A bit of Zen and two hands work magic at Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship 

Gordon Ketelbey’s Zen and Mistral, sailed two-handed by Rupert Henry and Greg O’Shea, were the beneficiaries of wins on Day 1 of Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s (MHYC) 2023 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC), sailed offshore today.

Ketelbey’s TP52 won Division 1 from classmate, First Light (Peter White) and Bob Cox’s DK46, Nine Dragons. Cox always manages to find his way to the podium, come rain, hail or shine.

“Racing was pretty close,” Ketelbey admitted, but he was pleased with the crew’s handywork in a breeze that averaged around 15 knots. “It wasn’t too windy, a bit lumpy, but pleasant sailing,” the MHYC yachtsman said.

It was not all straightforward, however: “We parked up at the Heads, Virago (Robert Kelly’s RP52 one-off) got ahead of us and First Light caught up with us. We caught them well before Lion Island though. Coming home was a straight downhill run and we kept them behind us,” Ketelbey said of the race to Lion Island and return.

Zen has recently profited from a makeover, although not all has gone according to plan: “We’ve got a new keel configuration and we thought we had a new rig, but there was a problem. We expect the new one from Spain after Christmas now,” he said. 

Sailing Mistral two-handed in Division 2, Rupert Henry and Greg O’Shea won overall. Jack Stening and Colin Gunn’s Sydney 36, Stormaway claimed second place and Neil Padden’s Beneteau 40.7, Wailea, was third. The latter two were sailed fully crewed and there were other two-handers in the division, making the race more interesting.

“It was a good warm up for the Cabbage Tree Island Race next Friday night,” said Henry, who with O’Shea won that race overall in 2022, ahead of winning the Two-Handed division in the Rolex Sydney Hobart, a title they will also defend come Boxing Day.

“It was wet but not as windy as the forecast. There was quite an eastern swell running, which was fine on starboard, but on port tack it was quite awful. The further north we got, the lighter it got. We hugged the shore a bit, then went offshore, which was a loss,” Henry conceded.

“We did a couple of short tacks to the laid mark, which was exactly where it was supposed to be, so that was good. Then we had a nice run back. We did a couple of gybes and it was a nice 16 knots coming through the Heads to the finish.”  

Racing concludes tomorrow, when MHYC plans to run two short offshore windward/leeward races, each one starting and finishing on Sydney Harbour. 

The Seven Islands Race, Division 1, was won by the MC38 InfoTrack. She was last to start, but first to finish, in the pursuit-style race.

“We got the chocolates,” a pleased Mitch White said from the yacht. Second was David Ross’ Cape 31, Kukukerchu, followed by Michael Ritchie’s Ritchie 38, Revolver.

White described conditions on the Harbour course thus: “It was grey, slightly wet, but a pleasurable sail. When you’re racing, you don’t notice the rain.

“It’s an active race though, because you’ve got plenty of obstacles to get around,” he said, referring to the various islands and narrow waterway on the other side of the Harbour Bridge. “And the wind was up and down like a yoyo.”

On their win, White commented: “We were actually lucky. We do a bit of racing up past the bridge with corporate sailing, so we know what to expect. We got past second place at Middle Head, thanks to Indy Beck’s great trimming.”  

When they started, InfoTrack’s crew could not see any of their divisional compadres in front of them, “but all the hard work was done in the river,” said White, of the area north-west of the Harbour Bridge, which is tricky to sail in at the best of times.  

Division 2 went to John Crawford’s always well-sailed J24, Innamincka. Second was Bryan Moore’s Shibumi, with Jeremy Clarke’s Kai Rani in third.  The race is held alongside the SSORC and attracts a wide variety of boats. It starts and finishes at MHYC and its name suggests, is on a course around famous Sydney Harbour islands.

For full results and all information, please visit: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au   

Di Pearson / MHYC media

SSORC and Seven Islands Race photos by Andrea Francolini

Read more: A bit of Zen and two hands work magic at Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing...

