The third and final Super Series of Sail Port Stephens 2026 will take place from May 1-3, featuring a diverse array of fleets including multihulls in the inaugural Cat Stephens regatta, a Super Racer Cruiser division, and various off-the-beach dinghy classes.
Participants will start and finish their daily passage races off the breakwall at Nelson Bay. Among the front-runners will be the Reichel Pugh 66 Wild Oats X campaigned by Phil Harmer, joined by notable competitors such as David Gotze’s 60-footer Triton and Walter Carpenter’s Marten 67 Caol Ila. The fleet will also include smaller boats like the Lyons 49 Wine-Dark Sea and the Beneteau First 50 51st Project, which will be competing for the third consecutive year.
First-time entrants in the catamaran category include four Seawinds: Chillout, Reflection, Sea Glass, and Sea Twist, alongside a Lightwave 38, Lagoon 450F, and Atlantic 48. Additionally, five Corsair tris will join the race, possibly challenging Wild Oats X for lead positions, while the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club’s Bay Series will see a strong turnout of 63 boats from classes like RS Aeros, Oks, Finns, 5o5s, Lasers, and B14s.
The recent Sail Port Stephens Performance Series, held over the Anzac weekend, was noted for its competitive nature, aided by easterly breezes of 5-15 knots. The NSW IRC Championships, incorporating the TP52 Gold Cup and Cape 31 Nationals, featured a tightly contested podium, especially in Division 1.
In Performance Series Division 1, David Doherty’s Matador demonstrated remarkable consistency to win, demonstrating skillful manoeuvring amidst variable winds. His crew faced challenges but managed to maintain an impressive performance throughout the series.
Division 2 saw Gavin Brady steering Karl Kwok’s Botin 40 Beau Ideal, lauded the challenging competition at Sail Port Stephens, noting the increase in boat numbers and the excitement of racing in the harbour, which allows for more dynamic lead changes.
In Division 3, Sam Haynes led the way aboard Celestial C31 with an exceptional record of five first-place finishes out of six races, showcasing the strengths of the Cape 31 class in harnessing speed and agility.
Event website: https://www.sailportstephens.com.au/performance-racing/
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https://www.sailportstephens.com.au
Sail Port Stephens is supported by the NSW Government tourism agency Destination NSW and Port Stephens Council.
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