Sawmill ILCA Twilight Spring Series – Wrap Up

The 2025 Sawmill ILCA Twilight Spring Series has wrapped up after four stunning evenings of competitive but relaxed racing on the waters off Royal Akarana Yacht Club. With steadily growing numbers each week, this year’s spring edition was reintroduced by popular demand as the series has continued to build fantastic momentum from previous years, cementing the ILCA Twilights as one of the club’s most popular offerings.

Across the fleet we saw excellent attendance, with 20 sailors from ILCA 4, 6 and 7 divisions all lining up on the start line—some chasing series handicap points, others just enjoying a warm‐evening sail with friends and finding a great way to get back into racing after years away from the sport. The mix of emerging youth sailors, returning regulars and seasoned club members created exactly the welcome & fun reputation that the Twilight Series has become known for.

A huge congratulations to RAYC’s own Jon Rix, who claimed the overall series win & 1^st ILCA 7 with impressively consistent sailing across all conditions. Julia Nguyen and Claire Johnson rounded out the top three—both delivering standout performances over the twelve races. The broader results table shows how tight the racing was right through the fleet, with plenty of close margins, personal bests and last downwind battles that kept things exciting until the very end.

RAYC Academy sailors took the top prizes in the ILCA 4 & the ILCA 6 categories, with Julia Nguyen not only taking top ILCA 4 but securing 2^nd overall on handicap. Harrison Robb took the top prize for the ILCA 6 division and claiming 4^th overall for himself as well. This shows how hard our academy sailors have been working on their sailing this season already and we’re super proud of their performance in the series against an adult field.

We’d also like to give a massive thank-you to Sawmill Brewery, whose ongoing support powers this series and helps us create a fun, social atmosphere back ashore after racing. The Sawmill Twilights have become a mid-week highlight for many competitors and their sponsorship plays a huge part in making that possible.

With the spring season now complete, the vibes are strong and enthusiasm is high—perfect timing as we roll this momentum straight into the ILCA Summer Twilight Series kicking off in February. If you enjoyed the Spring Series, or if you’ve been thinking about joining but haven’t yet made the leap, the Summer Series is the perfect opportunity. Longer days with guaranteed post-race sunsets, and plenty more chilled Sawmill beverages await.

For RAYC members the whole 7 evening series is just $210 and if any visitors want to secure the early-bird special you can save $75 if you commit to the summer series before the 15^th of December and get the whole series for $450 (normal price $525).

See you on the start line in February—let’s make the 2025 Summer Twilights the biggest ILCA series yet! ⛵

Overall Handicap Scores:

1^st Jon Rix (ILCA 7)

2^nd Julia Nguyen (ILCA 4)

3^rd Claire Johnson (ILCA 7)

4^th Harrison Robb (ILCA 6)

5^th Richard Bush (ILCA 7)

Check out the full series results here.