The 2025 Sir Peter Blake Regatta once again lived up to its reputation as one of the most anticipated youth sailing events of the year. With 51 Akarana sailors competing across multiple classes, the club produced a great weekend of results in what proved to be light, tricky and highly tactical conditions. Shifty breezes and glassy patches kept sailors thinking on their feet, rewarding those who could stay focussed and adapt quickly.
Across every course, our sailors proved just how far they’ve come— thanks to the consistent training and structure provided through the RAYC Sailing Academy.
Green & White Fleets – Podiums and Big Progressions
The junior Opti fleets had a superb regatta, despite the challenging breeze. In Green Fleet, Oliver Sun secured 2nd overall, leading a large group of developing sailors who all showed massive growth, with 17 sailors racing from RAYC in the Green & White fleet.
14th Ethan France, 22nd Thomas Earles, 23rd Alexa Woolford, 24th James Fraser, 26th James McLaughlin, 30th Hana Pinedo, 32nd Emily Fraser, 35th Bien Yeoh, 41st Harry Fenwick, 43rd Amiee Thornton, 46th Eddie Corcoran, 48th Blake Thornton.
In White Fleet – Lucas Kattera claimed 3rd, with several teammates posting top finishes:
6th Ben Radich, 12th Sammy Corcoran (including a 4th), and 16th Tommy O’Connor (with 2nd & 4th place finishes).
The Starling Development class continued the theme of success:
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- Starling Development: 3rd Eason Lan
Opti Open, P Class & Skiff Racing
The Opti Open fleet experienced some of the toughest racing of the weekend, with light winds amplifying fleet traffic and decision-making. Akarana sailors pushed through with determination:
21st Tom Sanderson, 33rd Michael Schierhout, 36th Lucy Fenwick, 47th Ethan Schussler, 50th Lucas Lee, 51st Nico Cheng, 53rd Cici Zhang, 54th Jock Morrison, 55th Sophia Moon.
On the same course, the P Classes faced similar conditions with RAYC members placing:
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- 2nd Zofia Wells
- 8th Blake Batten
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In Open Skiff Gold, Louis Yang delivered a strong 11th overall.
Double-Handed Classes – A Standout 29er Performance
In conditions where teamwork and clean boat handling were crucial, the Akarana double-handed pairs thrived. The 29er team dominated the fleet, securing the top two spots:
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- 1st – Nelsen Meacham & Louis Quere
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- 2nd – Matteo Barker & Leo Brown
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- 4th James Currell & Jack Harker
- 6th Harry Draper & Merrick Sanderson
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In the 420s, Ashton Cooke & Charlie Bridger finished 3rd, while Feva sailors Harry Hanson & Harry Plant claimed 7th.
ILCAs, Starlings & Foiling
Across the senior single-handed fleets, Akarana sailors showed steady improvement in light-air strategy:
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- ILCA 6: 16th Finn Murray
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- Starlings: 3rd Charlotte Handley (also 1st girl), 6th Hugo Smith, 12th Stavro Purdie, 17th Flora Stevens, 24th Rylen Schussler, 32nd Keira Dimock, 35th Jessica Lee
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- iQFoil: 5th Nic Segers
- Waszp: 4th Nate Soper
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A special congratulations to Louis Quere and Nelsen Meacham for being awarded the Sir Peter Blake Memorial Trophy. This prestigious trophy is awarded as the overall winner for outstanding achievement across all classes and all age groups of the regatta. As only one trophy winner is awarded each year in honour of Sir Peter Blake this trophy has become a major milestone for many aspiring top sailors. The award celebrates racing success, leadership, and competitive spirit.
Congratulations to Eddie Corcoran for his determination and courage throughout the regatta and being the winner of the David Barnes Trophy for 2025. The David Barnes Trophy is awarded every year at the Sir Peter Blake Torbay Regatta. The trophy is awarded for determination and courage in whatever form that takes, as observed throughout the regatta.
With podium finishes across multiple classes, impressive fleet depth and sailors demonstrating strong decision-making in tough conditions, the 2025 Sir Peter Blake Regatta was an excellent showcase of what our RAYC members can achieve. The commitment shown throughout the season so far was evident in every start line and every win, no matter how small. It was awesome to see our youngest & biggest group in several years being large presence in the green & white fleets, with some of our youngest stars right at the top of the fleets and scoring some podium positions.
