Grant Wharington's Skandia Carlo Borlenghi/Rolex

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s second Audi Sydney Mackay Yacht Race will again mark the start of a bonanza of winter racing culminating in the tropical Queensland regattas.

Leaving the cold Sydney temperatures behind, yachts entered in the Audi Sydney Mackay Yacht Race will start with the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Race fleet from Sydney Harbour at 1.00pm on Saturday 28 July 2007.

They will pass through a gate, the finish gate for the Audi Sydney Gold Coast, off Southport's Main Beach where they will be awarded a result for the Audi Sydney Gold Coast, before continuing onto Mackay without stopping, a total distance of 898 nautical miles.

For the fleet racing to Mackay the racecourse is indeed an interesting one. After passing through the Gold Coast finish line the fleet will continue north leaving the Breaksea Spit beacon, the Beverley Group and Prudhoe Island to port, and on to the finish at the Mackay Harbour breakwater.

While in Mackay, owners, crew and their families will enjoy world class marina facilities as well as a number of specially arranged events for competitors and continuous entertainment and a festival atmosphere along the beach front and around Mackay Yacht Club.

Last year a fleet of eight boats contested the inaugural Sydney Mackay Yacht Race with line honours winner Grant Wharington, skipper of Skandia, praising the event.

"From Mooloolaba onwards it was pefect trade wind sailing.

“I think the concept of this race is great and we’ll support it. It’s the safest and easiest way to get your boat north to the Whitsunday race weeks”.

	Mackay Yacht Club and marina

The CYCA will conduct the Audi Sydney Mackay Yacht Race with the cooperation of Mackay Yacht Club which offers competitors and their families a shipyard with 65-tonne travel lift, 328 berth marina with mega berth capabilities, restaurants, beauty salon and spa, shops, bars, hotel and yacht club.

The race to Mackay is expected to attract growing fleets each year as it becomes widely recognised as the feeder race to the popular Airlie Beach and Hamilton Island regattas, taking the fleet right to the doorstep of winter racing on the picturesque waters of the Queensland Whitsundays.

The 2007 Sydney Mackay fleet will again vie for the perpetual trophy donated for the inaugural race to the CYCA by prominent member Geoff Lee.