The final day of racing at Sail Port Stephens featured favourable conditions for competitors, with a 15-knot north-easterly breeze allowing a clean start from the Nelson Bay breakwall. The race comprised an upwind leg to Boondelbah Island followed by a spinnaker leg south towards Box Beach.
In the Super RC Division, the competition heated up, with many vessels engaging in intense match races. While Wild Oats X took the lead, the closest battle emerged between Rob Aldis’s Daguet 2 and Phillip Neil’s Drumfire, culminating in a thrilling finish where Daguet 2 triumphed with a mere two-second margin.
As the race progressed, the breeze increased to over 25 knots, pushing Wild Oats X to surf at speeds reaching 27 knots during the final downwind leg. A second-place finish on PHS secured the overall Super Series title for Peter Lowndes and his crew aboard Wine-Dark Sea. Lowndes praised his team, highlighting their excellent collaboration and camaraderie throughout the event.
Meanwhile, Julian Bell’s 51st Project showcased remarkable consistency, participating in all 11 races during the three weeks of competition. Although Wine-Dark Sea bested Wild Oats X in PHS, Wild Oats X claimed the IRC title with three race wins.
Paul Booth and his crew on Chillout emerged as winners of the inaugural Cat Stephens Division. Booth celebrated their achievements, noting that consistency played a crucial role in their success and expressing enthusiasm for future multihull participation.
Additionally, the weekend provided ample action for spectators, who could observe the keelboat classes from the breakwall and head to the Bay Sailing Centre where 90 high-performance dinghies raced across four classes. Notable performances included Ben Austin’s Shoobydoowah, who dominated the RS Aero class with five victories, and James Bevis in the Finn class, securing the title with four wins and a second-place finish.
In the Mixed Division, Smooth Operator and The Dolphins are in the Jacuzzi achieved a first and second, respectively, while Peter Heywood’s ILCA6 Kick rounded out the podium.
As the 2026 regatta concluded, founding Regatta Director Paul O’Rourke promised an even bigger and better 20th-anniversary edition in 2027, further enticing sailors to partake in this premier event.
Results available at: https://www.sailportstephens.com.au/results/
Sail Port Stephens is supported by the NSW Government tourism agency Destination NSW, Port Stephens Council, Pantaenius Sail and Motor Yacht Insurance and subsidiary sponsors.
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