The opening day of the New Zealand Match Racing Championship 2025 delivered a full round robin in steady breeze, and the tone of the regatta was set early. Defending champion Reuben Corbett wasted no time stamping his authority on the fleet. He finished the day with a perfect 7–0, sailing with the same calm confidence that carried Black Sheep Racing to the title last year. Corbett controlled most pre-starts and stayed smooth through manoeuvres, often extending his lead downwind.
A sharp field opens the New Zealand Match Racing Championship 2025
Behind him, the surprise of the day came from Robbie Wooldridge, who produced his most complete senior performance to date. The Mastercard Youth Training Programme skipper finished 6–1, losing only to Corbett. Wooldridge’s crew looked settled from the opening flight and pushed hard through the middle of the schedule, taking wins off Gavin Brady, Xavier Bates, and Ethan Fong. His speed downwind was one of the features of the day.
Gavin Brady opened his first New Zealand nationals with a solid 5–2, showing clear composure against the younger sailors. His only losses came to Corbett and Wooldridge. Brady won key matches against Fong, Bates, Malpot, and Jeffery, using his experience to stay clear of trouble and keep control of the course.
A tight cluster formed behind the top three. Ethan Fong closed Round Robin 1 on 4–3 after a mixed start. He took clean wins over Malpot, Jeffery, Bates, and Cates, but dropped races to Corbett, Wooldridge, and Brady. Fong looked strongest in mid-fleet fights where his crew work through the tacks paid off.
Australia’s Xavier Bates sat close behind on 3–4, picking up important wins against Malpot, Cates, and Jeffery. Bates showed sharp pace at times, particularly when he found clear air early, but he lacked consistency in the heavier tactical moments. Even so, three wins on day one keeps the Australians very much in touch.
After a strong youth season, Noah Malpot ended the day on 2–5, which did not reflect the effort on board VMG Racing. His two victories came against Jeffery and Cates, and he pushed several other matches close. Malpot looked strongest in the lighter patches and will be keen to rebuild momentum as the event moves into day two.
Charley Cates picked up one win — a clean result over Jeffery — to close the day 1–6. Jam Hot Racing showed glimpses of what they can do, especially in the pre-starts, but struggled for pace once the races stretched out.
Leo Jeffery battled through a tough opening round but finished 0–7. His Hauraki Racing crew seemed more comfortable as the day went on, and although the results column stayed empty, several matches were far closer than the scoreline suggests.
By the end of the afternoon, the picture at the top was clear. Corbett remains the benchmark, Wooldridge has stepped forward in a significant way, and Brady sits poised as the experienced threat in the chasing pack. With three full days to go, the field remains packed tight through the mid-table, and the next round robin will carry real weight as teams fight for the best possible knockout seeding.
