The 31st Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship opened today on Pittwater with a classic Sydney mix of sunshine, bullets of breeze, and tight match-racing duels that reminded everyone why this regatta has been a launchpad for future stars for more than three decades. The first day of the round robin delivered close calls across the board, strong early form from multiple New Zealand crews, and a competitive edge that suggests a wide-open week ahead.
This is one of the world’s most respected youth match-racing events. It comes hard on the heels of the New Zealand Match Racing Championship held in Auckland. Boating New Zealand readers will recognise the format and intensity from the New Zealand Championship, where decisive boathandling and consistency proved the key to New Zealander Reuben Corbett’s title run. The standard at Pittwater is similar, only younger, livelier, and a spread of only two national representation.
A sharp field opens the New Zealand Match Racing Championship 2025
A proven pathway with serious pedigree
Hosted by the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club (RPAYC), the regatta brings together ten under-23 teams racing Elliot 7s across four days for the Rockin’ Robin Perpetual Trophy. It has a habit of producing sailors who go on to the highest levels of the sport: the America’s Cup, World Match Racing Tour, offshore campaigns, and Olympic programmes.
This year’s fleet is a sharp cross-section of rising Australian and New Zealand talent, strengthened by two women skippers who bring their own competitive edge: Mia Lovelady (Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club) and Harriett McLachlan (Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron).
For Kiwi readers, RNZYS has sent a full-strength youth lineup, building on its proven development pathway and a strong spring of domestic match-racing:
Quest Racing (PP) – Ethan Fong (RNZYS), Hugo McMullen, Madison Rist, Harry McMullen, Lucas Day
Waitemata Racing (PP) – Zach Fong (RNZYS), Alissa Marshall, Nick Drummond, Wilbur Stanley, Hayden Smith
Mastercard Youth Training Programme – Robbie Woolridge (RNZYS), Austin Candlish, Luca Smith, Tayne Haag, Rye Brady
Pressure Racing (PP) – Samuel Scott (Plimmerton/PCSC), Finn Balchin, Tim McCulloch, James Blyth, Cam Mcglashan
These four crews arrived off the back of well-structured RNZYS training blocks and recent international events, giving them both sharp skills and confidence heading into Pittwater.
A clean start and rising breeze
Today (Day 1) began with a smooth competitor briefing before the first warning signal at 1000. Conditions built through the day as a patchy southerly settled into a steadier pressure line, tightening manoeuvres and rewarding teams with slick crew work.
RPAYC’s race management team, led by Race Officer Ted Anderson, kept the flights rolling efficiently. With ten teams in the draw, every match counted and pressure built quickly as the scoreboard began to take shape.
Round robin highlights
The opening flights produced a spread of results, but several patterns emerged early.
• Robbie Wooldridge (RNZYS) posted the strongest New Zealand start of the day, scoring multiple wins including confident passes and clean pre-start execution. His crew looked composed, quick to accelerate, and tidy around the marks. Score: 86%; wining six of seven races, loosing only to Samuel Scott.
• Samuel Scott (PCSC/RNZYS) also banked a strong set of wins, positioning himself well inside the top group and showing sharp downwind judgement. Score 86%; wining six of seven races, loosing only to Ben Crawford.
• Ethan Fong (RNZYS) delivered a steady day with several close matches, building rhythm as the breeze firmed up. Score: 57%; wining four of seven races, loosing to Robbie Wooldridge, Samuel Scott and Louis Crawford.
• Zac Fong (RNZYS) picked off two important wins, including one of the more tactical mid-afternoon duels of the day. Score: 38%; wining three of eight races.
• Among the Australian skippers, RPAYC’s Daniel Kemp (50%) and CYCA’s Ben Crafoord (57%) both found early form, while RSYS’s James Hayhoe (71%) recorded several clean, clinical victories.
• Women’s division skippers Mia Lovelady (14%) and Harriett McLachlan battled in tight races in strengthening breeze, each delivering well-executed sequences even when results didn’t fall their way.
Full Day 1 win–loss summary (from the RPAYC scoreboard):
– Robbie Wooldridge: 6 wins
– Samuel Scott: 6 wins
– James Hayhoe: 5 wins
– Ben Craaford: 4 wins
– Daniel Kemp: 4 wins
– Ethan Fong: 4 wins
– Zach Fong: 3 wins
– Louis Tilly: 3 wins
– Mia Lovelady: 1 win
– Harriet McLachlan: 0 wins
These early tallies signal a very tight mid-fleet, with only a few points separating second through seventh; a common feature at Pittwater, where shifts funnel down the bays and rewards come to teams that stay patient.
A day of classic Pittwater match-racing
The RPAYC race course has always been a test of judgement and teamwork. The shifts are subtle, the pressure lines favour bold choices, and the Elliott 7s demand balance and timing. Several umpires commented that the standard across the fleet was impressively high for an opening day.
This group came ready. Pre-starts were sharp from the first flight, and confident manoeuvres as teams settled quickly into the rhythm of the day.
Heading into Day 2
With Wooldridge, Scott, and Crafoord emerging as early standouts, Day 2 is shaping as a pivotal sorting point. The breeze is expected to remain variable, which often compresses the field and favours disciplined teams.
For New Zealand, the opening results place three RNZYS boats inside striking range of the top four, a strong position this early. The Fong brothers, in particular, look ready to climb as they settle into the tempo of the event.
The Harken International Youth Match Racing Championship will reward consistency over brilliance. As BNZ readers know from the recent national title in Auckland, match-racing tends to be won by crews who eliminate mistakes, stay calm in the pre-start, and trust their boathandling.
Pittwater will test every one of those skills over the next three days.