Nominate a Young Person to Sail on HMB Endeavour

The Australian National Maritime Museum Foundation will support up to five young Australians to participate in a tall ship adventure.  On 15 February 2024, HMB Endeavour will embark on a 15-day voyage to Lord Howe Island, offering an unforgettable experience of blue water sailing in this exact replica of an 18^th century barque.  This will be a unique opportunity for the successful applicants to not only to learn to sail a complex eighteenth-century vessel, but also to gain life-long skills including teamwork and communication, practical decision-making, flexibility and resilience.

Successful applicants must be:

• An Australian citizen
• Aged between 18 and 24 on 1 February 2024
• Be available from 15 - 29 February 2024
• Be able to get themselves to and from Sydney at their own expense

There is no formal application form however ANMM needs to receive a written response by Friday, January 12.

Please see the information sheet for more details - click here

Read more: Nominate a Young Person to Sail on HMB Endeavour

Inclusive Classes Regatta – Update November 2023

An Inclusive Classes Regatta will be conducted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club from March 29 to April 1 (Easter weekend) 2024.  Online entry is now open and the Notice of Race has just been updated with a change that affects sailors with intellectual impairment.

New Classification Opportunity for Athletes with Intellectual Impairment

In response to feedback from competitors at the inaugural Para Sailing International Championships for Athletes with Intellectual Impairment at Southport Yacht Club last November, Australian Sailing have approved a simplified method of para classifications for this athlete group.

Australian Sailing Provisional AWII Classification is a sport-based classification using the same framework as other para sailors and is being introduced ahead of the NSW Para Sailing Championships.  It will then apply for the 2024 Australian Para Sailing Championships at Sail Melbourne in December.

Sailors with intellectual impairment, including those who are not currently included on the Virtus Master List or a Registered Special Olympics Athlete, can apply for AWII classification by emailing their contact details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and then undertaking a phone or online interview with the Australian Sailing Consultant Psychologist.  There is no cost to AWII classification and it is not a requirement to be entered in any event, although it is important to start the application well in advance of any relevant regatta.

This process has been developed with a view to having it incorporated within the World Sailing Rules of Para Classification.  It would not have been possible without the support of International Para Classifiers Sarah Ross and Stephen Wilson and Australian Sailing Consultant Psychologist Darren Eger.

About the Inclusive Classes Regatta

MHYC’s Inclusive Classes Regatta program includes arrival, training and classification on the Friday followed by three races each day on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday.  It is planned to hold an Inclusive Sailing Forum on the Sunday evening.

Para Classification for athletes with physical impairments will be available at the venue on Friday 29 March.  You can register for classification by emailing a request and providing contact details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Racing will be on Middle Harbour in the vicinity of Balmoral.  Invited classes are Hansa 303 (one person & two person), Hansa Liberty & International 2.4mR.

The regatta will comprise the 2.4mR NSW Championship and Hansa Class NSW Championships for 2024.  In addition, the regatta will be the inaugural NSW Para Sailing Championships.  Results of eligible para sailors will be extracted from the open fleet results.  

A limited number of Hansa charter boats will be available for competitors travelling from interstate or outside the Sydney Metro area.  To register your interest for a charter boat, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at the earliest opportunity.

All regatta information will be published on the event webpage.

Read more: Inclusive Classes Regatta – Update November 2023

Australia Day Harbour Parade

There’s no better place to be on Australia Day than sparkling Sydney Harbour! Here’s your chance to be part of the annual Harbour Parade where you can dress up your boat and crew and challenge for ‘Best Dressed’.

In 2024, the Harbour Parade will be part of the exciting new Harbourfest program which will take to the sea, shore and sky with an abundance of free and fun activities… and to top it off, all parade participants are now in prime viewing position for the annual Ferrython’s new race route (see attached).

