The 2025 Sir Peter Blake Regatta opened at the Torbay Sailing Club (Hauraki Gulf) with all the colour, noise, and nervous energy that has come to define this event. Now the largest youth sailing regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, the Blake continues to be the place where sailors first test themselves against big-fleet pressure, shifting breezes, and the legacy of one of New Zealand’s greatest mariners. More than 300 competitors from across the country filled the boat park with a mix of excitement and intent, many arriving from seasons of club rivalry and winter training blocks ready to measure their progress.
Day Two brought a moment that framed the heart of the event. Lion New Zealand, Sir Peter’s Whitbread maxi, glided into the bay, her long white-silver hull reminding every sailor and parent ashore why this regatta exists. Swimmers drifted around her during a lull in racing, a quiet pause in an otherwise busy afternoon. It was a fitting scene: the next generation surrounding one of the boats that helped define New Zealand’s bluewater identity.
This year, that generational shift was more visible than ever.
Yachting Excellence Awards 2025: Looking back over the night, and all the awards!
Optimist Green
Optimist Green 2025 is a story of growth, confidence, and early breakthroughs. Astrid Thirkettle won the fleet, and she won it in style. Three race wins from five made her the standout sailor of the entire Green Fleet.
Her closest rival, Oliver Sun, pushed her hard with a string of top-three finishes, showing a strong tactical sense that will carry him quickly into higher fleets. Behind them, Tommy Liu’s steady scoreline shows a sailor developing a reliable all-round mode.
Still it was a close scoreline.
- 1st, Astrid Thirkettle 5-1-1-1 8pts
- 2nd, Oliver Sun 2-3-2-2 9pts
- 3rd, Tommy Liu 3-2-2-1 10pts
Further back, Brianna Field delivered the standout early race performances of the fleet with her wins in Race 1 and Race 2, highlighting the depth of talent emerging at Murrays Bay.
Green Fleet is where the emotional storylines live. Huge gains, big mistakes, breakthroughs, tears, and triumphs all happen here. Optimist Green remains the beating heart of junior sailing, where raw potential appears for the first time.
Optimist White
Optimist White sits at the crossroads between early development and competitive racing. Carter Smith stamped his authority on the fleet with three race wins and a sixth-place finish, showing he has the speed and composure to move into Open Fleet soon.
Behind him, the battle for second through fifth was one of the tightest in any class. Corinne Woolsey was the strongest woman performer, finishing second overall and demonstrating exceptional light-air awareness. The fight between Lucas Kattera and Ellie McDowell added constant tension, with all three sailors and fifth place getter, Elizabeth Brunton, finishing within a few points of each other.
- 1st, Carter Smith 1-6-1-1-(10) 9pts
- 2nd, Corinne Woolsey (24)-4-4-6-6 20pts
- 3rd, Lucas Kattera 11-(20)-7-2-2 22pts
- 4th, Ellie McDowell 5-7-(14)-3-7 22pts
- 5th, Elizabeth Brunton 2-(10)-3-9-9 23pts
Further back, John Paterson carried strong progression, moving from 68th in Optimist Green in 2023 to a top-ten finish in White Fleet two seasons later, a genuine development milestone.
Optimist White often shows who is ready to take the next step, and 2025 made that very clear. The fleet delivered equal parts rivalry, personal growth, and new talent pushing through the system.
Optimist Open
The Optimist Open fleet provided the purest junior one-design pressure of the regatta. Marcus Daum delivered a near-perfect series, finishing 3–2–2 to take the title. The biggest tactical swing came in Race 3, where Daum’s composure under fleet congestion preserved his lead when others faltered.
Behind him, Tom Hall produced one of the most significant comeback stories of the championship. After winning Race 1 he struggled to hold the lead under mounting traffic but still secured second overall.
Perhaps the breakout performer is Zephyr Lane. His Race 3 victory showed race-winning pace, and his ability to rebound from an eighth in Race 1 and a sixth in Race 2 marks him as a sailor on the rise.
