Yachts sail into Anzac centenary program

A yacht race consisting of 25 boats from Fremantle to Perth will be added to the growing list of sporting events for Anzac Day next year as part of the city's Anzac centenary commemorations.

Anzac Day is expected to attract thousands of people to Albany after the centenary commemorations, which start in October.

The Albany Advertiser revealed earlier this month Albany may host a special ANZ Championship netball fixture between the West Coast Fever and a New Zealand side on Anzac Day as part of the city's commemorations.

The Great Southern Football League introduced an Anzac Day blockbuster between North Albany and Railways this season as part of a two-year trial.

Under the proposed Sail Albany 2015 program, boats would leave Fremantle on Friday April 17 and start the Fremantle to Albany Yacht Race, arriving on Sunday, April 19.

The crews and boats would stay for the week before leaving Princess Royal Harbour on Saturday, April 25 for the Albany to Fremantle Anzac Commemorative Yacht Race.

The races are being organised by the Royal Perth Yacht Club and the Albany Princess Royal Sailing Club.

The last Fremantle to Albany race was in 2009 and the last Albany to Fremantle race was in 1983.

Princess Royal Sailing Club special projects director Tim Hodgson said the club hoped for about 25 boats - a racing fleet of 12 with the remainder a cruising or rally fleet.

"The race will be promoted over east in the hope of attracting yachts to the Albany to Fremantle race, with a view to them then participate in the Fremantle to Bali race shortly afterwards," he said.

Royal Perth Yacht Club Boating Operations Manager Hayden Swanson said the race would be one of the marquee races for the club. "We already have early expressions of interest," he said.