Entries have opened for the 2021 Teakle Classic Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race and Lincoln Week Regatta, which is shaping up to be a huge return to offshore yachting in South Australia as the sport bounces back from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 71st running of the Adelaide-Port Lincoln race will take place on 19 February 2021 with the four-day Lincoln Week Regatta to follow from 22-25 February.

FOR MORE INFO, OR TO ENTER, HEAD TO WWW.LINCOLNWEEK.COM.AU

David Griffith’s Chinese Whisper set a new race record in the 2020 Teakle Classic Adelaide to Port Lincoln Yacht Race. Photo: Take 2 Photography

Fortunately, South Australia’s response to the pandemic has been positive with a lot of sailing still happening locally, which also positions the Teakle Classic Australia-wide as one of the first major unaffected events on the 2021 offshore calendar.

The organising committee is urging sailors to “get that dialogue happening” in a bid to bring more local boats back to the water after what has been a challenging year in 2020.

The Division 2 fleet starting their first race of the regatta earlier this year. Photo: Harry Fisher

Regatta Chairman Andy Dyer said the event had “an established place in the South Australian sailing season” and 2021 would be a year not to miss for the local fleet, while many interstate competitors also continue their planning as domestic travel restrictions begin to ease.

“2020 has been a tough year for a lot of us, but now as we come out the other end of this our club cannot wait to host our marquee event in 2021,” he said.

Carrera S with some spinnaker action on Day 2 of the 2020 event. Photo: Bugs Puglisi

“Now is the time to begin your planning, enter the regatta and start organising accommodation, as we anticipate this year to be one of the most exciting yet.”

The host club for the start of the race on 19 February will be the Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia, which will host both the race briefing and the start. Offshore multihulls will start at 1445 and monohulls at 1500.

Jason Webb from The Tribe nearly fell out but was saved by his crew in the 2018 event. Photo: Take 2 Photography