2026 Australian Contender Nationals at South Lake Macquarie Amateur Sailing Club - Day 3
by John Humphries 14 Jan 15:56 PST
12-15 January 2026
Contender Australian Nationals at Lake Macquarie © Adam Linton
It's the final day of the 2026 International Contender Australian Championship at SLMASC, and the tension on the water is at an all-time high! We have just two races left to decide the national rankings.
Leaderboard Heading into the Final 2 Races:
1. Mark Bulka (VIC) - 11 pts
2. Geoff Fisher (QLD) - 18 pts
3. Simon Barwood (WA) - 29 pts
4. Sam Ellis (NSW) - 31 pts
5. Andre Webster (ACT/NSW) - 32 pts
Full results can be found here.
While Mark Bulka and Geoff Fisher have established a solid cushion at the front, the battle for 3rd overall is absolutely wide open! Only 3 points separate 3rd from 5th place—it's going to be a tactical dogfight between Barwood, Ellis, and Webster in these final two heats.
Today's championship-defining races are brought to you by two powerhouses of the Contender class:
- RX Boatworks (Tony Arends): Our premier Australian builder. Tony's boats are the gold standard for quality and speed. We are incredibly lucky to have his support and craftsmanship right here in Australia.
- C-Tech: High-performance carbon fiber specialists from NZ. From masts to booms, C-Tech components are designed to handle the massive loads of a Contender while maintaining the perfect bend profile for maximum speed.
Tonight: The Grand Finale
Don't disappear after the salt is washed off!
- Presentation Ceremony: Commences at 6:45 PM.
- The Big Prize: We will be drawing the winner of the brand-new RX Boatworks rudder donated by Tony Arends! You've got to be in it to win it.
One last big thank you to the brands that make this class thrive: RX Boatworks, C-Tech, BoatBrackets.com, Irwin Sails, CST Composites, Henri-Lloyd Australia, Rooster Australia, North Sails, Boz Racing.
Good luck to the fleet - may the best sailor win!