MEDIA RELEASE | 13 NOVEMBER 2026
Five skippers level as HARKEN Championship moves into second round robin
Five skippers finished Round Robin 1 level on seven wins from nine matches, a 78% winning score, as the 2026 HARKEN International Youth Match Racing Championship progressed into its second round robin on Pittwater on Friday 13 November.
Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron’s Ethan Fong and Robbie Wooldridge, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s Daniel Kemp and Louis Tilly, and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s James Hayhoe shared the same percentage at the completion of the opening round. With no separation in their win-loss records, the second round robin became the next opportunity to establish an advantage.
Scores are based on % wins as a proportion of matches sailed, rather than the number of wins alone. Day 2 was all about completing Round Robin 1 and moving into Round Robin 2.
Friday’s forecast predicted north-easterly winds of 15-20 knots, easing to about 10 knots in the evening and storms. Racing commenced on day 2 after a slight delay to the start as the race committee waited for the sea breeze to kick in. The breeze steadily built throughout the day, soon providing great conditions for the teams.
Hayhoe had entered Friday as the only unbeaten skipper after winning all six of his opening-day matches. His completed first-round record of seven wins and two losses brought him level with four rivals, setting up a closely matched contest between the Australian and New Zealand teams.
Kemp and Wooldridge each added three wins to their opening-day totals to finish Round Robin 1 on seven wins. Tilly added two, while Fong added one. For the host club, Kemp and Tilly’s first-round results kept two RPAYC teams firmly among the leading group.
Speaking before Friday’s racing and reflecting on his four-win, two-loss opening day, RNZYS skipper Robbie Wooldridge highlighted both the quality of the opposition and the opportunity to build on that start.
“We had some good races again with some pretty strong competition. We ended up with four wins and two losses yesterday,” Wooldridge said.
“It’s looking pretty light at the moment, but the wind should pick up quite nicely in the afternoon.”
With Robin Robin 1 finishing with 5 skipper’s all on top leading into Round Robin 2. When asked about the most exciting race of Round 1, Nick Elliott (RPAYC Race Director) said: F12 M1, Kemp Vs Fong.
Kemp forced a penalty and a red flag on Fong for not keeping clear; Fong had to drop the kite to clear a penalty immediately, which gave Kemp the space to get clear.
For RPAYC newcomers Sophie Hart and Ash Napper, the first round robin concluded with two wins from nine matches apiece, giving each a 22% score. Napper added a first-round win on Friday, while Hart’s two victories came on the opening day. Both crews have further opportunities to apply their experience in pre-start positioning, boat handling and communication as the second round progresses.
The event’s female helms, Hart and Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Heidi Ferguson, also finished the opening round level on 22%. Ferguson added one win to her Thursday total, with both skippers continuing their campaigns against the ten-team field.
Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Massimo Henderson completed Round Robin 1 with four wins from nine matches for 44%, while Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club’s Angus Cameron finished that stage on 0%.
Round Robin 1 – Final placings
Round Robin 2 – opening snapshot
Round Robin 2 commences in the late afternoon with Fong & Hayhoe leading the pack after Flight 17. Ferguson and Wooldridge are yet to race and will be the first two off Saturday morning.
RPAYC thanks naming rights sponsor Harken Australia, the race management team, umpires and volunteers for their support of the championship and the sailors competing on Pittwater.
Racing is scheduled to resume at 10:00 am AEDT on Saturday 14 November, with the championship continuing through to Sunday 15 November.