- 1st, Marcus Daum 3-2-2 7pts
- 2nd, Tom Hall 1-5-5 11pts
- 3rd, Zephyr Lane 8-6-1 15pts
Women were strongly represented, with Aurora Edhouse and Claire Bao both in the top ten, giving this fleet a balanced and competitive storyline.
This class tells the story of future champions building their craft: measured race control at the front, dramatic shifts through the middle, and a clear demonstration of who is ready to graduate into Starling and ILCA competition.
O’pen Skiff Silver
O’pen Skiff Silver produced the cleanest scoreboard of any fleet, with a perfect 1–1–1 sweep from Tj Norman. His dominance sets a national benchmark.
But the real storyline emerges from the tightly packed battle behind him. Oak Richards and Nash Nicholson chased each other before Nicholson succumbed to a Stanley Briggs intervention. Their rivalry shows how close the leading bunch fleet speeds really are at this development stage.
- 1st, Tj Norman 1-1-1 3pts
- 2nd, Oak Richards 2-2-4 8pts
- 3rd, Nash Nicholson 3-3-2 8pts
Further down, the Hobsonville YC trio of Dempsey, Brown, and Burlace created a compelling intra-club duel, often finishing within a place or two of each other.
This class represents developing sailors finding their footing. Many names here arrived from the 2023–2024 Green Optimist fleets, and the clear improvement trends show that O’pen Skiff Silver remains one of the most reliable gateways into higher-performance classes.
O’pen Skiff Gold
O’pen Skiff Gold 2025 delivered a lively, unpredictable storyline defined by lead changes and club rivalries. Max Jameson’s victory looks straightforward on paper, and his path to the title was shaped by consistently good performance. His 3–2–1 run shows steady improvement, peaking at exactly the right time.
The biggest early pressure came from Joseph Reynolds, whose opening-race win forced the fleet to set a higher tempo. Yet the race of the day belonged to Mei Whitehead with her second-place finish in Race 3, solidifying her third overall and marking one of the best women’s performances across any Skiff fleet.
- 1st, Max Jameson 3-2-1 6pys
- 2nd, Joseph Reynolds 1-1-6 8pts
- 3rd, Mei Whitehead 5-5-2 12pts
Many of these sailors carry visible progression arcs from O’pen Skiff Silver and Optimist classes, making this fleet a key development stepping stone. The mix of genders at the front, combined with race-to-race volatility, makes Skiff Gold one of the most spirited classes in 2025.
P-Class
Few fleets in New Zealand sailing carry as much emotional energy as the P-Class, and 2025 reinforced that legacy. Will Fyfe claimed the title with a steady and methodical series, his Race 1 win establishing early authority. But it was close, his finishing score only one point ahead of Zofia Wells.
Yet the real storyline lies behind him. Zofia Wells, one of the country’s busiest young sailors and a dual 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Excellence Awards recipient, applied constant pressure through her 2–4–4 results. Her transition from Optimist Open in 2023 (placed 18th) to P-Class contender in 2025 is one of the strongest progression arcs in the championship.
Hamish Brown brought the big-race moments, with the only Race 3 win outside the top two; his ability to climb through the fleet mirrors his 2023 national title and his 2024 podium. He still finished only two points off the lead, and that sets up a compelling fight for 2026. You get the sense Hamish Brown will come back next summer with his sights firmly set on the top step.
- 1st, Will Fyfe 1-5-3 9pts
- 2nd, Zofia Wells 2-4-4 10pts
- 3rd, Hamish Brown 7-3-1 11pts
Further down, the fleet’s backbone includes names like Wills, Snape, and Kensington, all building P-Class careers with consistent mid-fleet improvement.
The class features nine men and one woman in the top ten, yet the sole woman, Wells, finished second overall and shaped the entire contest. P-Class 2025 becomes a story of heritage, pressure, and young sailors proving they can move through the ranks across multiple seasons.
