Entries are now open for the Australian Yachting Championships (AYC), which will headline an expanded championship program at Festival of Sails 2027.

Hosted in partnership by Australian Sailing, Sandringham Yacht Club and Royal Geelong Yacht Club, the AYC will be contested from 22 to 26 January 2027 as part of Australia's oldest continuous sporting event, the Festival of Sails. The championship joins the Australian Sports Boat Association National Championship and the S80 Victorian Championship, creating one of the country's premier keelboat championship events.

Festival of Sails 2026 © Salty Dingo

"We're incredibly proud to welcome the Australian Yachting Championship to Geelong next year," says Festival of Sails Chair, Chris Manton.

"It's a tremendous endorsement of the quality of racing on Corio Bay, along with the dedication of our volunteers, officials and race management team."

The five-day championship program begins on 22 January with racing hosted by Sandringham Yacht Club before competitors contest the iconic Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race on 23 January, bringing the fleet into Geelong for the remainder of the regatta hosted by Royal Geelong Yacht Club.

The Australian Yachting Championship forms the centrepiece of Festival of Sails 2027, with hundreds of yachts and thousands of sailors expected to converge on Geelong to compete across multiple national and state championship classes while showcasing the city as one of Australia's premier sailing destinations.

"With the Australian Yachting Championship joining an outstanding championship line-up, Festival of Sails 2027 is shaping up to be one of our strongest events yet."

Now celebrating its 184th year, Festival of Sails continues to combine elite sailing competition with one of Australia's most vibrant waterfront festivals. The Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race, first sailed in 1844, remains Australia's oldest continuous sporting event and provides the iconic opening to the Geelong regatta each year.

Festival of Sails 2027 is proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Visit Victoria, the City of Greater Geelong, presenting partner TLC Healthcare, and Australian Sailing.

Entries for the Australian Yachting Championship and Festival of Sails 2027 are now open, with the Notice of Race also released on the event website.