Hungary’s Maria Erdi has taken the lead in the qualifying series of the ILCA 6 Class in the 2026 Oceania and Australian Open and Youth Championships taking place in Hobart, Tasmania. The ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 fleets are participating in a qualifying series due to the large fleet size, while the ILCA 7 fleet is on a straight 12-race series.
Principal Race Officer Colin Dods reported promising sailing conditions with winds of 10 to 15 knots from the south-southwest. However, the day proved to be more challenging for race officials, particularly in the ILCA 6 Class, with four general recalls in Race Three and several disqualifications.
The competition is intense in the ILCA 6 Class, particularly with female sailors dominating the leaderboard. Erdi currently leads with three wins out of four races, holding five points—one point ahead of Belgian sailor Emma Plasschaert and six points ahead of Queensland’s Frances Beebe.
Sylvia Stannage secured a win in Race Three, putting her on 12 points, just ahead of Perth’s Zoe Thomson with 13 points. Notably, Casey Imeneo faced a tough day, dropping to 21st position after a UFD penalty.
In the ILCA 7 fleet, local favourite Matt Wearn maintains his lead with eight points, while Irish sailor Finn Lynch has moved into second place after scoring two race wins, putting him on 16 points, followed by Ethan McAullay on 20 points and Duko Bos from the Netherlands also on 20 points. Bos described the River Derwent conditions as trickier compared to the previous day, affecting the overall racing dynamic.
The regatta not only features top ILCA talent but also shows the depth of the ILCA Class in Australia, inspiring younger sailors, especially in the ILCA 4 Class, where excitement and enthusiasm were evident among the competitors. Thomas Cooper from Western Australia is leading the ILCA 4 fleet with seven points, ahead of Hugh Healy and Queensland’s Harry Hogan.
Dods forecasts similar weather for the upcoming racing day, with a possibility of westerly winds later in the week. Racing is set to commence at 1300 on the Alpha Course and 1330 on the Bravo Course.
Words and images: Jane Austin/RYCT Media
For full results, please visit: https://sailingresults.net/?ID=82266.
The event website is available at: https://ryct.org.au/2026-ilca-oceania-australian-championship/.
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The 2026 ILCA Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships are supported by the Tasmanian Government through Events Tasmania
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