RPAYC Member celebrated offshore sailor Stacey Jackson and CYCA member James Whelan will be a force to be reckoned with when they team up to represent Australia at the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championship, to be sailed out of Cowes, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom from 22 September – 1 October 2025
According to event organiser, the Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC), this one-design racing event, “will allow up to 28 mixed teams and competition will consist of up to two qualification races, a repechage race, if needed and conditions allow and a final race.”
RORC CEO Jeremy Wilton described the racing area (the Solent and English Channel) as, “one of the most historic and challenging racing locations in the sport. It is complex, offering many tactical and strategic possibilities.”
Sailors of the highest calibre will come from all around the world to battle it out on board Sun Fast 30 One Design yachts. The yachts will be provided to the sailors.
Earlier this year, Whelan and Jackson sent off their expression of interest form for the event to Australian Sailing.
“When we saw the expression of interest notice, it was a no brainer,” Whelan said. “Time passed, I think we both probably forgot about it for a bit. And then we were informed that we were good to go.
“We’re stoked to be going over to Cowes.”
Whelan, captain of the luxury sailing superyacht Charlotte, has nine Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races to his name. In 2024 he competed on board the Hoek Tc78 Oroton Drumfire. Stacey Jackson joined him on board Oroton Drumfire for the race south.
Jackson is one hell of a team mate to have for the 2025 Offshore Double Handed World Championship. She has competed in 17 Rolex Sydney Hobarts. Notably, the professional sailor skippered an all-women team to second Overall in the 2018 Rolex Sydney Hobart on board the Reichel/Pugh 66 Wild Oats X.
Whelan was full of praise for his co-skipper.
“Tapping into one of the best sailors in the game is definitely something that I don’t take for granted. Stacey has such a wealth of knowledge,” Whelan said.
Jackson is already in the UK, gearing up for the Admiral’s Cup which is also being raced out of Cowes in July/August. She is a crew member on board Peter Harrison’s IRC TP52 Jolt 3.
“We’ve definitely identified that [Stacey racing in the Admiral’s Cup] is a huge benefit to our campaign,” Whelan said. “Stacey’s on a bigger boat with some of the best sailors in the world. Andy Green’s on board. He’s a plethora of information. So we’ll be buying a few beers in exchange for a few tips, I’m sure.”
Whelan and Jackson have done plenty of sea time together over the years. They have competed in three Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races together, were co-skippers in the Double Handed Division on board the Sunfast 3300 Sunfish in the 2023 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and have sailed around 15,000nm together on board Charlotte.
Whelan believes that they have a great team dynamic while sailing offshore.
“I don’t think that we have a stronger person [sailor on board],”Whelan said. “I probably do a little bit more of the technical, computer work. Whereas Stacey is unparalleled when it comes to getting the most out of a boat.
“It’s a different dynamic when there’s only two of you on board and you’ve got to be reactive to all of the things that are happening around you.”
Whelan and Jackson are humbled by the opportunity to be able to drive their own campaign against some of the best double handed sailors in the game.
“Not everyone has the desire or campaign endurance to put together a hundred footer or a 52,” Whelan said. “We both work in the industry and we don’t sail like this outside of our jobs. So this opportunity is really exciting for us both.”
We look forward to seeing the magic that this dynamic duo will ignite on the water in Cowes later this year.
“If you’re having a fun time and you’ve got the IP [intellectual property] on the boat and the boat’s prepared and you’ve trained well, then the results come after that.”