2026 Tri Search 12ft Skiff Interdominion Championship - Overall
by Di Pearson, 12ft Skiff Media 10 Jan 00:57 PST
3-10 January 2026
With Nick Press and Andrew Hay (Sail Inc., NSW) claiming the triSearch 12ft Skiff Interdominion Championship on Sydney Harbour yesterday, with a day to spare, it was all to play for today, to decide the remaining podium placings.
A very hot day in Sydney with temperature reaching 40 degrees. The best place to be was on the water, but it was hard going for the crews ashore either side of the race.
With the breeze starting in the north-west before going to the west, dropping down and oscillating, the race committee shortened course. The three lap windward/leeward became a one lapper that decided the final result - not the ideal way to finish an event.
Going into the final race, Kiwis Alex Vallings/Fraser Brown, sailing C-Tech, led Geotherm (Brett Hobson/Peter Nicholson, NSW) by three points. Second today as apposed to Geotherm's sixth, meant second overall for the Kiwi pair and third for Geotherm.
Vallings also finished runner-up last year and has nine Interdominion wins to his name, including the first two as crew for Tim Bartlett. He said, "Hobo (Hobson) was leading the last race by a country mile but we brought breeze down with us and we were second and Hobo ended up sixth. We're very happy with our second place - we put together a good campaign."
Brown explained the race, "It turned into a classic westerly, so there was nothing at all on the left hand side of the course. The guys on starboard tack got a good lift upwind. Everybody was trying to get to the right. There was a big squirt of wind - and then nothing.
"Sail Inc. (which finished today's race fourth), us and As Good as It Gets (NZL) were together and then they shortened the course. What was left of the wind was all over the place and it took us four gybes to get to the finish line.
"It was close racing. You can never give up. You can't stop," Brown ended.
With Hobson's usual crew, Pete Nicholson still ill, Robbie Polec filled the void again to help Hobson to third place. As Hobson explained, "You get so used to sailing with someone, so it's not easy for someone else to step in as Robbie did, but we did our best.
"I hated every minute of today, the whole race, one lap," stated Hobson and he wasn't alone.
"We had a good lead, but C-Tech brought breeze down with them and we ended up sixth. "I am happy with third (overall) though, considering the loss of Pete for the last two days and today's messy race. We just hung on to it. The boat was quick," Hobson ended.
Sydney Sailmakers (Josh Tasker/Brendan Jenkins, NSW) finished fourth, just a point adrift of Geotherm. They started their regatta well, had a slump in the middle, but came back fighting to finish so well. They are a team to watch in the future.
Terms & Conditions (Brad Phillips/Oscar Williams, NSW) won the final race and finished fifth overall, two points behind Sydney Sailmakers.
Second and third places overall was by no means a lay down misère - it all came down to five boats and the final race - short and tricky as it was.
The overall handicap win for the Jack Winning Trophy went to Stay Connected Electrical (Jakub Ronowicz/Ben Faulkner, NSW).
Andrew Hay, aka Noddy, crew for Nick Press on Sail Inc., won the Veteran trophy (55 years and over).
First Kiwi overall went to C-Tech, Alex Vallings/Fraser Brown from Royal Akarana Yacht Club.
Best placed first-time skipper went to Huon Saul, skipper of Hit & Run (NSW). Another name and team to watch.
Australia won the Teams event for the John Brooke Team Trophy. Made up of teams of eight (the total number of Kiwis sailing at the event) Australia's team was made up of the top seven from the recent NSW Championship plus Giddy Up (Paul O'Malley Jones/Paul Richter) from Queensland.
The last words on the Interdominion go to a couple of competitors with their thoughts on the 63rd Interdominion as a whole.
John Williams, skipper of Slippery When Wet: "It's been a fantastic event. It's been great to catch up with Queensland and Kiwi crews I haven't seen for a while - and we've had great conditions."
Matt Hix, crew on Kiwi entry The Darkside: "It's been really good. This is my second time here (in Sydney for the Interdominion). I loved the easterly breeze and the hospitality. The sea breezes have been really nice and we got to use every rig (there are four) which was good!"
The 63rd Interdominion was hosted by the Australian 18 Footers League at Double Bay. First held on Sydney Harbour in 1957, the Interdominion is an annual competition between Australia and New Zealand for the Silasec Trophy.
The 12ft Skiff Association thanks all competitors for taking part, particularly those who travelled from New Zealand and Queensland and we look forward to seeing you all at the next one.
Thanks also to the Australian 18 Footers League and Double Bay Sailing Club with special thanks to all volunteers on the water and ashore. This event could not be held without you.
Thanks to our naming rights sponsor, triSearch and to support sponsors Your Move Conveyancing and
Pete's Home Loans.
For full results and all information on the 12ft Skiff class and its events, please visit: www.skiff.org.au.