Seventieth Finn Gold Cup at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron - Practice Race
by Robert Deaves 14 Feb 11:40 UTC
12-19 February 2026
Seventieth Finn Gold Cup in Brisbane - Practice Race - Laurent Hay, FRA © Robert Deaves /
www.robertdeaves.uk
Finntastic sailing conditions ahead of Finn Gold Cup in Brisbane - The Greatest Show on Surf
Winter arrived early in Brisbane for the practice race ahead of the 2026 Finn Gold Cup with Porsche Centre Brisbane, hosted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Strong winds combined with a sharp sea, intermittent rain and unusually low temperatures severely reduced the fleet on Saturday. There was little love for these conditions though those who ventured out came back with tall stories and several muddied top masts.
With winds from 23-28 knots, the decision was taken to run the race inside Waterloo Bay rather than out in Moreton Bay as planned for the rest of the week. However, only a handful of boats ventured out from the relative safety of the harbour to be met by steep seas and unforgiving gusts. Eight boats started the race with Norway's Anders Pedersen building a sizable lead at the first mark from world No.1 Laurent Hay from France. Over half the fleet capsized on the first downwind before heading back to the ramp.
Some forecasts show more wind for Sunday when the first two races of what is the 70th Finn Gold Cup are scheduled to start at 13.00. Around 70 entries from 14 countries are taking part. The 10-race series concludes on Thursday 19 February.
Gallery of the day
Full results can be found here.
Beware of Scams!
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