With only a few points separating rivals across each of the five divisions contesting the Sail Port Stephens Passage Series (Commodores Cup PHS), the prospect of receiving a thorough rinsing in the rain didn’t deter the bulk of the 115-strong fleet from turning out. An outgoing tide and a light upwind start resulted in a boat jam at the pin end of the line, with some forced to go around and re-start. Robert Kelly’s RP52 Virago from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, with Andrew Parkes calling tactics, led the fleet on the inshore course to the Corlette Mark and then on what was ef ..read more

“Sheer enjoyment”. That was way Nicky Bethwaite summed-up her experience of the combination inshore/offshore course set by the Race Committee for the fourth race of the five race Passage Series. The two-time Olympian helmed the distinctive gold-hulled super-skiff Don’t Panic to a podium result in Division 1, behind Virago and MC38 Botany Access. Don’t Panic, designed by her brother Julian with the unique designation of an 89er, a bigger version of his famous high-performance 49er skiff, found a clear lane off the start line and powered-up its blue asymmetric kite in the 10 -12 knot south-weste ..read more

By day three in regattas the cobwebs have been shaken-off, the crew dynamics are coming together and the muscle memory of putting-in an optimum tack or bear-away set should be kicking in. And that’s pretty much how it panned out on Day 3 of the Sail Port Stephens Passage Series, which got underway in brilliant sunshine after the fleet waited for the nor’easter to fill in. It made the first leg out to Cabbage Tree Island an upwind beat. In Division 1, Adrian Walters’ well-known Shaw 11 metre Little Nico and R/P 52 Virago made the most of the 10-knot breeze funnelling through the waterway’s spec ..read more

Yesterday was my first time ever witnessing first-hand the thrill of a major race, including 5 divisions and 114 boats of all shapes and sizes. The energy down at the docks before the race was electric as I walked around taking some photos of the preparations. Everyone was there to have a good time out on the water with their crews and you could tell there was a real sense of camaraderie between fellow yachties – young and old. During the race starts it was my job to get as many action shots as I could of all the boats as they set off for the first mark near Shoal Bay. I was not expecting ther ..read more

The best aspects of regatta sailing crystalised for the record fleet contesting the second day of the Passage Series comprising the Commodores Cup and Port Stephens Trophy. It turned-out to be a highly memorable day of threading out through the Port Stephens Heads and around the course’s spectacular offshore islands, before a champagne run under spinnaker back to the finish off d’Albora Marina. With a variable 8 to 10 knot south-westerly breeze providing a significant boost from the previous day, shoreline spectators were treated to the sight of Division 1 leaders Virago, Little Nico and Dirty ..read more

The delightful unpredictability of yacht racing in light airs ensured a nail-biting opening day for crews aboard the record fleet of 115 boats assembled for the Sail Port Stephens Passage Series (Commodores Cup). Pre-regatta forecasts of balmy breezes of six to eight knots for the first two days of the regatta proved accurate as spinnakers were hoisted in a congested downwind start off the breakwall near d’Albora Marina at Nelson Bay. But that was nothing compared to the crush of at least 50 boats at the Pindimar mark when a glass-out on the inshore course put the brakes on Division 1 and race ..read more

The record fleet assembled for Sail Port Stephens 2024 looks set to have an easy, if not breezy, start to the regatta, starting Monday April 15 and running through to April 20. Light winds and more light winds are predicted for the opening days, before the southerly builds to a fitting crescendo towards the end of the week. With it, the sunshine will make way for a few showers. Principal Race Officer Denis Thompson has 15 inshore and offshore courses at his disposal and is confident of seeing some close racing between the five evenly matched divisions. “The Bureau is showing winds of six to ei ..read more

Just when it looked like the Sail Port Stephens Passage Series couldn’t grow any further, the iconic regatta has once again surpassed trends and expectations with a record fleet of 115 entries gathering ahead of the Monday April 15 start. The timing coincides with the NSW school holidays for the first time since 2017, placing added demand on accommodation and berthing in the popular tourism region, but crews have been welcomed by local businesses and the community. Among the entries are a large number of first-time competitors who didn’t have the advantage of rebooking from 2023. And along wit ..read more

16 years of supporting Sail Port Stephens For the past 16 years, Greg Newton and his crew have competed in every Sail Port Stephens Regatta in a range of Beneteau yachts, all known as Antipodes.  Initially there was his first Beneteau, a 42s7, then a First 47.7 which enjoyed many podium results up and down the east coast, followed by an Oceanis 523 and more recently, the Oceanis 45. And as co-owner and Director of Rolly Tasker Sails Australia & New Zealand, Greg has also been a long-running and ardent supporter of the event, providing document sleeves, sail bag prizes and sail discoun ..read more

The NSW Government is extending its long-standing commitment to Sail Port Stephens, Australia’s second largest sailing regatta, with funding allocated for 2024 and further renewal options secured for 2025 and 2026. The announcement comes in the wake of the most successful regatta in the event’s 16-year history, which injected an estimated $2million into the region’s visitor economy. It is a significant fillip for continued expansion as past investment from Destination NSW – the NSW Government’s Major Events and Tourism agency – has been critical in enabling Sail Port Stephens to exponentially ..read more