The Palm Beach Motor Yachts Trans-Tasman 49er Exhibition Series concluded with an electrifying finish at Hamilton Island, where Australia and New Zealand competed in Olympic-class racing.
This inaugural event, known as the “Wetisloe Cup,” was a highlight of the 40th Hamilton Island Race Week, showcasing the excitement of high-performance skiff sailing in the scenic Whitsundays—an area being considered for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.
In thrilling races, Australia’s Laura Harding and Annie Wilmot emerged victorious in the women’s 49erFX, while New Zealand’s Seb Menzies and George Lee Rush clinched the top spot in the men’s 49er, narrowly defeating Australia’s Harry Price and Max Paul.
“It was fantastic to come up racing at Hamilton Island,” said Paul. “The hospitality was awesome, and Palm Beach Motor Yachts were great sponsors for the series. Race Week is probably one of the biggest sailing events in Australia, with a wide variety of classes, ages, and boats. So, it was great to be up here.”
Thirteen invited teams enjoyed ideal training conditions leading up to the event, participating in a week-long camp in the Whitsundays before engaging in three days of competitive racing at the iconic Hamilton Island Yacht Club. The lighter winds and strong tides created challenging yet spectator-friendly conditions.
“We’re super happy with how we sailed,” added Paul. “It was a great week leading into the last few weeks of training before Worlds, so we’re pretty happy with how it all went.”
The success of the series has already led Palm Beach Motor Yachts Founder and CEO Mark Richards to express interest in continuing the event next year. “Palm Beach Motor Yachts is really proud to sponsor and support Olympic-class sailing from Australia and New Zealand and we look forward to supporting this amazing event again next year,” he stated.
Results:
49er:
1st – Seb Menzies & George Lee Rush (NZL)
2nd – Harry Price & Max Paul (AUS)
3rd – Matthias Coutts & Oscar Gunn (NZL)
4th – Otto Henry & Shaun Connor (AUS)
5th – Isaac McHardie & William McKenzie (NZL)
6th – Francesco Kayrouz & Hamish McLaren (NZL)
7th – Jack Ferguson & Jack Hilderbrand (AUS)
8th – Kurt Hansen & Charlie Zeeman (AUS)
9th – Sam Bacon & Blake McGlashen (NZL)
FX:
1st – Laura Harding & Annie Wilmot (AUS)
2nd – Brooke Wilson & Evie Haseldine (AUS)
3rd – Mina Ferguson & Dervla Duggan (AUS)
4th – Nicole Hume & Rebecca Hume (NZL)
For more updates, follow the Australian Sailing Team on their website or check their social media: Instagram: @aussailingteam, Facebook: @aussailingteam, Twitter: @aussailingteam.
#AustralianSailing #HamiltonIsland #SailingNews #49er #49erFX #TransTasmanSeries
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