Canoe Connection
Volume 9.
Aloha! The Hamilton Island events team is working really hard behind the scenes to ensure an easy process for you to enter your teams for this upcoming event.
It appears there was an issue with the original link for the Hamilton Island Cup 2026 Expression of Interest (EOI) registration. We have now resolved this, and the correct link to submit your EOI for the 42km changeover race is now ready to go.
https://aocra.com.au/Hamiltonislandcup2026/
Further Details:
EOI Fee: $300 per team (not per paddler).
Applicability: The EOI pertains to the 42km changeover marathon, where all categories (men, women, and mixed) start together. We need to plan for canoes and escort boats early for this event.
Other Events: The 16km and 4km dash events will be conducted separately for men’s, women’s, and mixed categories, thus not requiring the same canoe and escort boat arrangements.
Fee Application: The $300 EOI fee will be credited towards your total registration fee once full registrations open. This is also a refundable fee if you end up not having a team for the race.
Multiple Teams: If you nominate multiple crews (e.g., 1, 2, or 3 teams), the $300 fee covers all. Adjustments can be made during full registration, and fees will be adjusted accordingly.
To register your team (s) for the Hamilton Island Cup EOI click here: https://aocra.com.au/Hamiltonislandcup2026/
Paddler Interview - Colin Bartley
When you mention The Hamilton Cup, it's impossible not to think of Colin Barley. As the fearless race director during the event's golden era, Colin was instrumental in shaping the Hamilton Cup into Australia’s premier outrigger canoe race. Under his leadership, the event saw up to 120 canoes lining up for the iconic 42 km changeover race, attracting teams from across Australia and around the globe. With a prize pool of around $100,000, it became the richest outrigger canoe race in the world
The Hamilton Island Cup, as it's officially known, began in 1984 and has evolved into a four-day, multi-discipline regatta set against the stunning backdrop of the Whitsunday Islands. It features a range of races, including OC6 sprints and marathons, OC1 and OC2 events making it a highlight on the international paddling calendar.
Having Colin Barley return as one of the race directors for the event's revival feels like a full-circle moment. His deep connection to the race and its community ensures that the spirit and legacy of the Hamilton Cup continue to thrive.
Q. How and when did you get started with your outrigger journey?
A. I arrived on Hamilton Island in 1987 from Western Australia to crew on a yacht. Back then, the only organised staff sports on the island were drinking, partying, and outrigger canoe paddling – I embraced all three. Racing back then was mostly against staff teams from the other resort islands in the Whitsundays. We’d load the barge with canoes, staff, and beer, then cruise over to another island. The barge would pull up, drop the ramp at the front, and we’d all pour off onto the beach, ready to race. After the races, we’d pile everything and everyone back on board and party the whole way home – sometimes with a band playing live on the barge! Those were golden days.
Q. Tell us a bit about your journey from learning to paddle to running one of the biggest outrigger races in the world… the Hamilton Cup.
A. When I started paddling, I was lucky enough to be taken under the wing of Tony and Glenda Henebery. They had created the Hamilton Island outrigger family, and I was welcomed right into it. Tony was the club president and men’s coach, while Glenda was the ladies' coach and the club mum to everyone.
I was a skinny little runt back then, so I started up front in seat No.1. As the club grew and we formed more teams, Tony eventually handed me a steering blade and said, “Try to catch me.” That’s how I learned to steer – by shadowing him around the islands, watching where he went and what he did, then trying to out-think him. It was the best way to learn.
I grew up on the island alongside the event and took on many roles over the years. So when the resort asked me to take the steering blade for the Hamilton Cup itself, it was a real honour.
Q. How many years did you head the Hamilton Cup? What does the race mean to you… and the return of the event?
A. My wife Julie and I ran the event for seven years, from 2000 to 2006. Jules handled all the heavy lifting – registrations, finance, and admin – while I took care of the colouring in: designing logos, programs, maps, organising the events and race directing. Everyone in the Hamo Club was involved in some way. It was something the whole island – staff and locals alike – were proud of. There was no event like it in Australia, or the world, really. It was ours. The people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made through this sport and this event will stay with me forever. Seeing the Hamilton Cup return and giving a whole new generation of paddlers the chance to experience this iconic event and everything it has to offer is just fantastic. They don’t know what they’re in for, I can’t wait – this is going to be epic… I shit you not!
Out Paddle, Out Party, Outrigger!
Cheers Barts
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