Hamilton Island Race Week 2026 Day 4 - Prix d'Elegance Headlines the Day
by Hamilton Island Race Week 20 Aug 09:46 BST
15-22 August 2026
Hamilton Island Race Week 2026 Day 4 © Salty Dingo
From Top Gun and A Clockwork Orange to Moana, The Little Mermaid, superheroes, X-rays and plenty more, the docks at Hamilton Island were transformed this morning for the much-loved Prix d'Elegance.
An incredible turnout saw crews enthusiastically embrace both the Best Presented Yacht and Best Themed Yacht categories, delivering one of the most colourful starts to a day at Hamilton Island Race Week. The winners will be announced at the official presentation evening on Saturday.
Once the costumes were packed away, attention returned to the water, with another beautiful Whitsundays breeze greeting the fleet for Day Four.
Most divisions raced around White Rock, while Rating Divisions 1 and 2 completed two windward-leeward races in the Eastern starting area.
Rating Division 1 delivered a close contest across two windward-leeward races, with Peter White's First Light recording a second and a win under IRC to take the overall lead on countback. Sandy Oatley's Wild Oats X won the opening race before finishing second in the next, leaving the two boats tied on 17 points at the top of the IRC standings.
Just one point separates the next three boats, with Mark Spring's Highly Sprung third overall, ahead of Lee Hawksley's Gusto and Robert Kelly's Virago, all on 18 points.
Under TPR scoring, Gusto won the opening race before Highly Sprung claimed the second. Highly Sprung leads the series on 10 points, one point clear of Gusto, with Virago third on 15 points.
Rating Division 2 belonged once again to Bruce McCracken's Ikon, which added another two race wins to maintain a perfect scorecard of five victories from five starts.
Ikon skipper Bruce McCracken credited his family team for the boat's perfect scorecard so far.
"This is our fifth Race Week, coming up from Victoria, and the team just has the boat going so well. We're challenging for Boat of the Week? That is excellent news.
"Hopefully we can continue to race well over the rest of the regatta. Our family team is really enjoying sailing together."
Seeking Alpha recorded a second and third to remain second overall on 13 points, one point ahead of Paul Arns and Geoff Bishop's Obsession. Kate Leeson and Garth Riley's Wazza Red Boat finished second in the final race of the day.
Raymond Roberts' Team Hollywood continued its unbeaten run under IRC in Super 40+, claiming a fourth consecutive victory to lead the standings on four points. Fomo finished second to remain second overall on nine points, while Sam Haynes' Celestial took third and holds the same position in the series.
Team Hollywood also won today's race under SFR scoring, ahead of Peter Higgins' Black Sparrow and Ari Abrahams' Fargo. Black Sparrow continues to lead the SFR standings on six points, with Team Hollywood second on 12 and Fargo third on 14.
Terry Robinson's Miyu strengthened its grip on Multihull Racing with another win under OMR, leading the series on five points ahead of Troy Forrest's Mint on 12. Under EHC scoring, Stuart Cox's Cut Snake won today's race ahead of Mike Peberdy's Rare Groove and Jeff Dodd's Zero. Miyu continues to lead the EHC standings on 13 points, with Gordon Beath's Roamance and Mint tied on 15.
In Hamilton Island Blue, Grant Wharington's Wild Thing 100 continued its strong week with a second place today, maintaining the overall lead on eight points after four races.
John Kint's Bundaberg claimed the race win, with Patrick Allaway's Pegasus completing the top three.
Walter Carpenter's Caol Ila sits second overall on 14 points, with Barry Parkin's Viva La Vida third on 17 points.
Hamilton Island Pink produced a new race winner, with Sharon Ferris-Choat's Vixen Racing taking the victory ahead of Xcapade and Phoenix49.
"It was a course that finally suited Vixen. We had a couple of reaches in there and, double-headed, she just lit up. Fully water-ballasted, an awesome crew, and we sent it. It was awesome," Ferris-Choat said.
