State Championship Wangi Wrap

Fredrik Westman and Rod Barnes ILCA7 Close Racing

The 2025 ILCA NSW & ACT State Championships at Wangi Amateur Sailing Club attracted 124 entries from 27 clubs from 5 states and 3 international sailors. Wangi is a terrific club with lots of rigging area and open lake sailing water. Some 20 volunteers were involved in running the event with Wangi ASC doing a great job on the water and off.

The event was sailed in three fleets with the ILCA6 being the largest with 57 boats. The event had cube awards for all Youth and Masters age categories and overall fleet performance. A total of 28 cubes were awarded across all fleets and age divisions.

Saturday provided great sailing conditions in the open water on Lake Macquarie with a NE breeze mostly 15-18 knots. Sunday was a vastly different story. Basically every where along the coast there was virtually no breeze and what little there was continually boxed the compass. Three hours after start time AP over H was raised. As happens not 20 minutes later a useful sailing breeze arrived however it was judged impractical to relaunch all fleets and race official boats to perhaps run a race at this stage.

Some terrific close racing was enjoyed on Saturday in all fleets. In the 20 boat ILCA4 fleet Zac Howell HHSC posted 2,1,1 for a clear win from Seb Behrens from RQYS and Harper Spacey DBSC who finished level on points but in that order. Zac was first U16.

Sylvie Stannage HHSC/DBSC/WSC was most consistent in the ILCA6 winning with 2,1,2 places. GM Owen McMahon from Royal Brighton YC and Charles Byford DBSC/RPAYC were even on points with Owen taking second on a countback. Charles was first U19 and 4th placed Wilbur Bright RQYS was first U17. 5th place was the Shark Jeff Loosemore MHASC. Jeff was also first GGM. First Legend was Tim Alexander NSC.

In the 45 boat ILCA7 fleet current State Champion Campbell Patton Royal Bermuda YC/DBSC/RSYS was far too consistent posting 2,1,1 to win from current World GM Champion Brett Beyer WSC with 3,3,4. Third was Fredrik Westman whose home club is Hangö Segelförening in Finnland. Fredrik was also 1st Master. First GGM was Victorian and a great supporter of our events Steve Gunther from Royal Brighton YC.

The full results of the event are here.

There are lots of photos of Saturday’s races courtesy of Craig Ryan Here. Just click the thumbnail to see and download the full sized image.

ILCA4 Winner Zac Howell HHSC