ILCA Australian Championships

The NOR for the for 2027 Performance Sailcraft ILCA Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships has been published.

Notice of Race

Entries open 1 September 2026 via the link in the NOR.

Hear Zoe Thomson’s thoughts on the upcoming ILCA summer of 26-27.

Why not prepare at the 2026 Performance Sailcraft ILCA Victorian State Championships 21-22 Nov 2026, also at SYC.

Regatta details here.

See the video here.

Home page here.

180 sailors from all mainland states and territories and some sailors from overseas enjoyed Australian Masters Championships at the fabulous regatta venue at Soldiers Point, Port Stephens. With beautiful clear water, good breezes, a traffic-free bay and lots of user-friendly rigging areas adjacent to accommodation what was not to like about the event.

The event was run for us by Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club who manage the Bay Sailing Centre and run major sailing events on Port Stephens. NCYC did a terrific job with 20 volunteers from Newcastle and tireless Sailing Manager Jack Buchan and Australian Sailing’s RO of the year Ken Semple calling the shots. Thanks to the NCYC and Bay Sailing Centre staff and volunteers for their efforts in delivering a great event.

On Sunday night 200 sailors and supporters enjoyed the event dinner at the Soldiers Point Bowling Club across the road from the Bay Sailing Centre. There Martin White hosted an Q & A session with Brett Beyer, Rob Lowndes, Lyndall Patterson and Christine Bridge who were Australian winners of World Masters categories at the 2025 World Masters in Italy. Australia won the ILCA trophy for most successful nation at the 2025 World Masters. The trophy is now on proud display at Middle Harbour Amateur Sailing Club.

The racing was held with three fleets ILCA 7, ILCA 6 Masters & GM, ILCA 6 Apprentices, GGMs and Legends each around 60 boats.

The first 2 days had solid afternoon sea breezes of 15 knots plus. Day 3 was lighter and saw delays due to shifting breeze and many general recalls. On Day 4 the fleets were APed ashore and just one light wind race was completed so seven of the eight scheduled races for the series with one drop.

There were 25 ILCA cubes awarded at this event and the first three placegetters in each category are listed below.

The full results are Here.

Final results for the regatta are Here.

We will have a great event with now 175 entries which you can see Here. The Sailing Instructions are Here.

Registration will be open downstairs in the club from 1400-1700 on Thursday and 0900 to 1200 Friday.

On Sunday 6.30 for 7.00 pm we have the three course sit down event dinner at the Bowling Club across the street. At the dinner we will have a special recognition of our four 2025 World Masters Champions with a Q & A lead by Martin White so do come along and catch up.

It will be very busy on Seaview Crescent in front of the club so if you are launching from this area, it is best to drop off your boat and park your trailer up near Soldiers Point Road next to the Cheeky Dog.

We have council permission to use both Kangaroo Point Reserve (north of the club) and George Reserve (south) for rigging.

You can sign on/off and get information in the following ways.

Via the Australian Laser App. This free app is available on iOS and Android from the links Here.  Select “2026 Australian Masters” from the National & District Events Box.

Alternatively you can sign on/off at the link Here and look out for updates on the Event Page at https://ilca.au/event-page/

We have a PC at the Race Office for use if needed.

There are 170 entries so far for the 2026 Australian Masters Championships 6-9 February 2026 at Bay Sailing Centre Soldiers Point, Port Stephens NSW. Entries are still open Here.

This is our favourite Masters venue. It offers great open sailing conditions, easy access on and off the water and ample accommodation in the Port Stephens area.

There are three current World Masters Champions competing so expect some high level competition. The Entry List is Here.

This is the Australian ranking event for the 2026 ILCA World Masters 30 May – 16 June Athens, Greece.

The Notice of Race is Here.

The Sailing Instructions are Here.

Event web site with links to documents, results is Here.

Brett Beyer and Christine Bridge GM winners in Masters action

The 2026 Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships were very successfully run at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania with racing 3-8 January.

There were over 190 boats competing in the three classes with sailors from all Australian states and from 11 other countries. This was the largest ILCA/Laser Championship ever run in Tasmania and the largest Nationals of any class in Australia this season.

The ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 classes were sailed in two fleets using qualifying and finals series format. The largest class with 77 boats was the fast growing ILCA 4 which sailed on its own course area. Again this year there were more girls than boys in the ILCA 4. The two ILCA 6 and one ILCA 7 fleets sailed in the second course area.

The sailing conditions for the event varied from light and variable to moderate sea breeze with some full on breeze races thrown in for good measure. PRO Colin Dods and the two CROs managed to complete all 12 races two per day as scheduled though one day was a super long one allowed by the sunset in Hobart being at 2100. There is a perspective on the event by ILCA 6 sailors  Charlie Byford Here which details more on the variable conditions of the event.

As always the racing was close and competitive especially in the ILCA 4 class where the quality and skill exhibited by the young sailors was exceptional. In the LCA 4s Thomas Cooper WA RFBYC/FSC and Callum Simmons Vic SSCBC/IHYC went head to head. By winning the last race Thomas took first place on a countback. Thomas was also first U18. Callum was also runner up in this event in 2025 in Queensland. Third was RQYS sailor Harry “Houdini” Hogan. First female also from RQYS was Ruby Carter. First U16 was Seth Till FSC/SoPYC WA.

In the ILCA 6 the women filled nine of the top ten places with the two Olympians Emma Plasschaert from Belgium and Hungarian Maria Erdi going head to head finishing in that order. Third placed and first Australian was Paris Olympian sailor Zoe Thomson RFBYC from WA. 5th placed Jasper Stay also from RFBYC was the first male and the first U19. First U17 was Jackson Black from RQYS.

Recently returned to competitive ILCA sailing Matt Wearn RPYC showed he has lost none of his form. He was dominant in the ILCA 7s winning six races and winning without needing to sail in the final race. Fellow WA sailors Zac Littlewood RFBYC and Ethan McAullay RPYC filled the other podium places with Zac winning three races. First U19 was Australia’s World Sailing World Youth Championship sailor Healy Ryan DBSC NSW. First U21 was New Zealander Zach Stibbe OYC.

The full results for the event are Here.

It must be something in the water in WA as five of the top ten ILCA 7 places were filled by WA sailors and they comfortably won the Battens Trophy for the best performing state over all classes at the Nationals.

A very large team of volunteers worked under the able direction of ILCA Tasmania President Ed Fader to make this event run smoothly. Congratulations to ILCA Tasmania and RYCT for running this event for us and thanks to or sponsors for making it all possible.

The 2027 event will be held at Sandringham YC Vic 1-8 January 2027 which will be followed at the same club by the ILCA U21 World Championship 10-17 January.

Solidarity Sailors With Support Team and Major Sponsor PSA’s Chair Nick Ogden

The 2026 ILCA Oceania Solidarity Program was very successfully run at the Oceania & Australian Championships at RYCT in Hobart 1-8 January.

The program conceived and managed by ILCA Australia Vice President John D’Helin is supported by local ILCA builder PSA an ILCA Oceania grant and Australian Sailing. It aims to encourage female sailors aged 13 to 16 to participate in a top-tier sailing championship, igniting their passion for the sport. Participants receive free entry to the championship, access to a charter boat, and on-water coaching.

The eight selected sailors from each state and New Zealand comprise Harper Spacey (NSW), Keira Dimock and Ellie Tapper (NZ), Matilda Tarring (QLD), Zahli Smith (SA), Cordelia Davey (TAS), Kate Edwards (VIC), and Seraphina Townson (WA). They were supported by AS coach Indy Cooper.

Tas ILCA have posted the 2026 ILCA Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championship Notice of Race along with Online Entry on the Event Page below:

2026 ILCA Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championship – Event Page

The Event Page also has charter boat contacts, transport and accommodation information, coach, and support boat registration.

In particular sailors and teams who wish to use Spirit of Tasmania should consider booking early for greater choice of sailings.

This event will be the ranking event for entry to all 2026 ILCA World Open and Youth Championships except for the 2026 Under 21 Worlds Lanzarote, Spain (17-24 Jan 2025). Full details of ILCA Australia ranking for ILCA World Championships is on AusILCA web site Here.

Along with the nationals, RYCT have their pre-Christmas Showdown regatta that sailors may be interested in. The NoR for this event is Here.

Tas ILCA and RYCT are looking forward to welcoming all down to Hobart for these Championships.