2026 RACE INFORMATION
RACE SCHEDULE
FRIDAY 30 JANUARY 2026
THURSDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2026
SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026
- 1700 – Race entry closes.
THURSDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2026
- 1830 – Welcome, Race and Weather Briefing.
- To be held at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club, Keane's Point Peppermint Grove.
SATURDAY 7 FEBRUARY 2026
- 0900 Boat Start off Port Beach in North Fremantle.
- Blue Water Race, one start for all divisions.
- Spectator boats welcome
- Follow the race online with YB Races. All yachts will carry tracking devices.
- On a smartphone or tablet, download the app ‘YB Races’ and search for Bunbury and Return 2026. It’s free to watch
OFFICIAL NOTICE BOARD
- All notices to competitors will be published here.
- Tracking units will be distributed at the race briefing. Tracker Instructions
PRELIMINARY NOTICE
Note: Refer to Amendment No.1 to changes for Category 3 Plus.
NOTICE OF RACE AND SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions are available to view in the Ocean Racing WA Handbook for the 2025-26 Season.
Amendment No.1: Changes to ORWA Notice of Race - Category 3 Plus Requirements - Posted 9/1/2026
Amendment No.1: Changes to ORWA Notice of Race - Category 3 Plus Requirements - Posted 9/1/2026
SUPPLEMENTARY SAILING INSTRUCTIONS
BOAT DOCUMENTS REQUIRED
Cat 3+ Equipment Form - Updated 9/1/2026
Radio Declaration Form
Keel and Rudder Inspection form
Other AS Special Regulation Equipment Forms available for download HERE
RACE ENTRY
Enter the 78th Bunbury and Return Ocean Race in 2026 HERE
ENTRY LIST
Entrants for the 78th Bunbury and Return Ocean Race can be viewed HERE
RACE TRACKING
The 2026 race will feature live tracking via a Yellow Brick race track viewer.
Prior to the race, on a smartphone or tablet, download the 'YB Races app' from your store and search for Bunbury and Return 2026.
Direct link to the race viewer HERE
Prior to the race, on a smartphone or tablet, download the 'YB Races app' from your store and search for Bunbury and Return 2026.
Direct link to the race viewer HERE
RESULTS
RACE HISTORY
| RESULTS | YELLOW BRICK TRACING RACE REPLAY | |
| 2025 | 2025 Race Replay | |
| 2024 | Race Replay | |
| 2023 | 2023 Race Replay | |
| 2022 | 2022 Race Replay | |
| 2021 | 2021 Race Replay | |
| 2020 | 2020 Race Replay | |
| 2019 | 2019 Race Replay | |
| 2018 | 2018 Race Replay not available | |
| 2017 | 2017 Race Replay | |
| 2016 | 2016 Race Replay | |
| 2015 | 2015 Race Replay | |
| 2014 | 2014 Race Replay |
OCEAN RACING WA SEASON HANDBOOK
OTHER INFORMATION
- Safety in Focus – Australian Sailing safety notices
- Australian Sailing Special Regulations – equipment auditing
- Ocean Racing WA – association information, calendar and results
- AMSA – beacon checker
- AMSA – register your beacon and MMSI register
- Bureau of Meteorology – marine weather knowledge centre
- Safety and Sea Survival – course information
- Major Incident Reports – Australian Sailing listings
Track the 2026 Bunbury Race
If using a smartphone or tablet, download the 'YB Races app' from your store and search for Bunbury and Return 2026.
BUNBURY AND RETURN OCEAN RACE - SINCE 1948
The 78th Bunbury and Return Ocean Race is scheduled to start at 9am off Port Beach in North Fremantle on Saturday 7 February 2026. The race will take the fleet out to sea before heading south to Bunbury and return.
Passage race – 170 nautical miles of blue water racing from Fremantle to Bunbury and Return.
In partner with Koombana Bay Sailing Club, Bunbury.
The race is part of the Ocean Racing WA Blue Water Series and Ocean Racing WA Siska Series.
The Bunbury and Return Ocean Race is not the longest race in Western Australia but it is the oldest and holds a special place on the ocean racing calendar in the State.
It began in 1948 with a bold venture to sail for 100 ocean miles, overnight down a featureless unlit coast.
An idea by Keith Stevenson, owner of the beautiful Sunset Class yacht Maid Marion, spurred on by the enthusiasm of Cyril Sampson (then Commodore) and Roland Smith who were both motivated by the 1945 inauguration of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the Club resolved that an ocean race to Bunbury be organised. An open invitation to all Clubs was sent.
Fifteen yachts entered in the inaugural race which began on 24 February 1948. The start line was inside Fremantle Harbour, opposite ‘B’ Shed on Victoria Quay with the race to begin anytime after sunset when officials decided weather conditions were favourable (that is when the land based easterly had begun). Well wishes cheered as the race started at 1am on the 25th. The course was to Bell and Fairway Buoys, around Rottnest Island to Port, lit by its two lighthouses, then south to Bunbury. Maid Marion was the first to arrive in 23 hrs, 29 mins. From 1949 onwards it became the Bunbury and Return Ocean Race.
The 2016 record which was held by Indian (C.Carter) – 17h 42m 09s was broken in the 2023 race by David Davenport's Crush who completed the race in 16h 26m 21s.
Passage race – 170 nautical miles of blue water racing from Fremantle to Bunbury and Return.
In partner with Koombana Bay Sailing Club, Bunbury.
The race is part of the Ocean Racing WA Blue Water Series and Ocean Racing WA Siska Series.
The Bunbury and Return Ocean Race is not the longest race in Western Australia but it is the oldest and holds a special place on the ocean racing calendar in the State.
It began in 1948 with a bold venture to sail for 100 ocean miles, overnight down a featureless unlit coast.
An idea by Keith Stevenson, owner of the beautiful Sunset Class yacht Maid Marion, spurred on by the enthusiasm of Cyril Sampson (then Commodore) and Roland Smith who were both motivated by the 1945 inauguration of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, the Club resolved that an ocean race to Bunbury be organised. An open invitation to all Clubs was sent.
Fifteen yachts entered in the inaugural race which began on 24 February 1948. The start line was inside Fremantle Harbour, opposite ‘B’ Shed on Victoria Quay with the race to begin anytime after sunset when officials decided weather conditions were favourable (that is when the land based easterly had begun). Well wishes cheered as the race started at 1am on the 25th. The course was to Bell and Fairway Buoys, around Rottnest Island to Port, lit by its two lighthouses, then south to Bunbury. Maid Marion was the first to arrive in 23 hrs, 29 mins. From 1949 onwards it became the Bunbury and Return Ocean Race.
The 2016 record which was held by Indian (C.Carter) – 17h 42m 09s was broken in the 2023 race by David Davenport's Crush who completed the race in 16h 26m 21s.
