The 2023 Festival of Sails is a milestone event, celebrating 180 years of the Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race. Did you know that the Passage Race is Australia’s oldest sporting event? The race pre-dates the Ashes, the AFL and the Melbourne Cup.
There were 240 boats who participated in the 2022 Passage Race, and in 2023 we expect an even bigger fleet of boats to sail across the bay for this very special moment in history.
Click play to reflect on the 2022 Passage Race, shot by drone by Eugene Mitnovetski. We saw magic conditions for a picture-perfect sail down to Geelong. Click here to watch the full version.
Don’t miss out on being a part of history! You can join the celebration and enter here.
January will be an exciting time to be in Geelong, with the Festival of Sails and Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race sharing the long weekend waterfront celebrations. Be sure to explore our accommodation guide for some recommended venues within walking distance of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
Let’s hope for stellar conditions again in 2023!