RS Feva Class
The RS Feva fleet was dominated by all-woman teams delivering confident, structured racing. Holly and Stella Robson won with a 4–1–2 scoreline, their win in Race 2 becoming the turning point that shifted momentum their way. This class also becomes a generational milestone, as Holly continues her climb from the Optimist Open fleet in 2023.
What first looked like a three way contest between Holly and Stella Robson, Morgan Batt and Lydia Burgess, and Mia Meikle with Imogen Clarke shifted once New Caledonia entered the frame. Timothe Teitelbaum and Camille Kurtovitch stormed through to win Race 3, adding real pressure at the top and shaking up the order when it mattered most.
- 1st: Holly and Stella Robso 4-1-2 7pts
- 2nd: Timothe Teitelbaum and Camille Kurtovitc 5-2-1 8pts
- 3rd: Morgan Batt and Lydia Burgess 2-3-3 8pts
Further back, Kyla Murphy’s storyline stands out. She arrives as a proven O’pen Skiff sailor from 2023 (9th in O’pen Skiff Silver), now stepping confidently into double-handed racing. The Feva class continues to be the most gender-balanced fleet of the entire championship, and this year the women’s crews set the pace, controlled the scoreboard, and demonstrated that teamwork, not physicality, defines the class.
Starling Development Class
Starling Development showcased the next tier of sailors preparing to enter the full Starling fleet. Jessica Spalek delivered a (4)–3–3–2–1 scorecard that speaks to consistent high-end speed. Her Race 5 win sealed the championship and marks her as one of the most exciting rising sailors in the Auckland region.
Harry Atkinson, stepping straight from Optimist Open in 2023, showed immediate competitiveness, tying Spalek on nett points. His ability to pressure the leader through the first half of the series stands out. Eason Lan adds another layer, with his fleet-best 1–1 mid-series charge reminding everyone how dangerous he can be in clean air.
The points were tight.
- 1st, Jessica Spalek (4)-3-3-2-1 9pts
- 2nd, Harry Atkinson 2-2-2-3-(5) 9pts
- 3rd, Eason Lan 5-(6)-1-1-3 10pts
- 4th, Maks Gvardijancic 1-(8)-4-4-2 11pts
The fleet also includes meaningful progression arcs: Georgia Barker, formerly mid-fleet in Optimists, is now inside the top ten; Adam Palmer arrives from a 2024 Optimist Green podium and shows promise in heavier conditions.
This class is about transformation. Sailors shed their junior habits, learn to manage traffic, and show who is ready for the deeper tactical demands of the Starling nationals.
Starling
With only two races sailed, the Starling story is about pressure, precision, and one chance to get it right. Callum Hyde delivered on both fronts. His Race 2 win overcame a fourth in the opener and gave him the edge in a fiercely condensed leaderboard.
Right behind him, Finloe Gaites and Charlotte Handley tied on points, separated only by countback. Handley’s third overall, driven by a superb second-place finish in Race 1, creates the strongest woman’s story in the Starling top ten.
- 1st, Callum Hyde 4-1 5pts
- 2nd, Finloe Gaites 1-8 9pts
- 3rd, Charlotte Handley 2-7 9pts
Flora Stevens finished third in Race 1. Then in Race 2 it was Oak Galbraith in second, Bailey Robb in third, then Gemma Herberd, Philippa Wiltshire and Taran Bates rounding out the top six.
Philippa Wiltshire and Taran Bates added mid-fleet drama with their equal scores of 16.
The class also stands out for its gender balance: four women inside the top ten, making the Starling one of the most even fleets at this level.
What this class lacks in races, it gains in intensity. Every decision mattered, and small errors carried high cost. The compressed nature of the series makes this one of the most tactical and emotionally charged fleets of the championship.
