F18 Australian Nationals & World Championships at Jervoise Bay Sailing Club - Days 1 & 2
by Shane Baker 1 Feb 13:53 GMT
27 January – 3 February 2026
With boats from all over Australia — and a few that had clearly travelled a very long way — this was always shaping up to be a cracking regatta.
Nationals/ Pre-World warm up:
The F18 Nationals got off to an entertaining (and occasionally painful) start. Challenging conditions greeted the fleet, and while three races were completed, they were anything but uneventful.
Race 1 began under the dreaded U-flag, which promptly outsmarted a number of sailors—including America's Cup / SailGP legend Glen Ashby. Being over the line proved costly for Bundock/Ashby and several other over-enthusiastic athletes. Brewin took the win, while others took notes... for next time.
Race 2 saw Bundock/Ashby redeem themselves with a win, reminding everyone why they're terrifying when things go right. Race 3 belonged to the outstanding duo Colby/ Colman
Race 3, however, came with a side serving of drama. A wind squall ripped through the fleet, pumping north of 30 knots. Ouch. Several boats broke, and there were unconfirmed reports of injured crews—never the ideal prelude to a World Championship.
Day 2 and Race 4 offered no apologies. Lindell took the win on the two-lap windward-leeward, Burvill claimed second, and Bundock/Ashby rounded out third. Another high-wind squall joined the party, contributing a demasting and several spinnaker pole breakages. The repair tent began to resemble a trauma ward.
The final race of the Nationals ended on a particularly memorable note. Competitor Paul, now sporting a knee brace, reported clocking 24 knots before burying the bows and collecting the sidestay on the way through—tearing his MCL clean off the bone. Six weeks in a brace later, he now holds the unofficial speed-versus-ligaments record.
Enter The Freo Doctor, who took charge. The race committee abandoned further racing for the day, effectively ending the Nationals. A very welcome three-day break followed, allowing crews to repair both boats and humans before the Worlds kicked off.
Enter the World Championships:
With 75 boats entered, the scene was set for a spectacular display of boat handling, strength, endurance, and the pure glamour of F18 sailing. The Freo Doctor made an early appearance and would continue to influence proceedings, adding another tactical layer to an already complex regatta.
The age demographic was impressively broad, ranging from 14 to 81 years old. Special mention goes to the all-female crew of Mia and Annika(16 & 23)—proof that talent doesn't check birth certificates.
Practice Race Antics
Henri from Denmark arrived after sailing an A-Class foiler home and sustaining a foot injury requiring six stitches. Undeterred, he raced the F18 without booties, promptly slicing his other foot—also requiring stitches. His mum, unsurprisingly, was not impressed.
Meanwhile, an American entry suffered hull damage in a T-bone incident. Oops.
The day concluded at the Ridges Hotel Esplanade, Fremantle, for a welcome night. While space was limited, the food was excellent, mermaids made an appearance (as they do), and dignitaries delivered Welcome to Country and opening remarks to competitors and their entourages.
World Championships - Racing Begins
Day 1 - Jan 30
A 30+ degree scorcher, with winds delivering a full tasting platter of conditions.
Race 1 - 10 knots (light and polite):
Brett Burvill / Max Puttman
Darren Bundock / Glen Ashby
Gavin Colby / Kai Colman
Race 2 - 10-12 knots (a touch spicier):
Brett Burvill / Max Puttman
Matt Homan / Kris Bilston
Gonzalez Smith Cruz / Stephan Dekker
Bundock/Ashby narrowly missed the podium, finishing 5th—clearly just warming up.
Race 3 - ~15 knots (now we're talking):
Matt Homan / Kris Bilston
Brett Burvill / Max Puttman
Gonzalez Smith Cruz / Stephan Dekker
Day 2 - Jan 31 (35 degrees, because why not)
Race 4 - 10 knots, ESE, offshore and shifty:
Matt Homan / Kris Bilston
Darren Bundock / Glen Ashby
Gavin Parker / Dan Brown
Race 5 - The Waiting Game:
After a two-hour delay, inland fires created haze and messed with the breeze. Eventually, a 15+ knot SSW arrived, sending the fleet toward the heavily guarded Garden Island (behave yourselves).
Darren Bundock / Glen Ashby
Brin Liddell / Jake Liddell
Gavin Colby / Kai Colman
Race 6 - South again, course change required:
Still windy, though marginally less ferocious.
Darren Bundock / Glen Ashby
Matt Homan / Kris Bilston
Gavin Parker / Dan Brown
At this point, the pointy end of the fleet was very pointy—the top three separated by just four points.
Racing continues... and so does the legend of the Freo Doctor.
Let's see what today brings...
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