James Hayhoe and Ben Crafoord won all five of their races on the opening day of the 2026 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship at Royal Geelong Yacht Club, remaining unbeaten ahead of their first meeting on Friday.
The skippers from the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia finished Thursday without a loss, as light and shifty conditions left one final flight of Round Robin 1 incomplete. Their match is one of three yet to be sailed in the opening round robin, setting the stage for a contest for the outright lead when racing resumes tomorrow.
Morning fog cleared quickly, but the light breeze challenged the seven teams as race officials completed six of the seven scheduled flights. The championship, presented by DYSC Marine Supplies, features teams from New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, and Western Australia racing the host club’s fleet of RS21s.
Hayhoe emphasised that maintaining boat speed was crucial in the light conditions. “In the really light stuff, we’re just focusing on sailing the boat as fast as we possibly can. It’s less so about sailing high, but really just getting the boat rumbling,” he said.
In his opening race against Mornington Yacht Club’s Digby Taylor, a close pre-start resulted in a penalty against his opponent, allowing Hayhoe to establish an early advantage. Both Hayhoe and Crafoord defeated the other five skippers, including Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s Louis Tilly, who ended the day with three wins and two losses, while Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club’s Angus Cameron finished with two wins and three losses.
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Massimo Henderson and Cruising Yacht Club of South Australia’s Fraser Baker achieved one win each from five races, while Digby Taylor completed all six matches in Round Robin 1, finishing with one win.
RGYC sailing manager Drew Malcolm noted that the opening day delivered light and variable conditions, with a significant change expected for Friday. “We got through six flights of our first round robin. Two teams are on five wins apiece,” he said, indicating that a strong northerly forecast for Friday could bring bumpier conditions and test the crews towards the upper end of the RS21 wind range.
Malcolm concluded, “It’s going to make it really interesting tomorrow; it’ll bring in a completely different skill set.” Racing continues for the rest of the week, culminating in the national title to be decided on Sunday.
The championship is supported by Garner Marine Services and Bull Sails, hosted by Royal Geelong Yacht Club in conjunction with Australian Sailing.
By Harry Fisher, Down Under Sail
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