Sat 16 Sept 2023

The Foundation race goes back to 1978; in those days the offshore season had 37 races in the season calendar!

The foundation race was a rather short race of 30NM. In 1981 the race moved to become the Opening Day race in the Ocean Racing Season, which by then had dropped to only 30 races!

Between 1997 and 1999 it was replaced as Opening Day Race, but was reinstated in that role in 2000 and is still the season Opening Race to this day.

In 2004 the race was sponsored by Isabel Law, the widow of the late George Law, owner of the well-known Peterson 45 ‘Battlestar’, and the race was named the Foundation Race – George Law Memorial as it is today.

George Law joined Fremantle Sailing Club in 1987 after building his yacht ‘Angel’ and was a very active member. After buying ‘Battlestar’ in 1992, George participated in many inshore and offshore races, winning the Fremantle to Geraldton Return Races, Bunbury, and Mandurah races, the inaugural Port Geographe race and the very competitive Fremantle Harbour Classic. George Law was always identified with his yacht, “Battlestar” which is a Peterson 45 launched 1977 for the Admiral’s Cup, when she was skippered by John Bertrand.

“Battlestar” completed five Sydney to Hobart Races and in 1999 took the first ever ‘all female crew’ to compete in the Fremantle to Geraldton and Return Races. Isabel Law and the crew of “Battlestar” have provided the last bell cast by Law Foundries as a perpetual trophy for The Foundation Race to commemorate George’s keen interest in sailing, his joy of life and his ability to encourage people to reach their own goal.