Sail Port Stephens Performance Series Overall
by Sail Port Stephens Media 27 Apr 19:33 NZST
25-27 April 2025
Sail Port Stephens Performance Series - Div 1 IRC winner Hooligan © Promocean Media
Sublime sailing weather on Day 2 of the Sail Port Stephens 2025 Performance Series was followed by a ridiculous amount of rain and wind today, with no further racing allowed. It meant that overnight results for the NSW Yachting Championship, TP52 Pallas Gold Cup Act 3, Super RC Series and Rob Hampshire Trophy (ORC) all stood.
Saturday's passage race took all the divisions offshore, with the TPs and RCs heading to a mark off Broughton Island and the Division 2 IRC fleets following a course from the Commodores Cup handbook.
Fanned by an easterly of up to 15 knots, they enjoyed tricky upwind conditions then solid surfing rides under spinnakers. Wild Oats X clocked speeds in the high teens as it took line honours for the Super RCs, while Matador/First Light and Highly Sprung/Frantic both had enthralling running duels to the finish.
Handicap results are what counts in this regatta, though, and Caol Ila, Triton and 51st Project filled the PHS podium for the big boats, while Triton, Bumblebee V and Antipodes saluted on IRC.
In the TP52s, also representing Division 1 of the NSW Yachting Championships it was Matador from Smuggler and Koa on IRC and a reverse order for TPR handicap. First in Division 2 on IRC and ORC was the Bull 9000 Bullwinkle.
In the final wash-up, with rain drumming on the roof of the Mavericks bar at d'Albora Marina Nelson Bay, Hooligan claimed the overall IRC gong - the third time that owner Marcus Blackmore has etched his name on the State title, dating back to 2011.
Blackmore couldn't sail this year due to some health issues but had a highly capable substitute in Katie Spithill.
"We've had a strong preparation for this regatta," Blackmore said. "A lot of training, a lot of incremental improvements to the boat, and it paid off on the first day when we won each race on IRC.
"Matador has always been hard to beat, particularly in light airs, so it was particularly pleasing to see the modifications we made also helped."
Koa won TPR honours in a countback with Smuggler, Matador finishing third.
Port Stephens yacht 51st Project took the inaugural Super RC silverware on PHS, edging out Triton by a point. Rarely is the Beneteau First 50 dwarfed in its division but it more than held its own in the passage format.
"Sail Port Stephens keeps delivering better and better racing here and I think the Super RC concept is fantastic," owner/skipper Julien Bell said. "It's a big surprise to come out on top but we just sailed our own race against the bigger yachts and made some good calls."
Bumblebee V, a MDB 62, edged out Triton, Wild Oats and Antipodes on IRC, with owner Paul Blakely blown away by the regatta and the location: "We've been so warmly welcomed, the organisation has been great, and the offshore racing around the islands is brilliant... we've loved it," he said.
"Our boat was built for the Sydney Hobart, and was actually a winner, so we're looking at the 80th anniversary race as our next big event. I'd really support this series next year and hope we see the same format with even more yachts - it suits 60-footers, there's plenty of water, lots of excitement, and geographically you can access Port Stephens easily."
Gordon Ketelby threw his IRC campaign together in two weeks as a training exercise and came away with a trophy - winning Division 2 of the NSW Yachting Championship by a mere 0.5pts over rival KD1 (Joe de Kock).
"I dusted off the old Farr 40, which had been very much neglected over the past seven years, and up she jumped," Ketelby said. "Joe is also an old sparring partner of ours and pretty hard to get past, but we'll take the half-point win."
Dates for the 2026 Sail Port Stephens Performance Series are April 24-26. This year's regatta continues next weekend with the Bay Series, comprising J/70 class racing, the ASBA NSW Title for sports boats, and off-the-beach racing with RS Aeros, Finns, OKs, Tasars, 505s, B14s and more.
Sail Port Stephens is supported by the NSW Government via its tourism agency Destination NSW, Port Stephens Council, Pantaenius Australia and subsidiary sponsors.
Event website: www.sailportstephens.com.au.