PITTWATER REGATTA 2026
New ORC champions and other winners declared at Pantaenius Pittwater Regatta A third and final overcast day of dealing with unpredictable conditions at the 2026 Pantaenius Australia Pittwater Regatta – it can’ t always be sunshine and roses, and there was good racing after delays – plus sunshine here and there at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’ s event.
Two new NSW ORC champions – Crazy Diamond and Organised Chaos
Today’ s finale of the NSW ORC Championship, supported by Sydney Marine Brokerage, comprised of three offshore windward / leewards on the Palm Beach Circle starting late this morning. Despite delays because of shifty and fading winds throughout, officials prevailed and the six race Championship was completed.
John Bacon steered Crazy Diamond, his Melges 32 to five wins to win Division 1 from Seeking Alpha( David Hamilton), the Farr 40 scored one win and sat in second place throughout the competition. LCE Old School Racing( Mark Griffith) placed third and also sailed well throughout.
Speaking for Bacon, tactician Darren‘ Twirler’ Jones said,“ The wind and conditions favoured our boat as a whole, though the Farr 40 was also good in the light air, but we had an edge.
On their fifth place in Race 5 won by Seeking Alpha, Jones explained,“ We got smoked. The breeze was 14-16 knots and we can’ t get our numbers back in that downwind.”
Crazy Diamond’ s crew were happy with the way they sailed throughout.“ It’ s not easy to get a boat like that around the course and we sailed against a competitive fleet. We were discussing how I’ m used to sailing these boats in a onedesign fleet, so tactics come into play in a very different way in a mixed fleet like this.
“ Fleet management was important, especially as the smallest boat,” ended Jones, who has world and other titles to his name,“ I’ ve had a blessed career,” he said, when reminded.
Division 2 went to Garry Gudmunson’ s Organised Chaos, the well-sailed ID35 that won Division 1 last year. Three wins and other top places secured the title against second place getter, Young at Heart, Simon Grosser’ s Young 88, by 8.5 points. Third went to last year’ s winner, Local Hero, Dave Davies’ BH36. The latter two scored a win each today.
“ It was a different day offshore. First race was in the south-east 8-10 knots, a bit tricky. Second race came in out of the south at 12-15 knots and third race it died again and we had 6-8 knots.
“ A very testing day – we had a couple of issues – but got through them and won. Fantastic. We had a new tactician this weekend, Matty Young, we used to sail together back in the Hooligan days with Marcus Blackmore. We have a good rapport.”
Super 40 win goes to Revolver Three inshore windward / leewards completed the set of five to decide the winner – Michael Ritchie’ s Ritchie 38, designed by his dad, Bruce. Although he didn’ t win a race today, after claiming both of yesterday’ s, Ritchie’ s 2-4-2 results were good enough to give him the overall win.
Last year’ s winner, Ross Hennessy’ s Ker 40 MK3, Condor, was runner-up, two points behind Revolver after winning Race 4. Third went to Gerry Hatton’ s MAT 1220, Bushranger, winner of Race 5. Ed Cox’ s Ker 40, Minerva, won the first race of the day.
Breeze on the Super 40 courses was anywhere from 7 to 16 knots and Ritchie admitted,“ A tricky day today, more easterly, then it went east to south, east to south. A hard day’ s sailing with lead changes. The amount of close racing we did today was incredible. The fleet really got something out of it,” Ritchie said.
“ We did enough to stay in the race to win. The crew we had was put together by Chris Way and me for the Invitational Cup last year at New York Yacht Club. We didn’ t do as well as we wanted there, but we did at this regatta.