Albany 2026: Crews and supporters celebrate Fremantle to Albany yacht race winners at Wilson’s afterparty

Sailing enthusiasts from Albany and Perth celebrated the end of the Fremantle to Albany yacht race at Wilson’s Brewery on Tuesday night, with this year’s winners presented their prizes.

Princess Royal Sailing Club commodore Brett Hawker and Royal Perth Yacht Club commodore Andrew McAullay both addressed the crowd, made up of the competing crews, their supporters and Albany locals who supported the event.

Both thanked the competitors, sponsors and supporters who made the event happen.

Mr McAullay mentioned how close the finish ended up being between Al Fresco, Sirene and Obsession on Sunday morning, adding that nobody on shore was expecting quite such an exciting finish.

Ken Court, who is the chairman of Great Southern Lime and who won the race in 1993 with Second Term, also spoke, congratulating the crews on completing a challenging race.

On stage, Mr Court signed the cheque for $10,000 which would have been presented to the crew who broke his race record, then crossed it, announcing to an amused crowd that the prize would compound each year the race returned, with a bigger prize on offer the next time it is run in 2028.

The presentations began with joke awards including the MacGyver award for the crew who suffered the worst mechanical issue during the race and still finished, which was won by Lithium whose steering broke on the first night of the race.

The scenic route award for the yacht which sailed the furthest during the race was won by Sagacious IV with 369 nautical miles.

Obsession collected a raft of awards including line honours and first under the International Racing Certificate handicap, as well as the Lighthouse Dash for fastest from Fremantle to Cape Naturaliste.