The 2026 Starling Class Association Girls Match Racing Regatta has come and gone, and New Zealand women’s sailing is richer for it.
Held over ANZAC Weekend, 25 to 27 April, at the Royal Akarana Yacht Club on the Waitematā Harbour, the inaugural event brought together 11 of the country’s best young female Starling sailors, each under 19 years of age and representing their region in a match racing format designed to challenge, develop and showcase the next generation of New Zealand women’s sailing talent.
When the dust settled after 55 races across a single round robin series, Charlotte Handley of Murrays Bay Sailing Club and Royal Akarana YC had claimed the title in commanding fashion.
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The results
Handley was dominant across the round robin, winning 9 of her 10 races for a 90% win rate that left the rest of the fleet in no doubt who the class of the fleet was. Her only blemish was a loss to Philippa Wiltshire, who ultimately finished 6th overall. But that single slip did nothing to derail Handley’s campaign, and she converted her round robin lead into the championship title.
Zofia Wells of Glendowie Boating Club and Royal Akarana YC finished second, with 8 wins from 10 races at 80%. But her path wasn’t entirely smooth. Alongside an expected loss to Handley, Wells was beaten by the sailor who would ultimately take third place, Marino Collins of Queen Charlotte Yacht Club in Nelson/Marlborough. That head-to-head result loomed large in the final standings.
Collins finished third on 6 wins from 10, and her result deserves a closer look. She lost to Handley, Sofia Turner, Amber Hughes, and Bailey Robb, a mixed set of results that left her tied on wins with Lauren Arnold at the end of the round robin. The tiebreaker came down to head-to-head: Collins had beaten Arnold during the series, and that single result was enough to give the Nelson/Marlborough sailor the bronze position and leave Arnold in fourth.
Lauren Arnold of Kohimarama Yacht Club finished fourth, matching Collins’ 6 wins but falling just short on the countback. Phoebe Willis and Philippa Wiltshire both finished on 5 wins and 50%, with Willis (5th) and Wiltshire (6th) separated by head-to-head results. Sofia Turner and Amber Hughes, both from Kohimarama YC, also finished on 5 wins each in 7th and 8th respectively.
Bailey Robb of Queen Charlotte YC, Collins’ clubmate, finished 9th also on 5 wins, while Amelie Moore of New Plymouth YC (representing Taranaki) picked up 1 win from 10 races for 10th. Georgia Barker of Napier Sailing Club had a difficult event, going winless across all 10 races to finish 11th.
Girls Match Racing Championship Regatta 2026
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Charlotte Handley
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Sofia Turner
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Amber Hughes
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Lauren Arnold
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Philippa Wiltshire
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Georgia Barker
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Amelie Staunstrup Moore
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Marino Collins
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Bailey Robb
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Zofia Wells
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Phoebe Willis
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Win
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Sailed
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Win %
|
Place
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Charlotte Handley | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 90% | 1 | |
| 2Sofia Turner | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 50% | 7 | |
| 3Amber Hughes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 50% | 8 | |
| 4Lauren Arnold | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 60% | 4 | |
| 5Philippa Wiltshire | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 50% | 6 | |
| 6Georgia Barker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0% | 11 | |
| 7Amelie Staunstrup Moore | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 10% | 10 | |
| 8Marino Collins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 60% | 3 | |
| 9Bailey Robb | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 10 | 50% | 9 | |
| 10Zofia Wells | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 10 | 80% | 2 | |
| 11Phoebe Willis | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 50% | 5 |
Win
Loss
Not applicable
A landmark occasion
The concept behind the regatta is straightforward but significant: to give young women from around the country a dedicated platform to compete at the highest level in a match racing format, and to build a pathway that grows alongside them year on year.
The field of 11 represented a strong cross-section of the country, with sailors travelling from Taranaki and Nelson/Marlborough to line up alongside a strong contingent from the Auckland and North Harbour regions. While the intended field of 12 was not fully achieved, with several regions unable to nominate a representative for this inaugural edition, the depth of racing on display across 55 races was a promising sign for what this event can become.
Racing conditions on the Waitematā were light and shifty throughout, as is so often the case in Auckland in late April, adding an additional layer of challenge to what was already a demanding match racing format.
Race Officer Guy Pilkington and Chief Umpire James West drew particular praise from the Starling Class Association for their role in delivering the event professionally and efficiently. The Royal Akarana Yacht Club, as host club, provided the infrastructure and support that allowed the racing to run to a tight schedule despite the conditions.
What comes next
The Starling Class Association has flagged its intention for this to become an annual regatta, with a call for more girls to take part in regional trials in the coming year. With the event now firmly on the calendar and a first champion crowned, the hope is that more regions will field candidates in 2027, filling the field to its intended 12 and adding further weight to what is already a genuinely national competition.
For Charlotte Handley, Zofia Wells, and Marino Collins, the podium places are well earned.
