Weather bamboozles some on day 1 at the Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta
by Di Pearson / MHYC media 7 Mar 00:21 PST
7-8 March 2026
Ambition and Mittere crossing tacks - 2026 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta © Brett Costello
The 2026 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Harbour Regatta got away in a fluky light nor 'easterly breeze as the event celebrates turning 21 and while there were some of the usual suspects at the top of the scoreboards at the Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC) hosted event, it was not always the case, as conditions played havoc and bamboozled some.
Fareast 28R Australian Championship
The bridesmaid more often than her owners would like; Conrad Johnston has sailed Wildling 3 into the lead of the Fareast 28R Australian Championship after three windward/leeward races on the Harbour. A pair of wins accompanied by a second place puts Wildling 3 three points ahead of Paul Bradley's Cool Runnings and Roger Gunn's The Menace, which are on equal points.
Johnston and co-owner Steve Byrne would dearly love to walk away the winner tomorrow. Byrne said this afternoon, "It was a good day. A little light, but the breeze was a little better than we expected, just a little fluky. They had to adjust the top mark after the first race, but after that, it was consistent and we had a lovely day out."
Byrne conceded, "It will be a different day tomorrow, with a stronger breeze from the south. We will have to wait and see...
"It was great to see The Menace crew come up from Melbourne," Byrne said. "I would love to win every race, but it's great to see Cool Runnings win one (Race 3) after all the work they've done."
Sydney 38 One-Design NSW Championship
No surprise to see reigning champion Conspiracy (David Hudson/Peter Byford) leading the Sydney-Design NSW Championship. Team Conspiracy finished the day with two wins and a second for a five-point advantage over Peter Sorensen's Advanced Philosophy, after the latter won the opening race. The Lisa Callaghan skippered Mondo is third, seven points off the lead.
The class did three windward/leeward offshore races, though the starts and finishes were in the Harbour. The first race was long and likely painful for some in the conditions. Tomorrow they will repeat the performance, except on the Harbour, which may may mix things up.
Open Class
In Division 1, a trio of windward/leewards were just what the doctor ordered for Tasmanian Botin Carkeek GP42, Ambition, owned by Chris Dare. The former Victorian scored 3-1-1 results to take the lead from Ross Hennessy's Ker 40 Mk3, Condor and Peter White's JV Pac 52, First Light, winner of the opening race.
"Very tricky, up and down with big shifts, wasn't an easy day," said Dare, who is originally from Victoria but moved to Tasmania. We started off Sow and Pigs and the racing was close from the start. If you don't get off the start well and sail down the track well, you're in trouble."
Sailing with Dare are his son, Lockie, Dare's partner Claire Cunningham, Clare Costanzo and Charlie Goodfellow among others - all are experienced offshore and inshore sailors. "It's a bit different to my full offshore crew, this one is more of an inshore crew. is one more inshore, Dare said.
"We didn't have a great start in the first race, which is reflected in our third place, but we were good after that. Condor is pretty tidy on the water and the 52 (First Light) is sailing well too." The trio is separated by three points, so it's bound to come down to the wire tomorrow.
Division 2 went the way of Matt Wilkinson's Farr 30, Foreign Affair, after scoring third and two bullets. Bob Cox's DK46, Nine Dragons (won the opening race) and David Hamilton's Far 40 Seeking Alpha, are three and four points behind Foreign Affair respectively.
"I thought we started the regatta well, but you don't know till you get back to the Club," said Wilkinson who has produced the goods at this regatta in the past.
"Masterful crew work," he said of his crew that includes wife Lisa on mainsheet and their son, Will Wilkinson, on tactics,
We're the smallest boat, so you spend so much time trying to get clear air. The first race we had a terrible wineglass in the kite. It went up with shocking tangle. We could've have won if not for that."
Sailing in mostly 7-8 knots, Wilkinson said, "the most we saw was 11 knots, but we love that sort of stuff. Tomorrow could be a whole different ball game," he said, referring to the forecast big southerly with rain attached.
Super 40s
Three windward/leeward races on the Harbour for the Super 40s, whose division is folded into Division 1 of the Open fleet. Ambition did the job again, with 1-3-1 results to lead Edward Cox's Ker 40, Minerva, by three points and Ross Hennessy's Condor by five points. Condor, mainly seen in the winner's spot on the podium, will have a target on her back - she could well turn the scores in her favour in tomorrow's expected southerly.
Super 30s
Three windward/leeward races on the Harbour for the Super 30s and Peter Girdis came out on top with his Mini AMC, Blue Peter. The 3-4-3 scoreline has Girdis ahead of the Guy Irwin skippered Farr 30, Clewless and Peter Woodhead's Melges 32, XC3SS.
"We manage to cobble it together every now and again," Girdis said with a laugh. "Conditions were variable and shifty. It was hard for us and the committee, who did a good job. Eventually it all came together. It was great to have lots of racing and good racing - but the breeze was barely enough to keep the spinnaker full."
While Girdis enjoys having a tussle with Clewless, "We're just getting to know the rest of our competition. It's close though - and we love it," he said.
Girdis is not taking his result for granted: "Tomorrow's another day with different conditions. We've identified areas where we can improve, but I guess everyone else has too," he ended.
VX-One One Design
The VX-One's undertook three windward/leeward races on the Harbour. Top of the leaderboard on Day 1 is Jervis Tilly's VeXatious. Tilly has been in the winner's circle in this class before and he will be hard to beat after firing off three bullets today. In second is Gary Cassidy's Let's Dance, which is just one point ahead of Dave Hyde's Rapture.
Historic 18s
The 'Histericals' as they are colloquially known, sailed their usual course with a pursuit start shortly after 2.15pm near Kuraba Point on the Harbour. The eight boats started in an 8-10 knot easterly - not the preferred strength for these heavy old boats to get them romping, but it was a beautiful sunny day, so who can complain?
Certainly not Jerry Tickner, skipper of The Mistake, which finished in the top spot today. The Mistake beat Yendys (Michael van Stom) by 10 seconds shy of four minutes. Abadare (Michael Chapman) was third.
"It was fantastic! Everything went well. We didn't make any stuff ups," a thrilled Tickner said. "We kissed the lighthouse twice. It was just a good day out. The forecast did what it said it would - the breeze died in the end with a puff in the middle. We 're all happy on board. It was great seeing all the moderns (18s racing in the JJ Giltinan) - a mix and match of 18s."
For full results, photos and and more, please visit: www.shr.mhyc.com.au.