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FIRST TO HOBART, NINE TIMES - An evening with Graeme Taylor & Friends at MYC Join us for an unforgettable night of ocean racing stories from the pointy end of the fleet. Featuring Graeme Taylor (Master Lock Comanche, Wild Thing) – two-time Australian Sailing Male Sailor of the Year. Impressively he's competed in 29 Hobarts, achieved 9 Line Honours, 1 Overall and 1 Race Record. From locally designed, built and sailed Mornington boats to maxis, he's been an integral crew member on Wild Oats, Black Jack and Master Lock Comanche, he’s lived the journey from Corinthian dream to world-class winning. Graeme will be joined by Cam McKenzie (Co-Skipper, Ginan) and Stuart Hutchison (Antipodes, former MMYC Commodore). Hear what it truly takes to cross Bass Strait and finish at the front - the preparation, pressure, teamwork and the leadership and the moments where races are decided. From the Sydney to Hobart and Melbourne to Hobart, this is a rare insight into elite offshore sailing, the pathway from inshore to ocean racing, and the mindset of those who compete at the highest level. Facilitated by Melissa Warren MYC Sailing Manager 1× ORCV Westcoaster • 2× Sydney to Hobart ORCV Next Gen Lead Not a lecture. Not a highlight reel. Real stories from sailors who’ve lived it. 📅 Friday 30 January ⏰ 7:00pm (following the Members Draw) upstairs in The Function Room 📍 Mornington Yacht Club Friday 30 January 2026 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM (UTC+11)LocationMornington Yacht Club 1 Schnapper Point Dr, Mornington VIC 393, Mornington Yacht Club, mornington Victoria 3931 Photo of Graeme Taylor on the left on board Master Lock Comanche during Sydney to Hobart 2025 race  It's the peak of summer sailing on our junior and youth sailing calendar, with our ILCA and Optimist sailors making a big start to their year with their respective National titles in Hobart. We’re incredibly proud to see so many MYC sailors on the national stage, racing hard, supporting each other and representing the club with enthusiasm and sportsmanship. Read below to hear about both regattas - ILCA (Laser class) and Optimists - and recaps from four of our junior sailors across both classes.  2026 ILCA Oceania & Australian Open & Youth Championships Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Hobart 3-8 January 2026 Our youth sailors also kicked off the year with a major championship, travelling to Hobart to compete at the ILCA Nationals and Oceania Championships. This event is one of the biggest on the domestic racing calendar and attracts sailors from across Australia and overseas. The 2026 ILCA Oceania & Australian Championships wrapped up last Wednesday (8th January) after six days of racing on Hobart’s River Derwent. More than 190 sailors competed across the ILCA 4, ILCA 6 and ILCA 7 fleets, making for large, competitive start lines throughout the week. Sailors were tested in varied conditions, from light and variable winds to more consistent sea breezes, requiring strong boat handling, fitness and tactical decision-making.  The 2026 Nationals in Hobart were an amazing learning opportunity, as well as a great experience sailing in a large fleet with many experienced sailors. The consistent sea breeze as well as the challenge of a strong tide made for excellent racing conditions. Being part of the solidarity program as well was an awesome opportunity to meet lots of new sailors from other states with a similar skill set and learn from each others sailing experiences, both before and during the regatta with the help of ILCA Oceania and the support that comes from the program. Tassie nationals was a remarkable week of racing with lots of lessons learnt that I will carry forward. ~ Kate, ILCA 4 The competition and conditions were very tough during the regatta, but I learnt so many new things about the weather, upwind course tactics, ect. I was lucky enough to see some boat finish the Sydney to Hobart race - including Ginan! I had a wonderful time with all my friends from MYC and around Australia! I can’t wait to do it again next year in Victoria!! ~ Maddy, ILCA 6 2026 Musto Australian Optimist Championship Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Hobart 9-15 January 2026 Our junior sailors have been busy this summer, heading to Hobart to represent the club and Victoria at their national championships. The Optimist Nationals are a key highlight on the junior sailing calendar, bringing together young sailors from across Australia for a week of racing and development. The 2026 Musto Australian Optimist Championship is being sailed on the River Derwent, with sailors competing across Open, Intermediate and Green fleets. Qualifying races wrapped up earlier this week, and the Open fleet has now split into Gold and Silver fleets, heading into the final series today. Racing concludes on Thursday 15 January. Victoria is well represented with 22 sailors competing, and Mornington Yacht Club has the largest Victorian contingent with 9 sailors on the start line, a fantastic effort that reflects the strength and depth of our junior program. The VIODA coaching team includes MYC coaches Will McKenzie and James Jackson, who are supporting Victorian sailors throughout the championship.  The Nationals has some of the hardest conditions I have been in, so it makes for some very exciting racing and I’m looking forward to the final series coming up.
