Three days of qualifying races are complete for the ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 fleets, with sailors assigned to either the Gold or Silver Fleets at the 2026 ILCA Oceania and Australian Open and Youth Championships in Hobart.
Belgium’s Emma Plasschaert finished at the top of the ILCA 6 qualifying series with a score of seven points after one discard, closely followed by Hungary’s Mari Erdi, who also scored seven points. Australia’s leading ILCA 6 sailor, Sylvie Stannage, showcased her consistency, while Jasper Stay emerged as the leading male sailor in the ILCA 6s after six races.
Australian athletes Zoe Thomson, Evie Saunders, and Mara Stransky all qualified for the Gold Fleet, demonstrating strong competitive spirit. Tom Fader and Harry Pilkington from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (RYCT) also made the Gold Fleet cut, finishing 22nd and 24th, respectively.
In the ILCA 7 fleet, dual Olympic gold medallist Matt Wearn had a mixed day, finishing 11th in Race Five but turning things around with a victory in Race Six after overcoming early leader Eddie Reid. Reid currently sits in sixth place with 29 points and is the leading Tasmanian in the ILCA 7 Fleet. Principal Race Officer Colin Dods praised Reid’s consistent improvement and performance under challenging sailing conditions.
Murray Duthie from the South of Perth Yacht Club took the lead in the ILCA 4 fleet, achieving two firsts in Races Five and Six, advancing him into the Gold Fleet.Duthie is joined by West Australian Thomas Cooper, who also secured a spot in the Gold Fleet, both sharing nine points. Leading male sailor Edward Steedman from RYCT and the best-performing female sailor, Tasmania’s Cordelia Davey, also advanced to the Gold Fleet.
The final three days of racing will commence at 1300 on the Alpha Course, concluding on Thursday, 8 December 2025.
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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