The new season is nearly upon us, but before we start club activities for 2026 we would like to wrap up the various national regattas that our sailors competed in over the holiday break, including:

• International Cadet Nationals at Royal Geelong Yacht Club
• 29er Australian Championship at Sandy Bay Sailing Club
• Optimist Australian Championship at Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania
• 49erFX Nationals at South Lake Macquarie Yacht Club

If you are thinking about heading to a national championship in 2027, we will keep you informed throughout the year about locations and logistics.

In 2024/2025, the Tasmanian International Cadet Team went to the National Championships in Port Lincoln, SA. They returned with the National Title, five boats in the Top-10 and the Tillet Trophy as best state team. An impressive set of results that would be extremely difficult to match this year at Royal Geelong Yacht Club in Geelong, VIC. Of course, our team had many things going for it. They had worked and raced hard over the past several months. They were positive. They were united and up-for-it. But, for the most part, they were fairly inexperienced. Eight of our ten helms had never helmed a Nationals. Eight of ten crews had never even been to a Nationals. 

But, hey, who needs experience when you’re determined and buoyed by that famous Tasmanian Team culture of support from parents, carers and fellow sailors? Who needs experience when you have campaigners like Alex Ashbolt and Team Captain Olive Hooper or a coach like Rohan Langford? Not Tasmania.

All expected Executioner (Oliver Hooper & Haran Thani) and Incognito (Alex Ashbolt & Harriet Hogan) to be in the mix for the title. But they were head-and-shoulders above the rest of the field. Nobody was even close. Seemingly in their own two-way battle for the title amongst a fleet of 41 boats, they were never far from each other on the results sheet. Back and forth, the lead bounced between them over the course of five exciting days and 12 tense races. 

In the end, Executioner emerged victorious while Incognito sailed in with their head held high in second. As for the whole team? Astounding.

• The Tillet Trophy as Best State Team

• Six boats in the Top-10 (all of whom have been offered a place in the Australian National Team for the World Championships in Lake Garda, Italy)

• Nine of 12 races won

• 64% of all podium spots

• Nine of 11 Special Trophies Awarded (see below)

Sirocco - Chloe Colquhoun & Gracie Scarr - 32nd Overall

Both still in their first year of sailing Cadets, Chloe & Gracie bravely stepped into the unknown at this Nationals. The first couple of days were a difficult adjustment to big fleet racing, but the rest day saw them regroup. Determined from that point on, they found more bravery, more speed and more skill. Results kept improving and Scirocco finished on a high with a stellar 2nd Overall on Handicap.

Shmoken - Sam Archer & Isaac Bare (VIC) - 31st Overall

What do you do when you’ve only been helming for three months, are sailing with a crew you’ve never met, break both a centerboard and a boom during a regatta? You get on with it. And that’s exactly what Sam did with her Victorian crew Isaac. That grit bodes well for the future.

Little Devil - George Shugg & Will James - 16th Overall

Defending National Champion as a Crew, and helming his first Nationals, George and his Crew Will, delivered some exceptional performances. An excellent 3rd place showed just how fast they are, while three more Top-10s proved their rapidly improving racecraft. More to come from Little Devil this season, for sure.

Stoked - Lachie Prior & Archie Hunter - 13th Overall

Another 4-month helm, Lachie and his crew Archie have been a regular sight at the pointy end in Pennant racing this past term. So it was no surprise to see them mixing with the fast boats each day. Among many smart efforts, their 3rd place in race 11 was an absolute cracker. 

Never Mind - Archie McQuillen & Hugo Liebeknecht - 10th Overall

Archie, yet another new helm, and Hugo were the boat that just put their head down and cranked out consistent results race after race - seven Top-10s are testament to that. A thrilling final race that had four boats in with a chance for 10th Overall saw Never Mind battle gamely to take the spot by a single point.

Pour Quoi - Flynn Clougher & James Sheehan - 9th Overall

Known primarily for their blistering speed in light winds, you might be forgiven if you thought Pour Quoi would be downcast about the strong regatta winds. Hardly. This boat was constantly in the mix among the front runners, picking up four Top-5s (including a brilliant 2nd place) along the way. Nothing to fear from heavy winds for these boys now.