420 Class
The 420 fleet, though small, delivered a clear and compelling storyline led by an all-woman winning crew. Amber Hughes and Phoebe Willis controlled the fleet from the outset, backing up a discarded first with three consecutive wins — the most dominant performance in any double-handed class.
Behind them, Keoghan and Shaw built their regatta on steady second-place finishes. Cooke and Bridger, finished third overall. Bridger’s return to the top end after winning Optimist Open in 2023 marks one of the strongest long-form progression stories in the fleet.
- 1st, Amber Hughes and Phoebe Willis (1)-1-1-1-4 3pts
- 2nd, Ben Keoghan and Luke Shaw 2-2-(3)-3 7pts
- 3rd, Ashton Cooke and Charlie Bridger (4)-3-4-2 9pts
The fourth-placed team of Wise and Kenyon added tension through their Race 2 win, proving the podium battle was never settled early.
420 sailors often step into elite youth and Olympic pathways, and 2025 provided a clear look at the next group of contenders.
ILCA 4
ILCA 4 offered one of the clearest development pathways on show. Patrick Kell delivered a perfect series, winning every race on the water and discarding a first. His evolution from O’pen Skiff Silver champion in 2023 to ILCA 4 national front-runner in 2025 is one of the most linear and impressive arcs of the regatta.
Behind him, Arlo Nicholson and Logan Adams fought a tight tactical battle, matching each other stride for stride across all four races. Their consistent podium finishes show a promising group of sailors preparing to graduate into ILCA 6.
- 1st, Patrick Kell (1)-1-1-1 3pts
- 2nd, Arlo Nicholson (2)-2-2-2 6pts
- 3rd, Logan Adams (3)-3-3-3 9pts
Although small in size, the ILCA 4 fleet is rich in meaning: it marks the start of the Olympic pathway. These sailors are learning asymmetric balance, pressure management, and fleet discipline — and 2025 showed three athletes ready for rapid progression.
ILCA 6
ILCA 6 delivered high-intensity tactical racing with tight scorelines and heavy mid-fleet congestion. Tom Pilkington won the fleet with the confidence of a defending champion, repeating his 2024 title and proving his control in shifting conditions. This time netting 3 points.
Sam Clarke applied genuine pressure, especially in Race 2 where his second-place finish briefly put him in reach of the lead. The major storyline is the cluster of sailors between third and seventh, where UFD penalties and tight finishes reshuffled the leaderboard repeatedly.
Arran Begic’s strong recovery after the 22-point penalty added drama, while Toby Dunn produced one of the most consistent mid-fleet performances of the event.
- 1st, Tom Pilkington (1)-1-1-1 3pts
- 2nd, Sam Clarke 3-2-(4)-2 7pts
- 3rd, Arran Begic 2-(22 UFD)-2-3 7pts
- 4th, Toby Dunn (6)-3-3-5 11pts
This class tells the story of sailors learning to master pressure, manage risk, and deliver clean, disciplined racing.
29er Class
The 29er fleet delivered the most complete storyline of the regatta. Nelsen Meacham and Louis Quere set the benchmark early on, showing the clean execution expected from sailors already at the front of the national pathway. Their 3–1–1 scoreline reads simple, yet the story beneath is fierce pressure from Matteo Barker and Leo Brown, both rising stars carrying heavy expectations from their 2023–2024 form. Barker’s 2025 Barfoot & Thompson Excellence Youth Performance Award adds weight to his arc, and his opening-race win set up a genuine title fight. Behind them, the woman’ pairing of Bella Jenkins and Jess Handley quietly produced one of the most consistent scorecards in the class, reminding everyone how potent the woman’s 29er fleet has become.
- 1st: Nelsen Meacham and Louis Quere 3-1-1 5pts
- 2nd: Matteo Barker and Leo Brown 1-2-4 7pts
- 3rd: Bella Jenkins and Hess Handley 2-3-3 8pts
Further back, the emotional highlight sits with Ewan Brazle. Jumping from O’pen Skiff Gold champion in 2023 to the high-speed 29er class in 2025, he and Toby Clark produced a breakout regatta, recovering from an OCS to finish fifth. In 2026 they team will be a force to be reckoned with. The class blends clean boat handling, tactical maturity, and transition-pathway tension, giving it the deepest narrative of any fleet.
