2025 Farr 1020 National Championship at Bucklands Beach Yacht Club

2025 Farr 1020 National Championship © Rod McKenzie

The 2025 Nationals were held over the weekend of 14-15 June 2025. The event was run BBYC once again and supported by Burnsco and Mt Gay rum, who donated prizes for the event. This support is appreciated.

With nine entries, the fleet was a little smaller than 2024, but the regatta was to prove challenging and competitive regardless.

The weather for the weekend was tough to predict and just two days out moderate winds were expected on Day 1 and lighter conditions on Day 2.

However, Day 1 arrived with light and variable conditions, proving challenging and setting up one of the most open Nationals for a number of years.

The first race summarised all the boats performance for Day 1...

• Defending champion, Hard Labour had a poor start and battled for the rest of the race.
• Shokran had a clear start at the pin end and kept out of trouble.
• Flashwave showed good speed and good tactics.
• Starmaker had good speed and some clever tactics.
• The V Team started well but didn't capitalise.
• Perpetual Motion showed much improvement on last year.
• Shortie showed glimpses of their potential.
• Diamonds was solid and pushed others when nearby.
• Farrari, who entered, unfortunately, could not make the race course for the weekend.
• On the course, Flashwave went on to win the first race, with Shokran 2nd and The V Team 3rd
• Hard Labour made some big gains down the last run and with 5 boats lengths to the finish, in the dying breeze, looked to have got Starmaker, until Starmaker did a slick gybe to starboard and forced Hard Labour into a hasty gybe to give way. Hard Labour lost momentum and Starmaker had enough momentum to drift themselves across the line for 4th.

Race 2 Had Shokran and Flashwave swap positions with Hard Labour finishing 3rd.

Again the light winds created tension in the fleet with gains and loses being made in time with the wisps of wind coming down the course.

Race 3 was another shifty race and again had Shokran showing the way with a second gun of the regatta.

Starmaker was 2nd, followed by Flashwave who managed to beat Hard Labour by a few seconds.

Perpetual motion has a great race to finish 5th beating the V Team and Diamonds.

2025 Farr 1020 National Championship - photo © Rod McKenzie

Race 4 saw a number of boats across the line at the start. Shokran and Hard Labour were the most impacted and although Shokran recovered to finish 3rd, Hard Labour struggled and recorded a 6th, an unlikely position given their standard and consistency over recent years.

Flashwave again were the standout and took the gun, The V Team sailed well to finish 2nd and Shortie pipped Starmaker into 4th place, just behind Shokran.

With the wind dying away, another race looked unlikely but with an uncertain forecast for the following day, the race committee got the start sequence under way anyway.

The strengthening current and the light winds set up a general recall and the U flag was raised.

In the second start, The V Team and Shokran were in the middle of the line, both a little early. The V Team held their ground but Shokran slightly misjudged and were over, with their result recorded as a UFD.

The V team went on to finish 4th, but it was Flashwave who made the most of the light breeze again to win by two and a half minutes from Hard Labour and with Starmaker 3rd.

Diamonds shone in this race finishing 5th with Perpetual Motion and Shortie 6th and 7th respectively.

Flashwave had the pick of the day and sailed well each race to lead after Day 1 with three guns. The quiet achievers Shokran weren't far behind in second.

Starmaker sailed well to lie in third with The V Team and Hard Labour equal fourth.

Shortie and Perpetual motion had each had good moments in the day and were within just a few points of each other heading into Day 2.

Diamond's day - and regatta - finished with a good result. They would not be sailing on Day 2.

Day 2 arrived with some unexpected conditions of 18 knots with gusts over 20. And three races scheduled.

Headsail choice proved divisive in the fleet, with Starmaker, The V Team and Hard Labour opting for No.1's with the rest of the fleet using #2s.

Shokran won the first race, to put themselves right in the frame for the regatta win alongside Flashwave, who finished fourth.

