The calendar for the Australian 18 Footers League 2026/27 Season is below, broken down by major series and special events so you can see exactly how the year shapes up.

Season Kickoff

The season officially gets underway with the Season Opening Welcome Night on Thursday, October 8, 2026, followed by the first race and Sail Registration Day on Sunday, October 11.

The Major Championships

The core of the racing calendar is built around four major championships, which dominate the Sunday racing schedule:

• Spring Championship (Oct 11 – Nov 15): A 6-race series with no drops.

  • Races alternate between Handicap and Scratch starts.

  • The winner takes the Major A. Frizelle Trophy (and the Spring Championship Handicap ribbon).

• NSW Championship (Nov 22 – Dec 20): An 8-race series with no drops.

  • All races are Scratch starts.

  • This series determines the Australian Short Course Champion.

• Australian Championship (Jan 29 – Jan 31): A jam-packed, 3-day weekend event featuring 5 races.

  • Kicks off with a 5:00 PM twilight start on Friday for Race 1, followed by two races each on Saturday and Sunday.

• JJG Worlds Championship (Feb 26 – Mar 7): The absolute pinnacle of the 18 Footers season.

  • Features an Invitation Race on Friday, Feb 26, followed by a grueling 9-race series (with one drop allowed) stretching across a week and a half. All races are Scratch starts.

Special Regattas & Sprints

Sprinkled throughout the major championships are several highly anticipated specialty events:

• Queen of the Waves (Nov 27): A Friday event featuring a Short Long Course (Scratch start).

• Akarana NZ Regatta (Jan 8 – Jan 10): A placemarker weekend for international racing.

• Australia Day Regatta (Jan 26): A Tuesday celebration requiring an annual roster of at least 5 boats. It features a Scratch start, the Lord Mayor’s Trophy, and a $1,000 prize for the Scratch Winner.

• Balmain Cup (Feb 19): A Friday evening “Scratch Sprint” series (Races 1, 2, and 3) starting at 5:00 PM for the Balmain Trophy.

Club Championship & Season Pointscore

• Club Championship: This isn’t a standalone block of dates. Instead, it is interwoven into 9 specific race days throughout the Spring, NSW, and Pointscore calendars.

• Season Pointscore: For regular handicap tracking, all races (except Sponsors Races, Balmain Cup, Queen of the Waves, and the JJG Worlds) count toward the season-long Pointscore.9