Waszp
The Waszp fleet showcased the transition from youth sailing into high-performance foiling. Ash Cole dominated the class with a flawless record, discarding a first and winning every counted race — the only fleet where a sailor demonstrated complete technical control.
Behind him, Flinn Olson kept the pressure on with a 2–2–2–2 scoreline that shows consistency but also exposes the difficulty of breaking Cole’s grip on the front. The real interest sits in the mid-fleet, where Oliver Tiedemann continued his climb from a podium finish in the O’pen Skiff in 2024 and now looks well-settled in the foiling environment.
- 1st, Ash Cole (1)-1-1-1-1 4pts
- 2nd, Flinn Olson 2-2-(3)-2-2 8pts
- 3rd, Oliver Tiedemann (4)-3-2-3-3 11pts
Nathan Soper, another sailor with deep Optimist and P-Class history, rounded out a compelling midfield battle.
Waszp racing is always about refining technique under pressure, and the 2025 series showed exactly who is ready to take the next leap.
iQFOiL Class
The iQFOiL class delivered fast, aggressive, high-stakes racing shaped by four sailors fighting for podium positions throughout the series. Vlad Misescu took the overall win with near-perfect execution, continuing the form that earned him second in 2023. His four race wins underlined his progression and confidence on the foil.
Behind him, Ben Rist and Josh Tuck created one of the tightest tactical battles across any high-performance fleet. Rist’s Race 2 win briefly disrupted Misescu’s control, while Tuck’s final-race second brought him closer to stealing silver.
- 1st, Vlad Misescu 1-(2)-1-1-1 4pts
- 2nd, Ben Rist 2-1-2-2-(3) 7pts
- 3rd, Josh Tuck 3-3-(5)-3-2 11pts
The biggest storyline sits with Sol Douwes, stepping up from his O’pen Skiff Gold title in 2024 to finish fourth in a demanding foiling discipline.
The women’s division added important representation, with Daniella Wooldridge and Gabrielle Dalton Wilson both finishing inside the top ten.
iQFOiL 2025 becomes a story of transitions — from junior classes into foiling — and a clear preview of who might shape New Zealand’s future windfoiling landscape.
Overall winners of the Sir Peter Blake Regatta Trophy
Nelsen Meacham and Louis Quere capped their standout 29er campaign by being named joint winners of the Sir Peter Blake Regatta Trophy, an honour that recognises not just race results but attitude, leadership, and the way sailors carry themselves across the event. Their 3–1–1 scoreline already set them apart as the most composed high performance pairing of the weekend, but it was the consistency of their decision making, the calm way they navigated pressure, and the influence they had on the wider fleet that ultimately earned them the trophy. In a regatta built on Sir Peter’s legacy of determination and character, Meacham and Quere became the pairing that best represented the spirit of the event.
Final wrap
The 2025 Sir Peter Blake Regatta finished the way it began, with young sailors pushing hard to the final horn, families lining the shoreline, and coaches calling trim adjustments from their RIBs. As the last boats were pulled up the ramp, it provided a time to reflect that this regatta has always been more than a scoreboard. It is a place where resilience forms, where confidence is earned one shift at a time, and where the pathway becomes real. The sailors who raced here will carry those lessons into Starlings, foilers, ILCA, and offshore dreams still a decade away.
Boating New Zealand congratulates all winners, and equally all participants. What an amazing way to look forwards to 2026.
Sir Peter believed that challenge builds character. In 2025, you could see that belief alive in every fleet, in every race, and in every sailor who pushed their bow across the line.
The winners as the 2024 Sir Peter Blake Torbay Regatta wraps up