~ Acklin, Optimist Open Fleet The Hobart 2026 Nationals has been exciting so far on and off the water, with tough conditions with anything between five to twenty knots. I've been swimming at the local beach and hit the cricket nets, I'm excited for what comes in the next few days. ~ Mal, Optimist Open Fleet  The Port Fairy Yacht Race on Friday 13 February is a much-loved offshore event sailed in favourable summer conditions. The 135 NM course delivers a mix of coastal scenery and classic offshore racing, finishing with warm hospitality, all-weather berthing, and great camaraderie at the Port Fairy Yacht Club.
For those focused on preparedness and safety, our Safety & Sea Survival Course returns on Sunday 1 March. Delivered by highly experienced offshore sailors and aligned with Australian Sailing standards, this course is ideal for sailors planning offshore races or coastal passages. ORCV’s very popular annual Port Phillip Heads and Rip Tour will be held on Sunday 22 March, departing Queenscliff at 12 noon. During the tour, a highly experienced navigator provides expert commentary on navigating this gateway, where underwater reefs limit the navigable entrance to just 0.6 nautical miles.
Find them under the the MYC website top menu: On Water>>Sailing>>Club Racing>> Season HQ page
....or just click here like a boss! MYC is pleased to announce that the Musto Skiff National Championships will be held at Mornington as a four-day event in conjunction with the Schnapper Point Regatta in February 2026. The Musto Skiff schedule will feature late-afternoon racing on Thursday and Friday, leading into the regular Schnapper Point Regatta racing over the weekend. Club member Jono Neate has recently been appointed National Class President and is proud to see the Nationals hosted at Mornington Yacht Club. While entry numbers are not expected to be very high, the fleet will include several former World Champions and National Champions, ensuring a high standard of racing. For members interested in spectating, this will be a great opportunity to enjoy skiff racing. Members who are interested about sailing the Musto Skiff are encouraged to speak with Jono, who may be able to assist with charter options or opportunities to try the class. CLICK HERE> Event Guide for 2026 Australian Musto Skiff National Championship  Three days of qualifying races are over for the ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 fleets with the sailors now assigned to either the Gold or Silver Fleets in the 2026 ILCA Oceania and Australian Open and Youth Championships underway in Hobart.
Belgium’s Emma Plasschaert finished on top in the ILCA 6 qualifying series with a score of seven points after one discard, with Hungary’s Mari Erdi in second place, also on seven points. Australia’s leading sailor in the ILCA 6 fleet was Sylvie Stannage with her consistency and determination paying off, while Jasper Stay, who has just joined the Western Australia Institute of Sport in Perth, was the leading male sailor in the ILCA 6s after the six-race qualifying series. There was not much separating the Australian Sailing athletes Zoe Thomson, Evie Saunders and Mara Stransky with all qualifying for the Gold Fleet. Tom Fader and Harry Pilkington, both from the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania (RYCT), have made the cut for the Gold Fleet finishing in 22nd and 24th place respectively in the qualifying series. Unlike the larger ILCA 4 and ILCA 6 fleets, the ILCA 7 fleet does not have a qualifying series and continues to build upon a sailor’s cumulative race score, with a second discard coming into play after ten races have been sailed in total during the regatta. In the ILCA 7 fleet, dual Olympic gold-medallist Matt Wearn had an up and down day, copping an 11th place in Race Five, only to turn things around with a win in Race Six after fighting off early race leader Eddie Reid, with Wearn’s decision to take the left of the course after the bottom mark paying big dividends. Reid is currently sitting in sixth place on 29 points after dropping an eighth place and is the leading Tasmanian in the ILCA 7 Fleet. Principal Race Officer, Colin Dods, was singing Reid’s praises after racing. “Eddie is getting better and better and faster and faster … there were pretty challenging conditions out there today with the wind switching around left and right, so clearly that kind of weather pattern agrees with him, because he’s come home today with a seven and a four. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what he can produce in the second half of the championship. “He’s dropped an eighth, is travelling well, and is sneaking up on the main pack. “Matt Wearn continues to lead … he had a patchy day today with an eleventh and a first, but he’s been able to drop that eleventh now that we’ve got six races in the bag, putting him on nine points, and he’s got a seven-point break [on second placed Ethan McAullay, with Zac Littlewood on 20 points],” said Dods. Murray Duthie’s consistency in the ILCA 4 fleet has paid off with two firsts in Races Five and Six being just enough to propel the up-and-coming sailing star from the South of Perth Yacht Club into the ILCA 4 lead and into the Gold Fleet for finals. Fellow West Australian, Thomas Cooper, also on nine points, dropped his worst score to date of a fourth place after Race Six, and is also firmly in the Gold Fleet for final’s racing. Edward Steedman from the RYCT is the leading male sailor in the ILCA 4 Class with Tasmania’s Solidarity Program participant, Cordelia Davey the best-performed female sailor, also making the Gold Fleet. The final three days of racing gets underway at 1300 on the Alpha Course and 1330. Racing concludes on Thursday 8 December 2025. For all full results, please go to: https://sailingresults.net/?ID=82266 The event website is at: https://ryct.org.au/2026-ilca-oceania-australian-championship/ This year’s Sydney to Hobart was a tough one with big seas, broken gear, long nights and plenty of moments that really tested crews. Huge credit to everyone who made it to the start line, and an even bigger effort from those who pushed through to Hobart. A big congratulations to Graeme Taylor and the Comanche team on taking Line Honours. An incredible result in seriously challenging conditions. Well done Graeme! This year was also a special milestone for Cam Mckenzie , who completed his 25th Hobart race after being awarded ORCV Ocean Racer of the Year last year. In a race where many boats were turned back, our Ginan crew showed real determination and heart. On board with him were his son Will Mckenzie, sailing as our Head Coach, and James Jackson, our Schools and Community Manager. Together they finished safely in Hobart and did the club proud. Read Cam's article here www.orcv.org.au/club-blog/5784-cam-ocean-racer Well done as well to Melissa Warren, our Sailing Manager, who finished her 3rd Hobart race on the Sandringham boat Jaffa. Another fantastic effort in what was one of the harder Hobarts in recent years. Jack Eickmeyer also completed his first S2H on an Inglis 47. Massive congratulations to him. A big thank you too to Heath Jones and Maddy English , who helped deliver Ginan up to Sydney before the start. So much of the hard work in campaigns like this happens before the gun even goes off. To all the crews, families, supporters and friends who were part of this year’s race, well done. You’ve achieved something significant. Here’s to the rest of summer on the water, and to a great year ahead in 2026.   We’re excited to be in the middle of the ILCA 2026 National Championships at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, with Hobart’s River Derwent providing a spectacular backdrop for a fantastic week of racing. Sailors from across Australia are currently competing in challenging and rewarding conditions, showcasing skill, determination, and sportsmanship on the water. MYC are well represented with ILCA coach and friend of MYC Pat Cummin in the ILCA 7, and MYC members Maddy, Digby, Heath, Abby and Jack competing in the ILCA 6, and Louis, Leigh, Zoe, Sarah, Kate and Hector in the ILCA 4 fleet. Sailing has been challenging with variable conditions thus far but this has not dampened the spirits of the MYC crew who have enjoyed the fabulous hospitality of RYCT. ~ Shaydon English (ILCA Parent and Training & Development Committee member |
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