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HEAVEN CAN WAIT
Charity Sailing Regatta


LAKE MACQUARIE 
5th - 8th Feb, 2026

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Yachts Sailing

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Raised for a cancer
free future 

Royal Motor Yacht Club Toronto - home of the Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta

Proudly supporting Cancer Council 

The Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta is in it’s 20th year and, since inception, has raised almost $700,000 for the Home Help Program of the Hunter Branch of Cancer Council, funding domestic assistance for many people throughout the greater Newcastle and Hunter Regions.

2026 will be the 20th year of the Regatta and our fundraising target for 2026 is $100,000.

The Heaven Can Wait 24 hour race was conceived and inaugurated by Lake Macquarie resident, keen sailor and cancer survivor Shaun Lewicki. The regatta is a major annual sailing event on the lake that promotes the sport of sailing, the Lake Macquarie/Newcastle/Hunter region and raises funds for the local branch of Cancer Council NSW, providing funds to help those living with cancer.

Heaven Can Wait is held annually in February on Lake Macquarie, NSW. It attracts around 60-70 boats each year, most from the region but some also coming from Sydney, Gosford, Port Stephens. There have even been a few make the trip up from Melbourne.

The regatta includes four races run in parallel. There is the Short One Lap Dash around the northern end of the lake, the One Lap Dash around the whole lake, along with the tougher but more exciting 12-Hour Race and 24-Hour Race.

People can support the event by donating to a fundraiser, attending the Charity Dinner on the Friday night, buying raffle tickets or purchasing HCW merchandise

sailboats participating in Heaven Can Wait Regatta 2026

How It Works

Step 1

Take the fundraising challenge - build your yachts own fundraising page

Step 2

Invite the support of your teams’ network of family, friends and work associates as part of this great fund raising event.

Then...

Raise funds for Cancer Council to provide domestic support to cancer patients who are going through or have endured cancer treatment and are now in urgent need of support around their home.

Fundraisers at Lake Macquarie supporting cancer research

Why do people get involved and support the Heaven Can Wait Regatta?

The answer is very simple – they get involved because this event raises money for the Home Help program run by the Cancer Council in the Hunter Region.  The focus of the Home Help program is to improve and support the lives of those in our local community when they need help the most. Luckily, not everyone in our community will ever need this help but if they do, it’s the high quality, professional assistance that this organisation provides that can and does save lives, or significantly improve the lives of those impacted. 

The Home Help program assists over 200 people in our community each year thanks to Heaven Can Wait.

So what are you waiting for...

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