Bruce McCracken's IKON has been awarded the Leon O'Donoghue Memorial Trophy as Boat of the Week after completing a flawless regatta at the 41st Hamilton Island Race Week, winning all six races in Rating Division 2 under IRC.
The family team finished with the minimum possible score of five points after the series discard was applied, extending a winning streak that began from the opening race. McCracken, competing at his fifth Race Week, said the victory reflected nearly two decades of team building.
"We've had this team together for 18 years, so it's not an overnight sensation," McCracken said. "We've been working at this for a long time and have had some good results along the way, but this regatta has been fantastic."
The crew included McCracken's daughter Breeahn and his grandsons North, 10, and Cove, 8, making their Race Week debut. "Sailing with my family has been very fun. You learn heaps of things every time you go out," North said.
Rating Division 1 produced a tighter contest, with Sandy Oatley's Wild Oats X securing the IRC title ahead of Peter White's First Light. Mark Spring's Highly Sprung completed the IRC podium in third while taking the TPR divisional title.
New South Wales boats dominated the rating divisions, filling every podium position across Divisions 1 and 2 under IRC to claim the Hitchhiker Trophy for best-performing state.
Super 40+ featured three scoring systems and close racing throughout. Raymond Roberts' Team Hollywood won under IRC, while Peter Higgins' Black Sparrow took both ORC and SFR honours.
In the multihulls, Terry Robinson's Miyu won OMR racing. Mike Peberdy's Rare Groove collected seven line honours victories, the most of any boat across the week, and received the Gun Boat Trophy.
The 194-boat fleet, described as one of the strongest in the event's 41-year history, contested racing across grand prix yachts, cruising divisions, multihulls, non-spinnaker boats and trailable yachts. More than 1,200 sailors competed across a week that delivered strong breezes, shifting conditions, rain squalls and sunshine.
Other division winners included Grant Wharington's Wild Thing 100 in Hamilton Island Blue, Brenton and Jennifer Carnell's Phoenix49 in Hamilton Island Pink, David Lamond's Adela X in Hamilton Island Yellow, Paul King's Nautilass in Hamilton Island Orange, and Carl Nicholls' Bonaventure in Hamilton Island Green.
Steve Girdis' +GST won the Trailable Yachts title, while Renee Cordingley's Bella Due claimed Non-Spinnaker Black and White and the Don McLean Trophy as best-performing North Queensland boat.
The 42nd Hamilton Island Race Week will be held from 20 to 27 August 2027.
