Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race: Return of the two-handers
by Di Pearson / RPAYC media 25 Feb 06:10 GMT
27 March 2026
Previous start of Pittwater to Coffs race - Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race © Andrea Francolini / RPAYC
Some notable two-handers are set to return for the 40th Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race - the 2023 overall winner and runner-up along with the 2024 runner-up are keen to have a another go at claiming the overall trophy, knowing it will take weather to suit them.
The 226 nautical mile classic, starting at 1pm on 27 March, appeals to a broad cross section of monohull, two-handed and multihull entries - and this year is no different.
Arguably the best two-handed yachtsman in Australia, Rupert Henry won the race in 2023 on his Lombard 34, Mistral, with co-skipper, Greg O'Shea. It was the same year Henry, sailing Mistral two-handed, went on to place sixth overall in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, only beaten by fully crewed yachts from 66 to 100 feet and then he placed ninth in 2024.
Henry and O'Shea are looking forward to returning to the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club's (RPAYC) race: "It's in the right part of the calendar and it's a nice destination. It'll be good to see Coffs again," Henry said.
"I was talking to Greg about doing more sailing together - because we haven't for a while - so we thought we might give the race another go and have some fun.
"We just like going racing and especially after the disappointment of the Hobart," said Henry, who because of the 2025 race forecast, was a favourite to win. However, an injury caused his retirement from the race. Jiang Lin and Alexis Loison ultimately won, the first two-handed crew to do so.
To hone his skills, Henry has been racing an ILCA 7 (ex-Laser) and intends competing at the ILCA Masters Worlds in Greece in June, before sailing single-handed events in Europe in hopes of gaining entry to the next Route du Rhum.
In the 2023 Pittwater Coffs, sailed in mainly light and fickle conditions, Mistral beat Disko Trooper Contender Sailcloth to the punch. The J/99, owned by Jules Hall and co-skippered by Jan Scholten, had kept Mistral company throughout the race and topped the ORC board.
"If I recall correctly, we beat them by a whisker in a cloud burst," Henry said.
This year, Hall has Alex Knight co-skippering: "He's a Royal Prince Alfred member who sailed the CYCA Double-Handed Series with me," said the Sydney sailor of the series they just won. "Clogs (his usual crew, Jan Scholten) is away, so can't do the race with me.
"I'm looking forward to a re-match with Mistral," said Hall of his CYCA clubmate. "And I've been revving up the double-handed community, hoping for an excellent turnout for the Pittwater-Coffs, especially from the J/99 boats, with at least five."
Apart from Hall's J/99, one other has already entered, Garry Essex's Veloce, to be co-skippered by Peter Wesley.
Hall is a Pittwater Coffs enthusiast, "It's a great race track, half the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast race, which is always useful in advance of doing that race in July. It's a great time of year. The weather's good and so is the social atmosphere in Coffs."
"Now we've finished the double-handed series, we'll do a bit of training before the race," Hall ended.
In the 2024 Pittwater Coffs, the RPAYC father and son combo of Martin and John Cross finished second overall in one of the lightest and fickle races, where total dedication and self-belief was key. Only three boats stayed the course and Cross' Jeanneau Sun Fast 3300, Transcendence Rudy Project was one of them and placed second overall.
So far, a mix of 24 fully crewed and two-handed monohulls and multihulls have signed up for the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Yacht Race in IRC, ORC, OMR and Short Handed categories.
Entries close at 1700 hours 14 March, but may be received after that time with a late entry fee attached.
To enter, view NoR and all information, please go to: www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au.