Palm Beach Motor Yachts sponsors Olympic Class Sailing for first time at Hamilton Island Race Week
by Palm Beach Motor Yachts 24 Jul 15:05 PDT
17-19 August 2025
Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49ers Series © Palm Beach Motor Yachts
Palm Beach Motor Yachts is proud to be the naming rights sponsor of the Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series, which will debut at the 2025 Hamilton Island Race Week, celebrating its 40th edition in August.
The Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49ers Series will run from 17 to 19 August, involving 13 teams from Australia and New Zealand competing in 49er and 49erFX on the racecourse at the same time.
It is fitting for Palm Beach Motor Yachts to be part of the high-performance element of the 40th anniversary of Hamilton Island Race Week, which is synonymous with the pinnacle of Australian sailing. The spirit of competition and drive for excellence are at the heart of all Palm Beach Motor Yachts, the brand founded in 1995 by Australian ocean-racing champion, Mark Richards.
"We are thrilled to sponsor this exciting new event at Hamilton Island Race Week," said Richards, who is Founder, CEO, and chief designer of Palm Beach Motor Yachts, and is celebrating 30 years of boatbuilding excellence in 2025. "This event is a favourite of mine and a natural home for Palm Beach Motor Yachts to explore the idyllic cruising grounds of the Whitsundays. I've been coming to Hamilton Island Race Week for 40 years and the principles that I took away from the competition here drove me to create Palm Beach Motor Yachts."
The Palm Beach Motor Yachts brand is internationally renowned for its unmatched efficiency, technology, and performance. The company is the ideal partner for Julian Bethwaite, the Australian sailor and naval architect who designed the 49er based on the International 14 and famous Aussie 18ft skiffs.
"We couldn't be more pleased to support sailing talent in the 49er and 49erFX classes," Richards said. "They will be sure to put on a brilliant show during the Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series."
The 49er was chosen as the Olympic skiff for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, followed by the 49erFX, a variant with a smaller rig designed for female sailors, which was selected for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. With continual technological improvements, both remain the current Olympic skiff classes today. The Olympic skiff requires intense teamwork, is physically demanding, and relies on split-second decision-making and top-line boat handling. The 49er crews need to chase every inch when sailing against each other on identical boats.
In the same way, Mark Richards' history and passion for high-performance sailing has been carried through to the efficiency of Palm Beach Motor Yachts. Success in 49er and 49erFX classes is a strong predictor of potential in elite professional sailing, and both have proven to create pathways to other high-performance circuits, including America's Cup and SailGP.
A few real-life examples at the top end include a heavy-hitting list:
- Peter Burling & Blair Tuke (NZL): Two Olympic Golds and a Silver in the 49er, have also won three America's Cups and are the core of the Black Foils NZ SailGP team.
- Nathan Outteridge & Iain Jensen (AUS): Olympic Gold and Silver in 49er, and have gone on to do multiple professional sailing projects together and apart in the America's Cup and SailGP. Nathan Outteridge won the last AC as Peter Burling's co-helm.
- Martine Grael & Kahena Kunze (BRA): Two Olympic Golds in 49erFX, professional offshore and foiling sailing opportunities, both sailing in the SailGP, Grael is the first female helm in the league.
- Dylan Fletcher (GBR): Olympic Gold in 49er, moved into SailGP and America's Cup.
- Diego Botin & Florian Trittel (ESP): Olympic Gold in 49er and won season four SailGP together.
At the 40th Hamilton Island Race Week, some of the teams competing in the Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series will include:
- Laura Harding & Annie Wilmot (AUS): 49erFX sailors, both crew members of the first ever Australian Women's America's Cup team in 2024.
- Harry Price & Max Paul (AUS): Max Paul was on the Australian Youth America's Cup team in 2024. Harry Price was the coach for both the Youth & Women's AC team.
- Isaac McHardie & William McKenzie (NZL): Olympic Silver medal Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Will represent the Kiwis at The Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series.
Visitors to the 40th Hamilton Island Race Week will be able to view all the on-water action of the Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series from the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, 17 to 19 August. Racing is scheduled to take place after the main day's program, from about 3:30 pm each day. The high-performance fleet will compete in three races, with a double points final race on 19 August to conclude the series.
At the conclusion of the double-points final race, the Prizegiving Ceremony will take place on Front Street, celebrating the display of skill, efficiency and rising talent as part of the Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Series.
The 2025 Hamilton Island Race Week, presented by American Express, runs 16 to 23 August.