Among the crew was Bob "Cyclone Bob" Stuart, who competed in the inaugural Hamilton Island Race Week in 1984.
"We've got a 69-year age difference across the crew, and I wouldn't be surprised if we have one of the youngest and one of the oldest sailors here. Bob's experience is definitely coming through, and his top tips are always there.
"That is what is so cool about sailing. We have that age range, men and women sailing together, and then we go out and win the race. They're all legends."
Brenton and Jennifer Carnell's Phoenix49 continues to lead the series on 13 points, with John Whitbread's Kerb and Cam Rae's Crusader tied on 18 points in second and third.
In Hamilton Island Orange, Ian Coombes' Fontana won today's race ahead of Peter Driml's Oscar Too and Phil Dressler's Ca Va. Paul King's Nautilass remains at the top of the standings on 21 points, five points clear of Derek Minihane's Impulse, with Mark Tobin's C'est La Vie third on 27 points.
Tony Hammond's Knot A Diamond claimed the Hamilton Island Green race win, ahead of Billy Davis' Wings 12 and Neil Young's Carbontest.au. Carbontest.au holds a commanding overall lead on 9.5 points, with Wings 12 second on 18 and Carl Nicholls' Bonaventure third on 20.5.
Hamilton Island Yellow remains incredibly tight, with James Ohare's Stratacare Racing Bluebottle and John Foster's Xscape tied at the top of the standings on 20 points. David Lamond's Adela X won today's race ahead of Xscape and Simon Wilde's Akubra. Julian Bell's 51st Project and Greg Brand's Brand X are also tied, sitting third and fourth overall on 23 points.
In Non-Spinnaker Black and White, Dominic Pagliaro's Scarborough won today's race ahead of Glenn Myler's Thylacine One and Chris Haskard's Me & Mrs Jones. Me & Mrs Jones leads the series on countback from Mark Miller's Namadgi 3, with both boats on 17 points.
Remco Pen's Bigger Day Out took the Non-Spinnaker Grey victory, ahead of Bill Barry-Cotter's Maritimo 100 and Melanie Curry's Alwyn. Maritimo 100 continues to lead the division with four consecutive second places and a series score of eight points, with Bigger Day Out second on 18 and Graham Williams' Firefox third on 21.
The Trailable Yachts produced another shake-up, with Simon Morris' Offshore Account winning today's race ahead of Stephen Napret's Happy Wanderer and Steve Oakley's Wild Honey. Stephen Girdis' +GST and Jack Felsenthal's Charter World Yachting Holidays are tied at the top of the standings on 21 points, with +GST leading on countback. Ian Bowles' Resin Up and David Freedman's Maximum Limit are also tied on 23 points in third and fourth.
In Multihull Hamilton Island Black, Bryan Bailie's Ocean Serenity took the race win ahead of Daniel Seldon's Quantum and Bruce McKay's The Straycat. Quantum leads the series on eight points, just one point clear of The Straycat, with Ocean Serenity third on 14.
Andrew Bruce's Fruition won the Multihull Hamilton Island White race ahead of Matthew Caldwell's Quickstep and Allan Leach's Selkie. Fruition leads the overall standings on 11 points, with Stephen Leonard's Sea Dragon second on 16 and Quickstep third on 17.
With two days of racing remaining, the battles across the fleet are tightening, leaving plenty still to be decided before the final race and official presentation evening on Saturday.
All Race Week details are available at www.hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au
Race Week is proudly presented by American Express, with the support of Premium Partners Ahoy Club, AVPartners, Carlton & United Breweries, Diageo, Nautilus Marine Insurance and Volvo Cars, Official Automotive Partner, alongside Event Partners Charles Heidsieck, Dufour, Kylie Minogue Wines, Panerai, Piper-Heidsieck, Revo, Robert Oatley Wines, Sail Racing and Saya Skincare, and Strategic Partner Tourism and Events Queensland.