It’s Pink - Hunter Hogan & Lachlan Young (SA) - 8th Overall

Seven Top-10s. A 3rd place. Leading a race around the top mark. Rapidly righting a capsize in difficult conditions. Not the kinds of things you’d expect from a boat at their first Nationals. But It’s Pink relished the heavy conditions of this regatta, with aggressive sailing, smart tactics and a real sense of delight at what they were doing.

Sea-Ya - Islay Smith & Jack Evans - 6th Overall + 1 Race Win + Best First Year Helm

Having never finished on the podium in a Pennant or Regatta in Hobart, Sea-Ya headed to Nationals with the goal of finishing in the Top-20. A 6th in the first race caught attention, while capsizing in the second race and going from dead last to 17th showed the speed was there. Four Top-5s, including a resounding race win, demonstrated to everyone that this boat was now at a different, and well deserved, level.

Incognito - Alex Ashbolt & Harriet Hogan - 2nd Overall + 5 Race Wins + First Male Helm + First Female Crew

We all knew Incognito was fast - but this fast? Eight Top-3s, including those five race wins where they were often well and truly clear of the rest of the field, tell part of the story.  But it was their ability to come back, whether from the rear of the field after an unlucky wind shift or from the disappointment of a penalty, that truly showed how much talent, focus and determination are in this boat. The only other team in the last race with a shot at the title, Incognito was hugely impressive.

Executioner - Oliver Hooper (Team Captain) & Haran Thani - 1st Overall + 3 Race Wins + First Female Helm + First U16Helm + First Male Crew + First Co-Ed Team

Sometimes they made it look easy, other times it looked hard fighting from well down the field back to the front. But however they did it they racked up podium after podium. Sharp strategies combined with lightning-fast kite work meant they were always thrilling to watch. The pressure of leadership can be difficult to bear, and race 11 saw it nearly slip away. Fear not. Executioner knew what it had to do to take the title. The final race saw Olive and Haz give the fleet (and everyone watching) a masterclass in racing tactics.

An exceptional regatta, indeed. But no fluke. There is a reason why Fleet V, together with Sandy Bay Sailing Club, has the best International Cadet Programme in Australia and one of the best in the world. It’s down to these sailors, to their passion and joy for the class, and to all of the parents, carers and volunteers who provide the platform upon which these kids can achieve their dreams. Just wait till these kids have some experience, eh? The 26/27 Cadet National Championships are at Sandy Bay Sailing Club.

Full Results HERE.

Hosted on home waters at our very own Sandy Bay Sailing Club, this year’s 29er Nationals delivered five unforgettable days of fast, furious racing. Fourteen races were sailed in a full spectrum of conditions — punchy sea breezes kicked things off early in the week before lighter, trickier winds on the final day turned the leaderboard on its head. With the podium decided by less than a single point on the last day, the championship went right down to the wire.

For Tasmania, this regatta marked a huge step forward for the rebuild of the 29er class. With only a couple of our sailors having previously competed at a 29er Nationals, the Tassie fleet arrived relatively inexperienced — but left battle-hardened. Across the week, every team showed clear improvement, growing in confidence, consistency, and speed with each race.

Adding even more intensity to the competition, the event doubled as a qualifier for the 2026 29er World Championships in Kiel, Germany, with invitations on the line for the top nine boats.

Our SBSC teams more than held their own against a stacked national fleet:

The Bus – Ed Broadby & Gus Wilkie – 5th Overall
Seasoned campaigners Ed and Gus showed their class all week, delivering consistently strong results capped off with a standout win in Race 9.  This was their last regatta in a 29er and we thank them for mentorship of our newer sailors.  We will still see them around the club, though.

Boatiful Idiots – Atlas Miller & Rory Spinaze-Littlejohn – 11th Overall
Although this was their first Nationals, Atlas and Rory — who have sailed together for just over a year — put together a solid series with plenty of positives to take away.

Flying Circus – James Ashwood & Conrad Lumsden – 12th Overall
With James newly settled in Hobart and Conrad visiting from Hong Kong, this team didn’t have the same home-water advantage as others — but still performed strongly. We’re excited to see what James can do in Hobart as the season unfolds.

The Smiling Assassins – Isaac Archer & Henry McQuillen – 14th Overall
Fresh out of International Cadets, this new pairing made an immediate impression with a brilliant third place in Race 2. A steep learning curve, well embraced.

On the Sizzle – Arthur & Wellington Adams – 16th Overall
Flying straight in from Sabot Nationals, Arthur had a busy week — but the Adams boys still delivered flashes of brilliance and steady improvement throughout the regatta.

