SB20 Australian Championship 2025 at Bellerive Yacht Club - Overall
by Jane Austin 26 Feb 02:24 PST
21-23 February 2025
Porco Rosso, skippered by Paul McCartney with crew Will Sargent and Eddie Reid, won the 2025 SB20 Australian title on Sunday with the national championship sailed as part of this year's Banjo's Shoreline Crown Series Bellerive Regatta.
The win capped off a successful year for the Tasmanian sailors with the team fresh from a second place in the SB20 World Championship sailed in Singapore last month.
In a start-studded fleet, McCartney was ecstatic with his win which was hard fought in wild conditions on the final day of racing which saw one dismasting, multiple broaches and rigging damage to some boats.
"We are thrilled to win in a very competitive fleet - it was touch and go until the last race.
"It is great to see the fleet expanding again and wonderful to welcome interstate teams to Hobart.
"We had a wide variety of conditions as is typical of the [River] Derwent at this time of the year.
"I am so grateful to my team of Will and Eddie, they are skilled and experienced sailors, it's a joy to have the boat going so well with their preparation and teamwork.
"I would like to thank all of the competition especially Nick Rogers and Rob Davis, the SB20 Australian Association for hosting the regatta, BYC Commodore Hughie Lewis, Race Officer Ian Ross and all of the volunteers across the three-day event," said McCartney.
Nick Rogers (Karabos) finished in second on 16 points, three points behind the winners, while Rob Davis (Nutcracker) took third place on 24 points.
Nine races were sailed in the championship with the River Derwent serving up a veritable smorgasbord of conditions, from light north easterly breezes of eight to ten knots, to strong breezes over 20+ knots gusting into the 30s presenting choppy seas and survival conditions for the eager fleet.
Porco Rosso (eight points) went into Race Seven and the final day of racing one point clear of reigning champion Karabos, with Nutcracker lurking on 12 points, with the scene set for a showdown.
Karabos turned the tables winning Race Seven, with Nutcracker in second and Porco Rosso in third propelling Karabos into the lead.
Karabos, traditionally a good performer in heavy airs, looked to be consolidating their lead as they approached the finish line in Race Eight but a rare broach at the turning mark from the leader saw Porco Rosso slip through to even up the scores.
Rogers knew that from there, winning was going to be tough.
"We blew our regatta when we bottled it in Race Eight.
"We were heading down to the finishing line for a final gybe and were hit by a hard puff - we couldn't get the boom across, and it eventually slammed into the water and laid us flat.
"The kite was flogging and tangled into what seemed like thousands of knots which we spent the break between races undoing, but we didn't get it quite right.
"When it got to Race Nine, we knew we wouldn't be able to set [the kite] properly in 35 knots with the sheets tucked inside other ropes, so we knew we would need to run deep and square.
"At the end of the day, the best team won - Porco Rosso battled their way through the regatta - we had our opportunities, but we blew it, and they kept on going - they deserved to win the championship," said Rogers.
Porco Rosso went on to win Races Eight and Nine, with the final race shortened as the tough conditions took their toll on the fleet.
Fahan School Alumni (Sarah Reynolds), Cook Your Own Dinner (Felicity Allison) and Red and Black (Mark Wolfenden) did not start the last race due to gear damage.
Rebellion (Stephen Catchpool) finished the regatta in fourth place, their best performance in an Australian Championship.
Luck ran out for Nutcracker as they approached the finishing line with the boat nose-diving and losing their mast, recording a DNF and enduring a long and choppy tow back to shore.
The 2025 SB20 Australian Championship was a test of sailing abilities in all conditions.
Bid Ted, skippered by Emma Maertens from the Sandringham Yacht Club, won the Women's and Youth Divisions and also claimed victory on PHS handicap, while Karabos won the Master's Division.
The SB20 Australian Class is experiencing a resurgence as momentum builds in preparation for a bid for another world championship for Australia.
Full results here.