Vessels of all shapes and sizes are welcome to join the flotilla. Prizes will be awarded to the winning vessel in each of the following categories:

• Budgie Smuggler Award — Best Small Vessel
• Best in the Biz Award — Best Commercial Vessel
• Hello Sailor! Award — Best Newcomer
• The Captain’s Choice Award — Best Dressed
• Going Overboard Award — Most Imaginative

In addition to the Ferrython front seat, all Harbour Parade winners will also gain exclusive access to the managed viewing area at Jeffrey Street Wharf for the Australia Day Live spectacular in Circular Quay where you can listen to the concert via FM simulcast and watch the choregraphed fireworks from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.

Registrations close 5:00pm AEDT on Monday 15 January 2024. Register here

Download the Ferrython Map here

Read more: Australia Day Harbour Parade

Weekend Inshore Racing

It was a busy weekend on 21 & 22 October with an Inshore Race on the Saturday and the Waitangi Cup Interstate Challenge sailed over both days.

Inshore Series

The Inshore Annual Pointscore race was held in conjunction with the Sydney Harbour Combined Clubs Inshore Series run by Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club.  On IRC in the combined clubs fleet, Toy Box 2 (Ian Box) and Stormaway (Jack Stening & Colin Gunn) took the IRC win in their respective Divisions 1 & 2.  On ORC, Stormaway claimed another win and Toy Box 2 a second.  On PHS, both boats placed 4^th in their divisions.  Unsurprisingly, Toy Box 2 and Stormaway made a clean sweep of IRC, ORC and PHS in Divisions 1 & 2 in the MHYC Series.  Brett Churcher’s Plan B took the Division 3 honours on PHS. 

For the MHYC Inshore Annual Pointscore Results – click here

For the Sydney Harbour Combine Clubs Inshore Series Results - click here

Waitangi Cup

Congratulations to Team NSW from Middle Harbour Yacht Club, winners of the 2023 Adams 10 Waitangi Cup.

After four races sailed in fresh to strong conditions on Saturday and the final two races today in moderate breezes, the NSW team of skippers Garth Riley, Brian Lees and Tracy Richardson finished ahead of the Victorian team by 8 points.

A draw was made for each of the six boats provided by MHYC members but one of the boats was unable to start due to unforeseen rigging problems. Three VIC boats then sailed against two NSW boats, with the results of the worst placed VIC boat discarded. NSW had a narrow advantage overnight but when Garth Riley and Brian Lees placed 1-2 in the first race today there was no question about the result.

At the prizegiving at MHYC afterwards, organiser Geoff Charters thanked the Victorian teams skippered by Monica Jones, Andrew Clark and William Sheers, the MHYC Race Management Team led by RO Steve Tucker and Marg Fraser-Martin for recording the event with her camera.

For more information about the event, results and photos, visit the event webpage.

Thanks to Marg Fraser-Martin for all the action photos across the weekend.

Inshore Annual Pointscore

2023 Adams 10 Waitangi Cup

Read more: Weekend Inshore Racing

Seven Islands Race Report

The Seven Islands Race was in fact abbreviated to a five islands race in 2023, ensuring all boats were back at the club in good time after a circumnavigation of Cockatoo Island. While rain showers crossed the harbour regularly throughout the day, the breeze held across the course to provide an enjoyable sail. 

Congratulations to Mitch White the crew of Infotrack who finished ahead of Kukukerchu (David Ross) and Revolver (Michael Ritchie) in Division 1.  John Crawford’s Innamincka was first home in Division 2, next was Shibumi (Bryan Moore) and Waterborne Again (Marc Tromp).

To view the results – click here

Despite the grey conditions, Andrea Francolini managed to capture some great photos of the Seven Islands Race...........

Read more: Seven Islands Race Report

MHYC Team claims the 2023 Waitangi Cup

Congratulations to Team NSW from Middle Harbour Yacht Club, winners of the 2023 Adams 10 Waitangi Cup.

After four races sailed in fresh to strong conditions on Saturday and the final two races today in moderate breezes, the NSW team of skippers Garth Riley, Brian Lees and Tracy Richardson finished ahead of the Victorian team by 8 points. 

