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Strategies form around the Wind and Waves Ahead

Home 2026 Strategies form around the Wind and Waves Ahead

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The fleet lines up off Sydney Heads on Saturday 25 July at 1300hrs into a cold westerly, the last real breeze of the race before the high pressure system that has been building all week takes over.

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Bureau of Meteorology’s Hugh McDowell’s briefing painted a picture of a race that starts with punch and finishes in a drift: settled, sunny conditions from start to finish, no thunderstorms forecasted, and a wind trend that goes from fresh westerly to light and variable as boats work their way north. The tactical history of this race looks like it will get another chapter added as it becomes clear that navigators have their work cut out for them to try and not getting parked as the pressure eases day by day.

Saturday

A weak low sliding through the southern Tasman toward New Zealand has tightened the isobars just enough to give the fleet a decent send-off. Expect ten to fifteen knot westerlies at the gun, with the odd twenty knot gust possible where the breeze can funnel through Sydney Harbour. Conditions are bright, sunny and cool. Swell builds through the afternoon to two to three metres from the south on a moderate to long period. Closer to shore, winds sit five to ten knots from the west to southwest, stronger offshore. Overnight the westerly starts easing and backs toward the southwest, with the swell beginning to drop and the weather staying dry.

Sunday

The breeze continues easing, down to five to ten knots and trending further south, strongest toward Foster and Newcastle for boats still in that stretch of coastline. Mostly sunny with isolated showers starting to creep in. Swell eases slightly to one and a half to two metres. Overnight, coastal boats will feel a westerly land breeze while those further offshore sit in a light southerly with residual swell.

Monday

Winds go variable. Boats further south may pick up a northerly component, while those pushing up toward the Gold Coast see five knots from the west to southwest. Isolated showers persist through the day.

Tuesday

Light and patchy. North to northwest, sometimes west, around five knots, with swell continuing to ease and a few isolated showers around. Late in the day watch for a southerly refresh building to around ten knots as the high pressure system that has dominated the race finally starts to break down.

No thunderstorms are forecast at this stage of the race, and conditions overall are described as settled from start to finish.

Follow the fleet’s progress and live weather updates throughout the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race on our race website.