2017 Roland Smith Ocean Race
2017 RACE DETAILS
The Roland Smith Ocean Race will start at 0930 on Saturday 4 November in 2017.
Beginning at start area-Fremantle, the 80 nautical mile race will take the fleet south to a MOFSC mark in Comet Bay, returning to the South Mole finish leaving Rottnest Island to starboard. All yachts will carry a tracking unit and the fleet can be followed online and on mobile devices.
Results for the Roland Smith Ocean Race will be calculated on IRC and YAH in Divisions 1,2, and Double Handed. Prizegiving will be held as part of the Farrawa Cup Series Presentation Evening at RFBYC on Thursday 15 March 2018.
Click the video below to watch the 2017 race wrap up.
RACE INFORMATION
RACE HISTORY
Named in honour of Roland Smith, Commodore of Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club from 1932 to 1935 and again from 1940 to 1942. In 1934 he was involved in the successful negotiation with the State Governor Sir James Mitchell, to approve the use of the prefix 'Royal' by the Freshwater Bay Yacht Club. He was both a yachtsman and a launch owner. In 1942 he was appointed commanding officer of HMAS Leeuwin II. This was the Auxiliary Patrol unit based at RFBYC during World War II. On his power yacht "Pollyanna" he charted much of Rottnest Island, providing safe passage for other mariners and there is a memorial for him near Narrowneck, the Roland Smith Monument. He was a long serving member of the island's board of control and contributed much to the volunteer reforestation work until his death in 1972.
The Roland Smith Ocean Race returned to the racing calendar as an 80nm Blue Water event in 2015. The race includes an element of Rottnest Island in honour of the connection he had with the island. In the 2015 race, Peter Hickson’s M3 set the fastest time at 8:32:40.
The 2017 Roland Smith Ocean Race is supported by:
Proud to be part of the Ocean Racing WA Blue Water Championship for the Siska Trophy 2017-2018
RETURN TO OFFSHORE