The Australian Yachting Championships will return to Sydney in 2028, with the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia confirmed as host for the first time since 2017.
The event will run alongside the Southern Cross Cup, linking the national championships with the build-up to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and putting the country's keelboat talent on show before one of the sport's most famous offshore tests.
Australian Sailing and the CYCA have signed a six-year hosting partnership that locks in the CYCA for 2028, 2030 and 2032. Between those years, the championships will rotate, with the 2029 and 2031 editions allocated to other Australian clubs through an Expressions of Interest process. The arrangement keeps the event moving around the country while giving Sydney a fixed, recurring home every second year.
Australian Sailing CEO Malcolm Page OAM called it an exciting new chapter for the regatta. "We're delighted to bring the Australian Yachting Championships back to Sydney for the first time in more than a decade," he said. "The CYCA has a proven track record of delivering world-class events, and incorporating the Championships into the lead-up to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race creates an outstanding opportunity for competitors, clubs and the broader sailing community."
Page added that the structure balances consistency with opportunity. "This partnership gives the Championships a strong and consistent home every second year while preserving the opportunity for clubs across Australia to host the event."
CYCA CEO Justine Kirkjian also welcomed the news. "We are thrilled to again host the Australian Yachting Championships and thank Australian Sailing for the opportunity to welcome the event back to the CYCA in 2028, 2030 and 2032," she said. "Our racing calendar already features some of the country's most iconic sailing events, led by the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The addition of the Australian Yachting Championships, and in 2028 the Southern Cross Cup, further enhances the high-quality racing opportunities we provide for owners and competitors, both on Sydney Harbour and offshore."
Further detail on the Southern Cross Cup is due from the CYCA next month.
Before Sydney's turn comes around, entries are open for the 2027 championships, set for the Royal Geelong Yacht Club from 22 to 26 January, run in conjunction with the Festival of Sails.
The championships trace back to 2000, when they began life as the IRC Australian Championships, and have since grown into Australian Sailing's premier annual title for offshore and keelboat fleets.
