Positive results

The Australian Sailing Team pair finished fourth overall, equalling their best international result, while teammates Archie Gargett and Sarah Hoffman secured eighth.

A lack of wind prevented the scheduled final-day racing, denying the leading Australian crews another opportunity to challenge for the podium.

“Fourth place is an equal-best result for us,” Liddell said.

We’re pretty happy with it. At the start of the week, it was pretty windy and we had good speed. Previously, we’d struggled in the light airs, but it felt like this regatta things were starting to come together.

“We just had a few bad races which dropped us back from the podium, but we were still in the hunt. Shame we didn’t get to race today, but that happens.”

Ruben and Rita Booth added another strong Australian result in the mixed multihull, finishing 14th, while Jake Liddell and Niamh Meehan placed 19th.

Personal best in the 49erFX

Brooke Wilson and Paris 2024 Olympian Evie Haseldine achieved their best result since forming their 49erFX partnership, finishing 20th overall and qualifying for the Gold Fleet.

The result marked another step forward for the developing combination, which came together following the Paris Olympic Games.

“It’s our best result so far as a team, so it feels nice to have our work from the last year and a half come together,” Haseldine said.

“We teamed up just after the Paris Olympic Games. We’ve been working pretty hard and not really seeing the results, so it was nice to make Gold Fleet at this event and come away with a good result.”

Australian Sailing Futures athletes Darcy Robbins and Eva Atwood finished 51st.

Price and Paul lead 49er crews

Harry Price and Max Paul remained Australia’s leading 49er combination, placing 18th in the highly competitive 97-boat fleet.

It was the first regatta of the season in which the Australian Sailing Team pair had finished outside the top 10, but the championship provided valuable experience across both heavy-air and extremely light conditions.

NSW Institute of Sport athletes Spencer and Benedict McKay produced several standout races to finish 32nd overall as part of the State Sailing Performance Program.

Australian Sailing Squad sailors Jack Ferguson and Jack Hildebrand followed in 36th, while Daniel Links and Keizo Tomishima finished 44th.

Kurt Hansen and Charlie Zeeman placed 46th, with Luke Rogers and Kristian Bilston completing the Australian 49er results in 65th.

Australia’s national squad athletes will next turn their attention to the future Los Angeles 2028 Olympic sailing waters, where another important international regatta will provide further experience at the Olympic venue.

Australian results

Nacra 17 – 42 entries

4th – Brin Liddell / Rhiannan Brown, Australian Sailing Team
8th – Archie Gargett / Sarah Hoffman, Australian Sailing Team
14th – Ruben Booth / Rita Booth, Australian Sailing Squad
19th – Jake Liddell / Niamh Meehan, Australian Sailing Squad

49er – 97 entries

18th – Harry Price / Max Paul, Australian Sailing Team
32nd – Spencer McKay / Benedict McKay, State Sailing Performance Program
36th – Jack Ferguson / Jack Hildebrand, Australian Sailing Squad
44th – Daniel Links / Keizo Tomishima, Australian Sailing Futures
46th – Kurt Hansen / Charlie Zeeman, Australian Sailing Futures
65th – Luke Rogers / Kristian Bilston, State Sailing Performance Program

49erFX – 55 entries

20th – Brooke Wilson, Australian Sailing Futures / Evie Haseldine, Australian Sailing Squad
51st – Darcy Robbins / Eva Atwood, Australian Sailing Futures

australiansailingteam.com.au