Lord Howe Ocean Race 2026.
880nm Ocean Race from Pittwater to Lord Howe Island, Ball's Pyramid and RTN.

A new biennial offshore yacht race, the Lord Howe Island – Balls Pyramid Ocean Race, is set to launch on 2 October 2026.
Organised by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) in Pittwater.

This Category 1 challenge covers approximately 880 nautical miles (round trip) in the Tasman Sea, rounding the spectacular Balls Pyramid: A nearby 551m-high volcanic stack. 

Key Details for 2026  

• Friday, October Long Weekend 2026.
• The race starts and finishes in Pittwater, NSW.
• Route: The course takes yachts from Pittwater, Broken Bay to Lord Howe Island and around Balls Pyramid, the world’s tallest sea stack and return.

As a Category 1 race, it is designed as a serious, challenging offshore event for experienced sailors. 

The race is scheduled to be a biennial event. While this new event is on the horizon for 2026, it follows the legacy of the historic Gosford to Lord Howe Island Ocean Race, which was a 414-nautical-mile Category 1 race that ran for decades until it was discontinued after 2011.

The new RPAYC race aims to bring back the excitement of this challenging route to one of the world’s most remote and beautiful islands, covering 880 nm.