Festival of Sails begins tomorrow

Australia’s oldest sporting event begins tomorrow (Friday), with the historic 175th Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race on Australia Day launching the 2018 Festival of Sails.

On Australia Day, a fleet of up to 300 yachts big and small will take off in a mass start of the largest keel boat regatta in the southern hemisphere, the Festival of Sails.

The Passage Race from Williamstown to Geelong is an opportunity to see hundreds of boats racing on Port Phillip, in the opening event launching a weekend of racing and celebrations for sailors and public alike, at one of Victoria’s premier major events.

This year’s 175th festival will deliver three days of sailing and a line-up of shoreside entertainment and activities, which is expected to attract a crowd of more than 110,000 people.

The 2018 Festival of Sails will also coincide for the first time with the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and the combination of these two stellar sporting events will see an unprecedented amount of sporting activity and entertainment on the Geelong waterfront.

The festival has again attracted some of Australia’s elite yachts and crews, with Ray Roberts returning with Team Hollywood alongside Matt Allen’s Ichi Ban, fresh from winning the 2017 Sydney to Hobart race.

The Passage Race is the oldest ocean race in Australia, and the Festival of Sails is the largest annual yachting regatta in the Southern Hemisphere.

Festival of Sails chair Peter Alexander said the combination of history with tradition, the very best of sailing and fabulous entertainment and activities would deliver a truly world class event for Geelong.

“Our 175th year is an amazing milestone that we’re both proud and excited to be celebrating.

“The racing is always spectacular and each year we’ve worked harder to make sure there’s also plenty of excitement for the public as well as sailors.”

Headlining the 2018 Australia Day entertainment line-up are Aussie music legends Ross Wilson and Mental As Anything, as well as the traditional Australia Day fireworks display.

“Our shoreside entertainment is free, although after 5pm you’ll need a wristband to enter the yacht club precinct and the Regatta Village, and as we have a limited amount of space we’re recommending that people get their wristbands early through Trybooking.”

Head to festivalofsails.com.au.