheltered inshore one.
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