Hard Labour was second and Starmaker third. Both boats sailing well but realistically were beyond making inroads to the two leaders.

The V Team changed to the #2 after the first race of the day.

In the second race of the day, Hard labour showed how they can sail. This result was more remarkable given they were at least 30 secs late for the start after missing the preparatory signal.

"We saw the rest of the fleet lining up with under a minute to go while we were reaching around under main only. A panicked hoist and late start saw us on the back foot but a quick tack to the right along with speed and height saw us rapidly recovering to actually hit the front by the top mark. No mistakes this time and we finally got a gun"

They repeated the result for the last race and were on the startline this time!

Shokran backed up their win in the first race of the day with two second places to take the overall title and Flashwave sailed solidly with two third placings to go with their fantastic Day 1 and finished second overall, just 2pts behind Shokran.

Team Shokran receiving their trophies at the 2025 Farr 1020 National Championship - photo © Robert Groothuis

Starmaker and the V Team had two close races in the last two with the V Team just pipping Starmaker on the line in the last race. It wasn't enough though and Starmaker fished fourth overall after sailing consistently well all weekend.

The V Team was fifth. Tony Evans said that their regatta was one of missed opportunities. Having good starts in every race and regularly putting themselves in good positions, they seemed to make unforced errors that cost places.

Shortie had an exceptional last race to finish fourth and finished sixth overall.

Perpetual Motion finished seventh and Diamonds, who did not race on Sunday finished eighth overall.

Perpetual Motion won the handicap trophy which underlined the big gains they had made since the previous years regatta. A well deserved result.

After the regatta, Joe Brownlee, now with the trophy in his hand, reflected on the win, "After the first day we thought Andrew (Flashwave) was going to take it. Hard Labour got it right on Day 2 and we could've carried number one. I found that my #2 jib gave me that much more manoeuvrability which I think was a factor in speed in those conditions. I didn't feel we were down on power. I was concerned that a #1 would be overpowered in those conditions but I think Cam showed otherwise...

We also had an America's Cup legend on our boat on Sunday. It was a real honour and pleasure to sail with Chris Ward".

For Hard Labour, it was not the result they planned for. Before the first race they had crewman, Matt, fall down the front hatch hurting his back badly.

"He lay on the foredeck for 10 minutes lying on the foredeck not moving. I was thinking our day was done and we would be headed back to Westhaven to sort our broken crew... but Matt dug in and said he would carry on".

"Congratulations to Shokran for winning the regatta and Flashwave who after such an impressive Saturday must be wondering how it slipped away." Said Cameron of the two boats in front of Hard labour. "We will be back for another crack next year".

Further down the fleet, Anton Post from Perpetual Montion, having won the Handicap was enthusiastic about the event and how it brings his crew together each year.

"Thanks to the Association and BBYC for running another fantastic event over the weekend. I do encourage those who are intimidated by serious racing to jump in next year and "give it a go". The more boats we have in the race the more likely there will be somebody else competing at your level, and you can have your own fun "minirace" within the event, and all get better together."

Perpetual Motion's crew only races together on the same boat once a year, and yet we have all learned heaps in the past 2 events, and, even at the rear, we still get lots out of participating.

We plan to make this a tradition for our Waikato Yacht Squadron crew.

Handicap Winners “Perpetual Motion” at the 2025 Farr 1020 National Championship - photo © Robert Groothuis

The weekend concluded with the annual 1020 dinner right after the prize-giving. It was great to catch up with other owners. There was a great turnout including owners who had not raced. Good to see everyone there.

Next year we want to get more boats on the course. If you are keen let us know. We will find a way to get your boat here, or get you on a crew.

If you feel nervous about racing, let us know. We can coach and help you along the way. The class has very experienced sailors who are keen to get more people racing.

If you feel your boat is not up to it, let us know. Other owners have ideas and tips to get you on you way and help make the most of your boat.

Finally thanks to the Association committee members and the BBYC for running a great event.

Overall Results: