EXPORT ROO WINS 2026 STORM BAY APPAREL AUS NATIONALS

The River Derwent delivered its trademark “tricky” conditions for the 2026 Storm Bay Apparel SB20 Australian Championship, providing a spectacular backdrop for a 14-strong fleet that mixed world-class veterans with a surging generation of youth and female talent.

Over three racing days the fleet dealt with a classic “mixed bag” conditions:

Day One: Sailors enjoyed a steady southerly breeze ranging from 10–12 knots, with occasional puffs reaching 15–18 knots. Combined with an outgoing tide, it kept the crews on their toes.

Day Two: This was the “exhilarating” day, featuring a brisk seabreeze and blue skies. Downwind legs were fast and furious, with boats reaching speeds of around 15 knots with lively gusts.

Final Day: The conditions turned “tricky” and unpredictable. The north-westerly breeze fell away to almost nothing during the final race, forcing the Race Committee to shorten the course just as a new southerly change began to kick in.

After ten hard-fought races, Export Roo, skippered by Michael Cooper with David Chapman and Harry West, claimed the title with a series score of 20 points. Leading from start to finish the crew demonstrated total mastery of Hobart waters.

“They are an amazing team that made me look good,” – said Michael Cooper. – “It’s been a few years since I’ve been behind the tiller on the SB20; I’m enjoying being back in the Class, which is still pretty strong. Our biggest competition was from the number two – Porco Rosso, we worked hard to beat them because we are old and slow, especially me, but we really enjoyed it.”

The Podium Battle

The defending champions on Porco Rosso of Paul McCartney with Will Sargent and Eddie Reid) kept the pressure on until the final horn, finishing just three points behind Cooper to take second place overall on 23 points.

Rounding out the podium in third place was Ares, skippered by Eirini Marios (with Paige Caldecoat, Darren Jones and Sam Tiedemann). Marios, who also secured the Women’s Division title, proved she belongs at the front of the pack, highlighted by a dominant win in Race Seven.

The Next Generation: “Young Guns” and Family Ties

A major theme of the regatta was the rising tide of youth and female-led teams, who frequently challenged the frontrunners at the top mark. Aeolus, skippered by Tasmanian ILCA sailor and Australian Solidarity Sailing coach Indy Cooper, was a standout performer. After starting the regatta with a win in Race One, Indy enjoyed the rare opportunity to sail alongside her father, former national champion Brett Cooper.

“It was pretty epic… I wasn’t expecting a race win, but it was a great feeling,” – said Indy Cooper. – “We were forced to go right from the start, so we just committed and played the shifts… It’s been fun sailing with Dad; I haven’t sailed with him much before, so it’s actually quite nice learning from him, especially about how to sail the boat downwind.”

Representing The Hutchins School Sailing Academy, Charlie Birch and his crew on Warwick Dean (Phineas Gray, Sam Hooper and Edward Steedman) proved that the future of the fleet is in good hands. Despite this being the first time the four had sailed together as a team, they found themselves leading the veterans at the top mark multiple times.

“We went into Day One not really sure how we would go,” – admitted Birch. – “Overall, it’s good to think that we can do well in this bigger fleet, especially when you compare all their experience to ours. We’d like to say a big thanks to Mr. [Nick] Corkhill for really getting around us for this event and for getting two boats out here on the water – he pushed really hard for that.”

Learning Under Pressure

The regatta served as a high-speed classroom for many. Tom Hugo, crew member on the Murray Jones-THSSA team, noted the steep learning curve when the wind picked up.

“We had an OK day… we are much more a developing boat right now, bringing some younger crew up, so we struggled a bit when it got a bit windier,” – said Hugo. – “We were actually coming about third in two of the races around the top mark, but we had a bit of trouble setting the kite in one race, and we dropped the kite a bit too late in another.”

Despite the tactical challenges, the “fun” factor remained the priority. Hugo’s teammate, Lachie Prior, emphasized the relaxed vibe of the crew: “We find that we always sail better together when we are having a good time, and not overthinking things,” – said Prior.

This sentiment was echoed by Chloe Abel, skipper of Cook Your Own Dinner, who balances her time on the water with playing international cricket for Scotland.

“We are very happy with how today went, definitely those first few races suited us more,” – said Abel, who raced alongside her mother. – “Kudos to Jack Allison for supporting us on the boat, he and Mum have both been doing an amazing job while I sit lazy at the back. It’s been great to see the Fahan girls doing so well, we are competing with them pretty closely.”

Drama and Tactics on the Derwent

The regatta wasn’t without its “spectacular” moments. On Day Two, as speeds hit 15 knots during a brisk seabreeze, Wicked’s Chris Keil provided the highlight reel moment: “The kite filled, the boat took off down a wave and I slid out the back,” – said Keil. He was safely reunited with his crew and went on to win the PHS (Performance Handicap) division overall alongside Stephen Henley and Sarah Haywood.

The final day tested the nerves of Race Officer Colleen Darcey as the north-westerly breeze vanished to almost nothing. MasterClass (Sam King) managed to snag the final race win just as a southerly change arrived, bringing a tactical end to a world-class event.

SB20 AUS Class President Paul McCartney extended his thanks to the Derwent Sailing Squadron for hosting a fantastic finale to the 2025/26 Australian sailing season.