A draw was made for each of the six boats provided by MHYC members but one of the boats was unable to start due to unforeseen rigging problems.  Three VIC boats then sailed against two NSW boats, with the results of the worst placed VIC boat discarded.  NSW had a narrow advantage overnight but when Garth Riley and Brian Lees placed 1-2 in the first race today there was no question about the result.

At the prizegiving at MHYC afterwards, organiser Geoff Charters thanked the Victorian teams skippered by Monica Jones, Andrew Clark and William Sheers, the MHYC Race Management Team led by RO Steve Tucker and Marg Fraser-Martin for recording the event with her camera.

For more information about the event, results and photos, visit the event webpage.

Photos by Marg Fraser-Martin

Read more: MHYC Team claims the 2023 Waitangi Cup

Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship ends in a thriller

The 2023 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC) was decided over two offshore windward/leeward courses today and Bob Cox’s Nine Dragons along with Jack Stening and Colin Gunn’s Stormaway, came away the victors, Stening commenting, “The final race was the most exciting I think I’ve ever done.”  

Competitors put yesterday’s Passage Race and awful weather behind them to concentrate on a completely different style of racing in the Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s (MHYC) hosted event today. The first race was a two-lap course in very light air, the second a three-lapper to finish the event, but the sun was out in full force. 

Nine Dragons, a DK46 with a sting in her tail, came into the day third overall in Division 1, but won both of the day’s races to win Division 1 of the Championship. Cox was nothing short of elated.

Cox beat yesterday’s leader, Gordon Ketelbey’s TP52,  Zen and Ian Box’s Toybox 2, in the first race. He followed up by beating MHYC Commodore, Rob Aldis’ DK46, Khaleesi and Zen in the second. 

So Zen claimed second place overall, Khaleesi third. Toybox 2 just missed out on countback in such a close series.

A stunned Cox was almost wordless this afternoon, discovering he had won across the board: IRC, ORC and PHS.

“The boat is running a set of offcut sails and yet the old girl is going better than ever. We are completely amazed that we won. We’re even more amazed that we actually managed to beat the TP52 (Zen) twice today. That’s our biggest achievement of the weekend,” he said.

Cox was full of praise for his fellow competitors. In part, he said, “In the last race Khaleesi had a good run and beat us for the first time ever across the finish line. They sailed well. We were absolutely on their tail though, so beat them on handicap.

“Julian Plante did our tactics and the whole crew sailed really well over the weekend,” Cox said, to cheers from his crew.

Stormaway, owned by Jack Stening and Colin Gunn, was sitting pretty in second place heading into today’s races and ended up winning Division 2. Stening said the pair’s thrill of the day came from the final race and it certainly made up for the day’s opening race.

“The first race was AP’d then we started in Watsons Bay. We had to get out the Heads in light air. We were last out! Then we worked our way up a bit,” he said of their fourth place finish. Sebastian Hultin’s Georgia Express won that race from Peter Farrugia’s Bullwinkle and Matt Wilkinson’s Foreign Affair.

A north-easterly breeze built to around 10 knots. Stening related: “In the second race, it was as close racing as it gets. We had a big fleet on a short start line  - both divisions - and it was an offshore start. We chose to go in the second line near the start boat. From there, we fought to cross the boats as our division approached the top mark.

“We were first at the top mark the first time. We were crossing two and three boats at a time and they were doing the same, all going flat out, leaving just a coat of paint between us all in a 12 knot breeze! It was wonderful.

“As we were coming into the Heads, we were getting 15-20 knot gusts, surfing with Bullwinkle and Foreign Affair. The two finished the Championship second and third overall respectively.

“We were surging and it was so exciting. The whole race was so exciting. You don’t often get that,” he said before adding, “Colin steered and called tactics; he did his usual good job,” Stening said.

“We were third over the finish line, but finished with Jupiter right on our stern (Ian Smith’s Jupiter won that race from Stormaway and Bullwinkle). “We could hear Billy Sykes (North Sails sailmaker) giving advice to the crew on Jupiter and I called out to him ‘What should we do’? He is a lovely man and a great friend,” Stening said, laughing.

