SB20 Tasmanian Championship at Bellerive Yacht Club

Karabos wins the 2024 SB20 Tasmanian Championship © Jane Austin

Internationally renowned sailor Nick Rogers, sailing with Simon Burrows and Cole Dabner, has won the 2024 SB20 Tasmanian Championship. Rogers sailed Karabos to a one-point win in the eight-race series, defeating previous champion Ares Racing, helmed by Paul McCartney.

Karabos and Ares were neck and neck most of the regatta. McCartney, sailing with 2023 world champion, Will Sargent, and Sam Tiedemann on Ares, were all fresh from the 2024 world championship in Dubai a few weeks ago, and were leading the regatta after five races but the title chase went down to the wire.

Race Officer, Ian Ross, was impressed with the tight racing in the event which was sailed as part of the Banjo's Shoreline Crown Series Bellerive Regatta.

"It was very close racing - the whole thing came down to the last race. At the bottom of the course in the first lap [of Race Eight], Ares was in front leading the fleet and then we came up to the finish and Nick Rogers, Bow No. 43, was in front.

"Apparently Nick gybed at the top mark and went west, and the other guys, well maybe they didn't cover him but, everything came down to the last race - it was sensational racing," said Ross.

Rogers, who is leading the summer pennant series in Hobart, was thrilled with the win.

"I am so blessed to have such a great crew - Cole, Simon and I just work so well together.

"The racing was fantastic, even in the fluky conditions we had out there.

"We had pressure on us all the way, throughout the whole series, and when you were back down the fleet, you had to fight back, we all did.

"Our win came down to the very last run - we got to the top mark and Cole said we should do a gybe set and go left, which we did, and we picked up four boats along the way - we had the pressure and came blistering down to the finish," said Rogers.

Karabos wins the 2024 SB20 Tasmanian Championship (l-r) Cole Dabner, Nick Rogers and Simon Burrows - photo © Jane Austin

While the win sets Karabos up as the team to beat in the 2024 SB20 Australian Championship, to be sailed at the Port Dalrymple Yacht Club from 23 to 25th of March, he is treating the next event just like any another regatta.

"We will start preparing for the Nationals soon. The fight will be on again, Ares will be hard to beat while Steve Catchpool on Rebellion will be a danger just like he is in the pennant," said Rogers.

Karabos finished the regatta on 13 points, Ares on 14 points and Mind Games in third place on a countback from Wicked, both on 27 points. Wicked, skippered by Chris Keil, and sailing with his son Matt and Steve Henley, won on PHS handicap on 21 points from Rebellion on 24.5 points and Karabos on 25 points.

Overall Results: