Report compiled by RPAYC Commodore, Robert McClelland
Overview
The 20th Sydney Harbour Regatta (1–2 March 2025) saw a wide range of racing across 13 classes and multiple divisions, in conditions that started light and built to a solid sea breeze on Day 2 . The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) was well represented, with club members competing in everything from one-design sportsboats to grand-prix IRC fleets. RPAYC entries delivered several standout performances – including a divisional victory and multiple podium finishes – amid fierce competition at this Middle Harbour Yacht Club-hosted event .
Open Class Division 1 (IRC/ORCi)
In the premier IRC/ORCi handicap division, RPAYC’s Seeking Alpha (David Hamilton) secured a strong 3rd place overall . This Farr 40 campaigned by Hamilton held its own against top-tier rivals, finishing behind only Ross Hennessy’s Ker 40 Condor (the defending champion) and Bob Cox’s DK46 Nine Dragons . The Open Division 1 fleet was stacked with past regatta winners, making Hamilton’s podium finish a notable achievement amid what RPAYC’s Ian Box described as “a high quality fleet” and a “tough regatta and tough competition” . Two other RPAYC yachts competed in this division: Daguet 2 (Peter Byford) and XS Moment (Ray Hudson). They battled through the series to finish 10th and 11th respectively in the 13-boat fleet, gaining valuable experience against some of Sydney’s best offshore racers.
Open Class Division 2 (IRC) / “Super 30”
RPAYC members dominated the smaller IRC division (nicknamed the “Super 30” class), led by John Bacon’s Crazy Diamond. Bacon’s Melges 32 was in a league of its own – winning Division 2 by 11 points . Crazy Diamond “cleaned up” the division, outpacing all challengers . The two closest rivals, Andrew York’s Like Oxygen and Matt Wilkinson’s Foreign Affair, actually ended tied on points far behind Bacon . RPAYC boats were prominent here: Peter Farrugia’s Bullwinkle started strong (sitting 2nd after Day 1) and pushed Crazy Diamond hard – at one point missing a win by just 13 seconds in a photo-finish – eventually ending 4th overall. Fellow RPAYC entrant Mark Hellyer’s Cicero also featured in this hotly contested division, coming in 8th. Bacon’s convincing victory, combined with multiple club mates in the top ranks, underscored RPAYC’s depth in the sportboat and 30-foot keelboat arena.
VX-One One Design Class
The VX-One sportsboat class was essentially an RPAYC intra-club showdown, with all entrants hailing from the Alfreds. After six windward-leeward races, Warwick Rooklyn’s Bolt emerged as class champion. Rooklyn, a veteran sailor, led Bolt to a consistent scoreline that put him ahead of his clubmates in a tight battle – on the first day he posted 2-1-1 to lead by three points . By regatta’s end Bolt kept its edge to take 1st place overall. The fight for the remaining podium spots was intense: Jervis Tilly’s AUS353 and Chris Dawson/Steve Bryant’s V.Wagon traded blows with Bolt throughout. V.Wagon – the reigning national champion – and Tilly’s AUS353 each took wins, but ultimately AUS353 finished 2nd and V.Wagon 3rd, separated by only two points. The all-RPAYC top three showcased the club’s dominance in the VX-One class. Rounding out the fleet, Scott Wallace’s The Slug and Grant Crowle’s VeXatious placed 4th and 5th, making the VX-One division a clean sweep for RPAYC entries.
Far East 28R One Design Championship
In the Far East 28R one-design keelboat championship fleet, RPAYC’s Peter Higgins sailing Sparrow put in a valiant effort. The regatta was largely dominated by Scott Lawson’s Firecracker, which scored five wins in six races to claim the title . Higgins and the Sparrow crew were competitive throughout, at times mixing it up with the leaders. Going into the final races, Sparrow was contending for a podium position, but an unfortunate turn of events derailed their charge – the team broke their rudder on one of the last downwind legs . This gear failure forced Sparrow to retire from a race, ultimately leaving them just off the podium in 4th place overall. Despite the setback, Higgins’ Sparrow showed flashes of great speed (even legendary ocean racer Ludde Ingvall was aboard as crew), demonstrating that the RPAYC entry was “so good” before misfortune struck . Their performance earned respect in a fleet where second and third places were decided by mere seconds at times.
Super 50 (TP52) Division
The regatta’s Super 50 division – comprised of TP52 grand prix racers – saw RPAYC icon Marcus Blackmore with his TP52 Hooligan in the spotlight. Fresh off other circuit wins, Blackmore’s brand-new Hooligan was one of the headliners in this elite fleet . Across the Super 50 races, Hooligan delivered a consistently strong performance, finishing runner-up overall under IRC scoring. The division was convincingly won by David Doherty’s Matador, which “cleaned up” with a perfect scoreline on Day 1 and continued its winning form through the regatta. Not even the formidable Hooligan could catch Matador – Hooligan had to settle for second in each race as Matador sailed off to victory . Nevertheless, Blackmore’s team can be proud of their 2nd place result against the country’s top 52-footers. Hooligan beat out the rest of the pack, which included the likes of Highly Sprung, First Light, and others, in what was effectively a championship-level contest within the regatta. This silver-medal finish by an RPAYC yacht in the TP52 class capped off a strong overall showing for the club.
