Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC) is to host three NSW Championships in as many classes over the next three months, kicking off with the 2026 Finn NSW Championship to be held this weekend on Pittwater, with some travelling from interstate to compete ahead of February’s Australian Championship.
Triple Olympian in the class, Anthony ‘Nocka’ Nossiter, is a six-time winner of the Championship and reigning title holder and is the class benchmark.
“Sailing on Pittwater is quite different to Sydney Harbour where I usually sail,” Nossiter said. “Pittwater is like sailing in Europe, a bit whacky and tricky, so I like to sail there because you normally get a good range of conditions. It can get very light,” says Nossiter who recently returned from sailing in Norway.
“It’s good cross-training too and you can only blame yourself when things go wrong,” says Nossiter who is also an avid offshore sailor. “It’s also good to see your friends from the Finn community. I’m expecting it to be social after racing.”
A four-time winner of the Championship and as recently as the 2024-2025 Championship, Ian McKillop, a class stalwart, will give it a good nudge. While his main competition will come from Nossiter, McKillop says, “ My clubmates (RPAYC) Matt Visser, Chris Links and James Mayjor could also be a threat.”
And while the Championship is being sailed on his local waters, McKillop says, “Yes, there is the home advantage thing, but it’s tricky sailing at Pittwater. It sometimes helps – and sometimes it doesn’t!”
What he is most looking forward to, McKillop says is, “Catching up with old friends and having a hit out on Pittwater.”
Visser comes from good sailing stock, his late father, Martin Visser, was a two-time Olympian and America’s Cup sailor. Visser is well-versed in one-design racing, with the Finn and in the Etchells class and sailing at all the Finn majors over the years, has made the podium.
A versatile sailor, Links is a shipwright and rigger, giving him an all-round understanding of the sport. Among the highlights is a trio of Melges 24 national titles multiple Sydney Hobart campaigns, including with McKillop. And with James Mayjor, Links campaigned for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics in the Soling with Cameron Miles and just missed selection.
“The Finn is a nice class and you’re sailing with a lot of likeminded guys at a higher level – technical, physical all those sorts of good things. I also enjoy the simplicity of it. You can go and put your main up and sail with friends. It’s so refreshing,” Links said.
Mayjor has also pulled other top results too, including winning the 2004 Etchells Worlds and placing second in 1999, as well as pulling second in the 5.5 metre class Scandinavian Gold Cup in 2022. It shows the calibre of talent the Finn class draws.
The Finn has also drawn new and younger guys into the fold. “And there’s also a lot of guys coming back to high-level sailing and loving it,” Links said.
Sam Ede from Victoria is among the younger breed, sailing in the Under 30’s at the Championship. Along with his fellow Daveys Bay Yacht Club member, Lewis Davies, the pair has come a long way since they started.
“Lewis and Sam both went to Europe to do the Finn Silver Cup in Cascais last year,” Links said. “The Australian Finn Association sends the top Youth guys each year and pays for them. They come and do our Nationals and the top placed from the Youth Cup gets to go.”
Links said both are doing really well in the class. “Lewis has come a long way. He’s become super fit and has good technique. It’s good to see.
“We’re keen to help young guys into the Finn. Interested parties can contact any of the Class reps (contact the Australian or state Finn Associations or reach out to local clubs that sails Finns).“Finn sailors are happy to help others out, we have no secrets,” Links said.
Ede’s father, Tim, is also contesting the Championship. He explained, “Sam got into the class through a girl at school, who said, ‘Come to the Club and try it, you’ll love it’. He did and Rob McMillan (an enduring Finn sailor) found an old Finn for him to get started.
“Rob is the driving force behind Sam – and me – he’s been an amazing helping to Sam. Sam went to compete in Cascais with Rob last year. He keeps Sam going.”
Tim got started in the class around 15 years ago. “I was at a club chatting to Rob and he asked why I wasn’t sailing a Finn – and that was it. I have a ball sailing in it.”
On Friday, starting from 4pm, up to two Practice Races will be held in in advance of the weekend’s main event. On Saturday and Sunday up to three races each day will start from midday, with racing conducted on windward/leeward courses on the waters of Pittwater to decide the new NSW champion.
Many of these sailors are gearing up for the 2027 Finn Australian Championship to be held in February at Twofold Bay Yacht Club in Eden on the NSW South Coast.
Though no longer an Olympic class, the Finn remains extremely popular in Australia and globally. It has spawned many champions that also excel in other sailing genres such as the America’s Cup, SailGP, major offshore racing events and other small boat classes.
The Finn NSW Championship is organised by RPAYC in conjunction with the NSW Finn Class Association.
For all information, please visit: https://rpayc.com.au/int-finn-class-nsw-championship/
By Di Pearson/RPAYC media
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