40th Hamilton Island Race Week - Day 4
by Lisa Ratcliff 21 Aug 20:38 NZST
16-23 August 2025
At the business end of the 40th Hamilton Island Race Week, presented by AMEX, is the consolidation of first-half regatta points by the trophy hunters.
Rating divisions 1 and 2 ticked off two windward-leeward races in 13-18 knots from the east south-east on the Eastern Passage course today, Thursday August 21, 2025.
The Oatley family's RP66 Wild Oats X, skippered by Mark Richards, scored two seconds in the short course format to sit in fifth overall in Rating 1 division. Marcus Blackmore's TP52 Hooligan remains the pointscore leader and even with a fifth place today, extended their points gap back to Peter White's TP52 First Light in second.
A first and second cemented David Hamilton and his Farr 40 Seeking Alpha's stranglehold on Rating 2.
Kate Leeson and Garth Riley's Adams 10 Wazza Red Boat moved into second on the Rating 2 points ladder, thanks to a third and a win in the shorter course format.
The Airlie Beach based Wazza Red Boat has very strong female representation - six of the eight crew. Owner and mainsheet trimmer Kate Leeson says they pick crew who match the boat's culture.
We treat everyone on board with respect and you only yell when you need to be heard. We pick people who fit together and will do the best they can. We are here to do well - we like getting on the podium too," she added.
The rest of the 155 plus Race Week fleet finished island passages, winding amongst islands as course rounding marks. That was after a ripping Dent Passage tide caught a few starters out, hearts sinking as their sail numbers were read out for recall.
Race winners included Tim Meyrick's Hanse 370e Fidra (orange division), Craig Douglas' Beneteau First 47.7 Popeye (pink), Michael Schwarzel's VO60 Merit (light blue) and Glenn Myler's Tasmanian Beneteau Oceanis 43 Thylacine One (non-spinnaker).
Meanwhile, ahead of the racing, Ken and Barbie, Darth and his storm troopers and the Romans resplendent in togas were just some of the costumes and characters at the Prix d'Elegance, a longstanding Race Week event staged ahead of the serious business of racing. This year's parade was considered the best ever.
The South Australian team of Carbontest.au, dressed in Barbie dresses and Ken tracksuits, fed the theme through AI for costume and prop suggestions - and it was a full crew and family effort to prepare for Prix d'Elegance.
"Everybody has embraced it," said owner-skipper Neil Young (a Ken). "We did have a late wardrobe change as the XL dresses in fact only fitted the smaller guys."
When parading past the judges, Aqua's smash hit 'Barbie Girl' roused the spectators watching from the yacht club Bommie Deck.
Young had such an amazing Race Week last year that he opted to truck his sporty Luka 30 design all the way from the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron once again.
Mermaids and Mermen was the dress-up theme for Gary Donnellan's Matilda V. American sailor Hayley Wakefield is one of six women on the Cairns-based Beneteau, which is racing in Hamilton Island Orange division. Most of the women are learning to sail through Cairns Yacht Club's national SheSails program.
Wakefield is a first timer at the annual regatta in paradise. "Race Week is a blast! I've never done a regatta with this many boats," she said. "It's so fun to meet this many Australian sailors, and we couldn't be in a more beautiful place."
Prix d'Elegance winners of the best presented yacht and crew and best themed boat will be announced at the Saturday evening gala dinner and trophy presentation, Race Week's finale.
Full results: www.topyacht.net.au/results/2025/hirw/index.htm
Day 4 racing video highlights available here.
All Race Week details, videos and images are available on the website and social channels.
More history on Hamilton Island Race Week here.