Anzac Day provided a moving backdrop to the second outing of the 2026 Sail Port Stephens Performance Series, where remembrance gave way to some of the most memorable racing of the regatta so far.
The start was postponed off Nelson Bay, allowing crews to savour the spectacle of an RAAF jet flyover while Ted Anderson read the Ode over the VHF, followed by a minute’s silence observed across the course.
Principal race officer Dennis Thompson then made the prudent call to take the armada offshore in the hope of finding wind.
His prayers were duly answered by, of all things, a summer-style seabreeze that elbowed the westerly out of the way and reached 10 knots.
From there, the passage race came alive.
Division one and two fleets headed off on course 11, taking them seawards towards the spectacular Broughton Island, while the division three boats settled in for a shorter, more tactical course 12, comprising a close reach across a stretch known as Providence Bay before rounding a mark off Bennetts Beach.
The TP52 Gold Cup Act 3 and division one of the NSW IRC Yachting Championship again showcased world-class racing, with First Light (Peter White) finally breaking Matador’s run of line honours victories in dramatic fashion.
White’s crew powered clear offshore, but they were almost mowed down by a fast-finishing Matador on a gybing duel inside the port, the final gap being just 24 seconds.
David Doherty’s Matador then underlined why it remains the benchmark of the fleet by turning that into a corrected-time win of about two minutes.
The result keeps Matador firmly in control of overall standings, though Smuggler continues to apply pressure in second, while First Light’s breakthrough keeps the leaderboard honest heading into the final stages.
With eight TP52s contesting the series, and two races to be played out, the battle for podium places remains very much alive.
On TPR, it’s Matador (5pts) leading Smuggler (10pts) with Highly Sprung and First Light tied on 18.
If there was a statement performance of the day, it came from Western Australia’s Don’t Panic.
The Bethwaite 89er, owned by David Davenport, relished the freshening seabreeze and downwind conditions, using its speed under spinnaker to defeat regatta leader Beau Ideal by more than 10 minutes on corrected time.
Hong Kong entry Beau Ideal still holds the overall lead, but Ambition remains within striking distance after another composed performance, while Edge is still close enough to capitalise on any mistake.
Third on handicap in race four was Ambition, Chris Dare’s Botin Carkeek GP42 which is sailing a consistent series.
Overall, Stratacare Racing Flyaway (Jim O’Hare) holds third.
The Super 40 title is within Beau Ideal’s reach, although it’s exceptionally close at the top.
The Hong Kong-registered Botin sits on seven, while Ambition is 8.5 and Edge 12.5 with potentially two races still to play out.
In division three, Celestial C31 once again looked untouchable.
Sam Haynes’ Cape crusader claimed both line and handicap honours, extending its grip on the standings.
Road Runner fought hard to finish second after correction, while fellow Cape 31 Trex stayed in touch with third and remains one of the few boats capable of challenging if conditions swing its way.
The chasing pack is tightly-compressed after the four races, with Trex (16), Road Runner (16.5) and Brent Lawson’s Farr 40 Bluetack (17) all vying for the lower podium positions.
The Cape 31 Nationals leaderboard sees Celestial holding off Trex by five points and Game On by seven, so theoretically Haynes and his crew can still be pipped.
ORC honours for the Rob Hampshire Cup have Beau Ideal and Celestial C31 both leading by nine from Ambition/Edge and Road Runner respectively.
Equal third in division three ORC are Bluetack and Trex on 14.
Attention now turns to the final day, where light and uncertain conditions are forecast.
If the morning westerly plays tricks again, race management and tacticians alike could face their toughest challenge yet.
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