Celestial champions
Sam Haynes and Tom Woods have secured national titles at The Yacht Sales Co. Sail Paradise 2026, with Celestial and Saltwater Wine crowned Australian Yachting Champions on the Gold Coast.
Photography by Southport Yacht Club/Salty Dingo
09 October 2026
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The 2026 Australian Yachting Championships concluded after three days of racing off the Gold Coast, with Haynes steering Celestial to the Division 1 title and Woods securing Division 2 honours aboard Saltwater Wine.
Incorporated into Sail Paradise for 2026, the national championships attracted crews from Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia, with 16 yachts competing in the TREX Monohull Rating Division over the King’s Birthday long weekend.
Representing the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Haynes and his crew aboard the Cape 31 Celestial delivered a consistent performance across the three days to claim the Division 1 Australian title.
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Fellow New South Wales entry Saltwater Wine, a JPK 1080 representing Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, secured the Division 2 championship under skipper Tom Woods.
The Sail Paradise program combined tactical windward-leeward racing with passage courses along the Gold Coast coastline, testing crews across a range of conditions.
Opening day delivered 10 to 15-knot northerlies, with the Rating Division completing three windward-leeward races while the Performance Division and Sports Boats raced south towards Mermaid Beach.
Adding to the spectacle, the 144-foot sailing superyacht SY Encore joined the action offshore to watch racing against the Gold Coast skyline.
The regatta also highlighted emerging Australian sailing talent, with two all-youth Sports Boat crews competing against larger yachts. More than 10 sailors under the age of 21 took on skippering and crewing roles throughout the event.
Haynes was delighted with Celestial’s championship performance.
We’re really excited for the result. Today was a bit of a harder race, but we had a pretty good regatta overall and we’re really happy with our performance and the boat. It’s a great place to sail,” he said.
For Woods and the Saltwater Wine crew, the championship victory came after an unexpected stopover on their return from Magnetic Island.
The crew had sought shelter at Southport Yacht Club due to strong winds before deciding to enter Sail Paradise, ultimately securing the Division 2 national title.
The Yacht Sales Co. Sail Paradise 2026 concluded with presentations at Southport Yacht Club on 5 October, celebrating the championship winners and another successful edition of the Gold Coast regatta.
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