Early on Sunday morning, three yachts entered Frenchman Bay in the final white-knuckled moments of the 2026 Great Southern Lime Fremantle to Albany Ocean Race, presented by Royal Perth Yacht Club, after setting out on Friday, April 17.
In what was the closest Albany finish on record, the three favourites entered the shipping channel into Princess Royal Harbour with Sirene initially in the lead. Obsession seized its chance and accelerated past Sirene with less than a kilometre to the finish.
After covering 350 nautical miles and spending 44 hours straight at sea, the first three boats crossed the finish line less than 10 minutes apart. The Edge and Sagacious IV were the last boats to finish, taking two days and 11 hours to complete the race.
Conditions were calm at the start, with 10 oceangoing yachts setting off and heading south of Rottnest Island before turning toward Cape Naturaliste. Competitors made good time down the coast, with strong winds and building swell forecast to create a challenging Friday night.
The storm front hit the fleet north of Cape Naturaliste, forcing Baci to return to Fremantle with an injured crew member. Endorfin suffered damage to its navigation and wind-reading equipment and also had to head home early. With eight boats remaining, seasickness became a very real challenge for the next stage of the race.
By the following morning, three clear leaders were chasing one another down the coast, with Obsession and Sirene contending for first place and Alfresco close behind as they rounded Cape Leeuwin.
The historic regatta traces its origins to the 1950s, when Perth yachting enthusiasts began discussing an offshore race following the established Bunbury and Naturaliste Return races. Early obstacles included limited safety standards, with few boats equipped with self-draining cockpits and communication with competitors throughout the event proving difficult.
Improvements in yacht design during the 1960s, including the introduction of marine radio, ushered in a new era in offshore racing in Western Australia.
The inaugural Albany Ocean Race began at 10am on March 15, 1968, and was won by Commodore JB Fitzhardinge aboard Theanna in a time of 40 hours, 22 minutes and 18 seconds.
Since that inaugural event, more than 320 teams have tackled the 350-nautical-mile journey, rounding Cape Leeuwin at the meeting point of the Indian and Southern oceans before heading east to finish in Albany. The event is unique in that competitors race across both oceans and must navigate with precision to hit each of the course’s key turning points.
A $10,000 prize was on offer for the first boat to beat the race record of 37 hours, one minute and 46 seconds, set by Ken Court and his crew aboard Second Term in 1993. The prize was not claimed this year.
An after-party and prize night were held at Wilson Brewing Company on Tuesday, April 21, with sailors staying on in Albany to support local businesses and enjoy a well-earned rest before returning to Perth later in the week.
