A standout weekend for RPAYC’s Centreboard community
RPAYC’s Centreboard community had plenty to celebrate over the weekend, with sailors competing across multiple events, encouraging progress from our developing fleets and a national title coming home to the Club.
Leading the celebrations was RPAYC’s victory at the Australian Youth National Match Racing Championships in Geelong. The win marks the Club’s second consecutive title, following Daniel Kemp’s success in 2025—an outstanding achievement that highlights the strength of our Youth Development programme and the depth of talent progressing through the Club.
Our Optimist sailors also enjoyed valuable racing at the ACT Championships. Developing Open sailors continued their progress towards the front of the fleet, while our Intermediate sailors gained confidence and experience racing among the leading group.
Well done to everyone who represented RPAYC across the weekend! A special shout-out to:
Youth Match Racing team: National champions, securing back-to-back titles for RPAYC.
Optimist ACT Championships sailors: Encouraging development across the Open and Intermediate fleets.
Finn State Championships sailors: Congratulations to all our competing sailors and to Anthony Nossiter and Ian McKillop on 1st & 2nd places.
ILCA Coast Championships sailors: Well done to our ILCA contingent.
RPAYC Sailors Take On the Coast Championships at Speers Point
Four Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club sailors flew the flag across the ILCA 4, 6, and 7 fleets at the NSW & ACT Coast Championships, hosted by Speers Point Amateur Sailing Club on Lake Macquarie over the weekend of 24–25 October.
NE on Saturday with NNW on Sunday (the hair dryer as they call it locally), fortunate to avoid any significant storms. Challenging conditions, up range, and gusty, with the occasional choc top sail.
In the 14-boat ILCA 4 fleet, Reuben Steele earned a solid ninth overall. Reuben showed great form with a weekend-best fifth place in race two, though a frustrating OCS in the final race proved a costly hurdle.
Sylvie Stannage showed the fleet how to sail in the ILCA 6, dominating every race, with Jenny Danks first GM. Danks led the RPAYC charge in the ILCA 6 fleet, sailing a impressively consistent series to take sixth overall in a competitive 25-boat division. Joining her in the ILCA 6 was Justin Steele, who marked his return to the class with a strong 12th-place finish. Justin steadily found his rhythm as the regatta went on, saving his best performance—a crisp fifth place—for the final race.
Over in the ILCA 7 fleet, Xander Bijkerk (2nd) kept Campbell Patton (1st) honest in the ILCA 7, with Nic Skulander in 4th. Phil Malcolm placed 17th overall while triumphantly wrapping up first place in the Great Grand Master category. Mind you, as the sole entry in the category, victory was effectively guaranteed the moment he launched! Having locked down his trophy on opening day, Phil wisely decided that discretion was the better part of valour on Sunday. Confronted by a gruelling forecast, and after a capsize on the way to the start which resulted in two lost water bottles and a drink of Lake Macquarie water he opted to leave the wild gusts to the others and retired undefeated to the clubhouse.
Speers Point was a perfect venue, welcoming competitors with grassy rigging areas and great hospitality. The weather kept everyone on their toes: Saturday delivered quite demanding 12 – 15 knot north-easterly, while Sunday was a more challenging day with a shifting 15+ knot north-to-north-westerly blowing heavy shifty puffs and deceptive lulls with some gusts over 20 knots.
Congratulations to Jenny, Reuben, Justin, and Phil for a wonderful weekend representing RPAYC on the Lake.
Phil Malcolm & Jenny Danks
Opti ACT Championships
Canberra turned on a full range of conditions for the 2026 ACT Championships, with 3 races run on Saturday in 5-8 knots of breeze, and 4 races run in 15-25 knots on Sunday (with gusts over 30), it was certainly a great test for the fleet.
Within the Open fleet Oliver, Bono, Courtney and Jasmine all had some fantastic results. A very consistent Sunday for Oliver saw him finish the regatta in 9th and take out first placed 11 year old. Bono was 16th, Courtney 21st and Jasmine 22nd.
Within Inters it was girl power from team RPA, with Sylvie, Liv and Sienna all posting top 3 placings during the weekend. After some tight Sunday races in top end conditions Sylvie came away as first overall and first female, with Liv 4th and Sienna 9th.
Full results can be found here.
Coach, Lachie Wallace provided great on water support, and the lots of tired sailors and parents braved the storms for the drive back to Sydney on Sunday evening.
Next Opti regatta is the Travellers Trophy event at WSC on 8 Nov (details here)
(Images thanks to Mainsheet)
Club Racing
On top of this, there was a day of normal Sunday Centreboard sailing at the club, proving that we can chew gum and walk at the same time. There was a good turnout from the Cats and from the WASZPs who lapped up the conditions especially when the change hit. All backed up an amazing group of volunteers to put the racing on including past Rear Commodore Mark Darling as Chief Race Officer.
2026 Finn NSW Champion Anthony Nossitier, back to back wins.