A2Z – Jamie Fleming & Jeremy Munnings – 19th Overall
The biggest improvers of the event. Race by race, Jamie and Jeremy gained confidence and momentum — and there’s clearly no ceiling on how far this duo can go.

Barefoot Bandits – Daisy Locke & Cooper Pennell – 20th Overall
Sailing the SBSC club 29er, Daisy took a chance partnering with interstate sailor Cooper — and it paid off. Usually a crew, Daisy stepped into the helm seat seamlessly, with the pair improving steadily across the series. Expect to see much more of Daisy in the 29er this year.

Dumb and Dumber – Linnea & Annelin Townend – 21st Overall
Sadly, an injury to Annelin cut the sisters’ regatta short. While they were racing, they showed promising improvement, and we look forward to seeing them back on the water later in the season.

Thank you

A huge thank you goes out to all our incredible volunteers who made the event possible — especially regatta managers Kellie and Jason Wilkie for their tireless work behind the scenes. Massive appreciation also to National Race Officer Emma Hooper, who stepped in at the last minute due to an illness and ran an outstanding regatta under challenging circumstances.

Finally, a big thank you to our guest speaker Dervla Duggan, former SBSC 29er sailor and current Australian Sailing Team athlete training in the 49erFX — an inspiring reminder of where this pathway can lead.

What a week. What a fleet. And what a future for 29er sailing at Sandy Bay. 🌊⛵

Full Results HERE.

The 2026 Optimist Nationals delivered everything sailors could ask for – and then some! From glassy, no-wind days that tested patience and race smarts, to full-power 25-knot blasts that demanded courage and boat-handling, the regatta challenged sailors in every possible way. For our Sandy Bay Sailing Club sailors, it was an outstanding week of learning, growth and celebration.

One of the most exciting aspects of this Nationals was seeing several SBSC sailors jump into Optimists even though Optis are not usually their first-choice boat. Taking advantage of a local Nationals, these sailors embraced the opportunity for “big fleet” racing – and what an experience it was. With the Optimist class being one of the most competitive in Australia, every race was a chance to learn, improve and rise to the challenge.

Green Fleet – First Nationals, Big Smiles

We are incredibly proud of our Green Fleet sailors who competed at their very first Nationals. Luke, Lottie, Charlie, Jude and Hilton showed fantastic commitment, resilience and enthusiasm throughout the week. Racing on the national stage for the first time is no small feat, and they all represented SBSC brilliantly. This group gained invaluable experience and confidence, and we can’t wait to see them stepping up onto the “big course” as the season continues.

Intermediate Fleet – Tassie Strength on Show

The Intermediate Fleet had good representation from SBSC sailors and they certainly made their presence felt. Will L, Will J, Will C and Hugo all showed clear improvement over the regatta, tackling the tough conditions and a highly competitive 42-boat fleet. A special shout-out to Will J, who managed an incredible two race wins – an outstanding achievement and a testament to his hard work and determination. Fantastic sailing from the whole group!

Open Fleet – Big Fleet Racing at Its Best

With a massive 90 boats in the fleet, the Open Fleet offered a rare and valuable taste of true big-fleet racing for Hobart sailors. After two intense days of qualifying, the fleet split into Gold and Silver. A huge congratulations to Lincoln and Thomas for making Gold Fleet – an amazing result and a brilliant effort against Australia’s best. In Silver Fleet, SBSC sailors also shone, with Lachie claiming a race win in Race 9, and Samantha delivering consistently strong performances.  Unfortunately, Archie bowed out after the first day of racing.  Outstanding sailing all round.

Overall, the 2026 Optimist Nationals was a fantastic showcase of SBSC talent, teamwork and spirit. Every sailor came away with new skills, new confidence and great memories. We are so proud of everyone who took part and can’t wait to see how this experience fuels their sailing journeys in the seasons ahead. Go SBSC! ⛵

Full results available HERE.

Charlie Birch delivered a strong performance at the 49FX Nationals in NSW, racing with confidence and consistency as part of Macca’s Run. With regular crew, his brother Casper, unwell, Charlie sailed with a fill-in crew, adapting quickly and maintaining solid speed and sharp decision-making across challenging conditions. The team steadily built momentum through the regatta, making it a positive nationals campaign that highlighted the Macca's Run team's growing presence in the National 49FX fleet .

Full Results HERE.