Bill Kidman has unfinished business with Sharon Ferris-Choat, and he's crossing the Tasman to settle it.
Kidman's Ross 12 Pretty Boy Floyd made the solo Trans-Tasman crossing earlier this year, where a close battle with Ferris-Choat's Vixen Racing was shaping up nicely before Kidman's campaign ended prematurely. Hamilton Island Race Week, running 15–22 August 2026, now gives the pair a chance to go again, in warmer waters and with a full fleet around them.
Kidman knows the Tasman well. He ran the Great Escape Sailing School in Opua for nine years before making that solo crossing, and says Race Week has long been on the radar. "We've heard plenty about Hamilton Island Race Week over the years and it's one we've always wanted to do," he said. "The Whitsundays is an incredible place to sail and the standard of competition is always high."
The Trans-Tasman needle is real, even if it stays friendly. "Whenever Kiwi and Australian crews get together there's a bit of friendly rivalry, but it's also a chance to catch up with people you don't often see and race against some very good sailors." That combination, the edge of competition softened by genuine goodwill, is probably what keeps sailors coming back year after year.
Race Director Denis Thompson is expecting one of the stronger fleets in recent years, with more than 180 boats entered and entries still open. "We've got competitive divisions throughout the regatta, from the Super 40 Plus class and TP52s through to the multihulls, cruising yachts and trailer yachts," Thompson said. "It's also fantastic to see New Zealand crews making the trip across the Tasman. They always add another competitive element to Race Week."
The Kiwi contingent carries real depth. The TP52 division includes V5, while Cat+Ion carries the New Zealand flag in the multihull fleet. Grant Wharington and Adrian Seiffert's 100-foot super maxi Wild Thing 100 heads the overall fleet, with Sandy Oatley's Wild Oats X among the leading maxis. The Super 40 Plus division is shaping up as one of the tighter contests of the week, and further depth comes through the Non-Spinnaker division, Cape 31 one-design fleet, and the Trailable Yachts division.
Not every boat is chasing line honours. Alan Beavis will race Aquila, a 6.9-metre Sonata 7, a quiet reminder of the diversity that has long defined the regatta. Now in its 41st edition, Race Week is as well known for its onshore atmosphere as its racing. The Balter Beach Party on lay day, the Presentation Dinner, spectator cruises aboard M/Y Rascal, and an evening with Olympic silver medallist Olivia Price and America's Cup sailor Cole Tapper all feature among the highlights of the week ashore. For Kidman, though, the main event happens on the water.
