2026 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship - Day 3
by Harry Fisher, Down Under Sail 24 Oct 02:22 PDT
22-25 October 2026
2026 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship - Day 3 © Jordan Roberts / Down Under Sail
Western Australian Angus Cameron won five of his six races today to secure a semi-final place at the 2026 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship, hosted by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
The Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club skipper beat top performers Ben Crafoord and James Hayhoe as he moved clear in fourth, lifting his overall tally from four wins to nine.
Cameron's results settled the top four ahead of Sunday's knockout racing, with Crafoord securing the top qualifying spot on 16 wins from 18 matches. Louis Tilly and Hayhoe also qualified for the semi-finals.
The championship is presented by DYSC Marine Supplies and hosted by Royal Geelong Yacht Club in conjunction with Australian Sailing.
Cameron began Saturday level with Mornington Yacht Club's Digby Taylor, who finished the day on six wins. However victories over Massimo Henderson, Taylor and Fraser Baker completed Cameron's five-win haul, with Tilly the only skipper to beat him in the third round robin.
His result against Crafoord ended the CYCA skipper's run of nine consecutive wins, which stretched back to Friday's second round robin.
Cameron's crew member Eleanor Green said the regatta had given the newer team a chance to test itself against the other crews.
"We've had a lot of different conditions, which has been really interesting as a newer team," Green said.
Fellow crew member Ethany Bates said the move from fleet racing to match racing had brought different routines and expectations.
"It's definitely a whole other ball game in terms of the routines, the expectations, the plays, but I think it's a lot more fun," Bates said.
"You're never really out of something and you're always kind of looking for your way back into a race."
Crafoord recovered to win his remaining three races against Henderson, Tilly and Hayhoe, and credited his crew for the team's consistency.
"They've been doing such a good job and making my life super easy," Crafoord said.
He said the team had felt comfortable across the range of conditions during the regatta, with small adjustments making a difference in the lively RS21 keelboats.
"The boats are so light that small differences like that are going to make a difference," he said.
At the conclusion of the day, some races still remained on the schedule, however Tilly and Hayhoe chose not to sail their third-round-robin match, as it would not affect their progression to the finals.
Tilly had a solid day, beating Baker, Cameron and Taylor before losing to Crafoord.
He said Crafoord had been setting a high standard throughout the entire event.
"Ben's really been a step up today," Tilly said.
"We'll be fighting hard tomorrow."
Tilly also credited his crew as the teams became more familiar with the RS21s.
"Without good crew work, you really can't really get anywhere in match racing," he said.
The other round-robin results stand, with racing moving straight into the finals on Sunday.
The four semi-final places are settled, with three teams missing out - Taylor finishing on six wins, and Henderson and Baker on three.
Sunday's program will include the semi-finals, final and petit final, along with racing to decide fifth to seventh.
The 2026 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship is presented by DYSC Marine Supplies, with support from Garner Marine Services and Bull Sails, and hosted by Royal Geelong Yacht Club in conjunction with Australian Sailing.