The 2026 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race is underway, with the fleet beginning the 386-nautical-mile passage north to Main Beach following a clean start on Sydney Harbour.
Defending overall winner Smuggler led the fleet through Sydney Heads ahead of V5, Koa, Caol Ila and Gusto, while Caol Ila delivered one of the cleanest starts of the afternoon in the light harbour breeze. Further back, Antipodes, the largest yacht in the fleet, exited the Heads alongside the 40-footers Ambition and Back 2 Black, both performing strongly in the opening stages. Among the double-handed entries, Disco Trooper was first through the Heads, with Mistral close behind.
Competitors now face a tactical race north, with forecast light and variable conditions expected to shape the opening phase of the passage. As the fleet works towards Queensland, the changing breeze is likely to test navigation and strategy as much as outright boat speed.
