A final that started at full pace
The final of the 2025 Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship ignited from the first dial up. Twenty year old Ethan Fong (with his team: Hugo McMullen, Madison Rist, Harry McMullen, Lucas Day) hit the line with intent, taking control of the opening moments in all three races. His older brother Zach (with Alissa Marshall, Nick Drummond, Wilbur Stanley, Hayden Smith) matched him with harder swings through the shifts and more decisive moves at the marks. Pittwater refused to settle.
By the end of the third match, the pattern was clear. Ethan won the starts. Zach won everything that came after. Three races, three turnarounds, and a new Harken champion.
Zach steps up when the regatta demands it
Zach entered the Championship without a ranking, and did not control the early stages of the event. He opened the first round robin with a mid-fleet record and lacked the consistency shown by the top group. His shift in tempo began on day three, where a stronger 7–3 round robin run pushed him toward the knockouts with growing confidence.
Two Kiwi teams lead after opening day of the Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship
The semifinal confirmed his rise. He faced fellow New Zealander Samuel Scott, the standout performer of the week. Scott had set the pace in both round robins with an 8–1 and 6–3 record, sailing clean lines and managing the fleet with calm precision. Zach broke that rhythm within minutes. He hit the shifts earlier, committed harder at the gates, and controlled both races to win 2–0. It was a direct performance with no hesitation, signalling a sailor hitting form at the perfect moment.
Ethan’s early punches create pressure in every race
Ethan earned his finals berth with a tight 2–1 win over the second Kiwi to hit the semis, Robbie Wooldridge. His method was consistent throughout the week. He attacked the line, protected the first beat, and used the right-hand pressure lanes well when the breeze allowed it. His starts in the final were textbook. Each time he launched off the line clean and held Zach out of phase for the opening minutes.
But Pittwater delivered a southerly influence which swept the course. Soft patches appeared across the middle. Gusts built hard on the edges. These patterns rewarded sailors who reacted early and punished those who waited for confirmation. Ethan controlled the early moments but found fewer answers as the legs unfolded.
Downwind accuracy defines the final
Zach’s downwind strength shaped all three races. When Ethan produced a slow set in the opening match, Zach seized the chance and rolled him on the run. In the second race he timed a gybe perfectly and cut across a pressure line that carried him clear. The third match followed the same pattern. Ethan punched ahead on the beat. Zach took the lead back on the downwind with tighter drops, cleaner manoeuvres, and the confidence to split when a new opportunity appeared.
Scott and Wooldridge show bench strength in the RNZYS squad
Scott’s overall numbers remain the strongest of the event. He dictated the round robin phase with smooth, controlled sailing and stayed clear of trouble in shifting breeze. His loss in the semifinal came from tight margins. Two missed opportunities and one pressure call that favoured Zach decided the match. Scott recovered well to take the Petit Final 2–0 over Wooldridge.
Wooldridge showed speed and intent throughout the early stages but faced heavier pressure on finals day. An over-early start and an early penalty proved costly, reinforcing how narrow the margins become once the fleet reduces to head-to-head racing. The RNZYS sweep of the top four positions reflected the squad’s depth and preparation across a long season of youth match racing.
Conditions that rewarded nerve
The final day delivered shifty, awkward Pittwater breeze. The race committee reset the course several times, and the fleet adapted with mixed success. The strongest gains came from sailors who committed early to a lane or a shift rather than waiting for it to settle. Zach thrived in these moments. His willingness to gybe early, attack a gate split, or burn a small deficit for a stronger angle made the difference.
A sharp finish to a respected youth event
Australian crews applied pressure through the round robins and challenged the leaders at times, but none broke into the top four. The event belonged to the New Zealand sailors, and the story of the week belonged to the two brothers who fought through three hard finals races.
Zach’s rise came from sharp decision making when the course was unstable. Ethan pushed him with clean starts and aggressive first beats. Together they delivered a final that showcased the best of youth match racing.
Zach Fong left Pittwater as the Harken champion, finishing the event with clarity, accuracy, and a level of confidence that lifted him above the fleet when it mattered most.
Knockout stages
- Final: Zach Fong (ZF) def. Ethan Fong (EF) 3–0
- Petit Final: Samuel Scott (SS) def. Robbie Wooldridge (RW) 2–0
- Semi final 1: Zach Fong (ZF) def. Samuel Scott (SS) 2–0
- Semi final 2: Ethan Fong (EF) def. Robbie Wooldridge (RW) 2–1
Round Robins
| DK | EF | JH | BC | SS | ML | RW | LT | HM | ZF | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DK | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 1-1 | |
| EF | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 1-1 | |
| JH | 1-1 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 1-1 | |
| BC | 1-1 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 0-2 | |
| SS | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 | 2-0 | |
| ML | 0-2 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | |
| RW | 2-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 2-0 | |
| LT | 0-2 | 2-0 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | |
| HM | 1-1 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 1-1 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | 0-2 | |
| ZF | 1-1 | 1-1 | 1-1 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 0-2 | 2-0 | 2-0 |