For full results and all information, please visit: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au   

Di Pearson/MHYC media

View the SSORC photo galleries - here

Read more: Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship ends in a thriller

Entries take shape for Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship

Entries in Middle Harbour Yacht Club’s (MHYC) 2023 Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC), are taking shape, so far attracting past winners, regulars and new contenders.

Taking place from 25-26 November, the SSORC, now in its 46^th year, is a lead-in to other major offshore events each year.

Reigning champion in Premier Class Division 1, Bob Cox returns with his DK46, Nine Dragons. He says, “We’re looking forward to defending our title, but there are no guarantees, as we know we’ll face strong competition.”

Cox is again enthusiastically looking forward to challenging fellow MHYC member, Ian Box and his XP44, Toybox 2, along with Gerry Hatton’s latest Bushranger, a Mat 1245 from RPAYC.

“Toybox has markedly improved its performance since Ian gave the boat a significant upgrade. Gerry had teething problems with the new Bushranger, but they have it sorted and will be a real force at this event. We envisage great racing with her and don’t expect to pace them downwind. Our sistership, Khaleesi (owned by MHYC commodore, Rob Aldis), will be another contender.”

Cox concedes there are others in the division that will give him a run for his money. Among them are Michael Smith’s Tempo and Jambo, a newcomer owned by Rob Carr.

Tempo, a Kernan 44, finished third overall to win Division 1 in July’s Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, so is set to give Division 1 a red-hot crack.

Carr is a keen supporter of MHYC events and is best known as the previous co-owner of Mortgage Choice Rumba. This time, he and wife Stephanie Cook bring the former CheckMate, a Summit King 40, to the start line.

“We purchased the boat out of Fremantle where she had performed successfully in offshore races in the past four or so years,” Carr said.

On renaming the boat Jambo, he explained, “It means ‘hello’ in Swahili. Stephanie and I upgraded to this 40 foot yacht. We’ve had four spinnaker races with it so far. We’ve had it for four months, but we spent time putting the boat together before racing it.

“We’re absolutely enjoying the boat. It’s a steep learning curve because it’s more of a racing boat than the other one. There’s much to learn, but we’re moving up pretty quickly,” Carr said.

“Jambo is a sistership to Soozal. It would be fun if Soozal entered. We could have great competition between us,” he said, adding, “This is my 22^nd year racing with Middle Harbour Yacht Club. I’ve done all the Sydney Harbour Regattas and a heap of SSORCs and Seven Islands Races and will continue to do so with the new boat.”

Division 2 entries to-date include locals in Sebastian Hultin’s Farr 36, Georgia Express and Neil Padden’s Beneteau First 40.7, Wailea. Joining them is Matt Wilkinson’s Foreign Affair from the CYCA. Wilkinson and his Farr 30 took out the division in 2021 and has finished runner-up in the past. Also expected is Peter Farrugia’s Bull 9000, Bullwinkle, from RPAYC, which placed third in the division last year.

Featuring a combination of a passage race to Lion Island (in a northerly) or Cape Baily (in a southerly), the opening SSORC race is also an inclusion in the CYCA Ocean Pointscore (OPS). On Sunday, there will be  two short offshore windward/leeward races with Sydney Harbour starts and finishes to complete the Championship.

Standard entries close on Friday 17 November at 2359 hrs with late entries accepted up till 2359 hours on Wednesday 22 November and are subject to a Late Entry Fee.

The Seven Islands Race will again be held alongside the SSORC and attracts a wide variety of designs whose crews prefer the cut and thrust of inshore round the buoys racing. This event starts and finishes at MHYC and rounds some of the most famous islands on Sydney Harbour.

For entry and Notice of Race, please go to: www.ssorc.mhyc.com.au 

Di Pearson/MHYC media

Read more: Entries take shape for Nautilus Marine Insurance Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship