The Bad News Regatta has been one of the largest winter regattas for the Hobie Family in Australia.
Originally started back in the 1960’s, prior to Hobies even being invented, the ‘Top Cat of the Alley’ and the ‘Currumbin Marathon’ was sailed during the 2nd weekend in June over what was then the Queens Birthday long-weekend. The tradition continues and is named after one of the Gold Coast Catamaran Club’s famous members Bob ‘Bad News’ Hughes. Bob passed away in 1999, but his name and legend lives on with this regatta named after him.
It is one of the few regattas where the boats are launched from a surfing beach where the sailors and the surfboard riders have to work together. Not to mention the occasional whale that wishes to watch the Hobie racing. The notorious beach break with large waves has caused many boats and masts to be damaged over the years.
It has, for many years, brought together sailors from far and wide to join in a regatta that is truely like no other.
Jun 12
