Tasmanian Sabre sailors set for State Championship in Hobart
by Jane Austin 19 Feb 05:39 GMT
21-22 February 2026
Sabres on the start line © Emily Snedden
Tasmanian Sabre sailors are competing in the 2026 Sabre State Championship in Hobart this weekend as part of the 2026 Banjo's Shoreline Crown Series Bellerive Regatta.
The two-day event, sailed on the River Derwent and hosted by the Bellerive Yacht Club, is expecting 20 Sabre sailors on the start line in the largest one-design fleet of the regatta.
Chris Boon, the current Sabre state champion, won last year's title in convincing manner and will be looking for a repeat of his hot form in this year's event.
Tasmanian Sabre Class President, Matt Westland, who will not be contesting the event this year, anticipates a weekend of tight racing, and expects Boon to face tough competition from brothers Jason and Dan Followes and John Cerutty, from the Lindisfarne Sailing Club, and Chris Keil representing Midway Point Yacht Club.
Richard Bingham will also have a competitive edge following a strong performance in the 47th Sabre National Titles that were held in Queensland in January this year.
"I'm wrapped to see the diversity in the Sabre fleet- from those starting out to veterans who have sailed their whole life, there's a spot in the fleet for all," said Westland.
Sabre sailor Jo-Anne Verrier, who won the 2025 Crown Series prize for determination and good spirit, is looking forward to her fourth state title contest in as many years and is taking a new boat into this weekend's event.
"For me, I love the sense of freedom and mental escape that I get through Sabre sailing, and I enjoy the challenges of competition racing.
"Over the last 12 months, I've bought a new fibreglass Sabre which I have been getting used to as it has such a different feel to my older wooden boat.
"I've also been working had on my start line tactics, under guidance from Matt [Westland], and have been racing against the Lindisfarne Sabre sailors a bit more just to get better experience in larger fleets," said Verrier.
The fleet will race a minimum of three races and a maximum of seven races over Saturday and Sunday with the first warning signal at 1pm on both days.
Championship titles up for grabs this weekend include the Open Sabre Championship, Women, Junior, and Veteran titles, and performance handicap.
The Sabre dinghy was designed in Australia by Rex Fettell OAM to suit the choppy conditions of Port Lonsdale in Victoria and is the largest single-handed non-Olympic Class in Australia with Sabre Associations established in each state.
The fibreglass or plywood dinghy is light, simple, comfortable and easy to build and is suitable for all ages and is an excellent option for sailors transitioning between junior dinghy sailing and competitive sailing dinghies like the NS14.
The Sabre Class is hosted in several locations across Tasmanian including Midway Point, Deviot on the Tamar River, Montrose Bay and now at the Bellerive Yacht Club after the transition of the Lindisfarne Sailing Club to the new location on Kangaroo Bay.
Sailors wishing to join the Class or to reignite their passion for single-handed Sabre dinghy sailing can contact Matt Westland at mattwestland88@gmail.com.
The weekend is shaping up well for the fleets with mixed breezes and warm temperatures forecast.
Keep up to date with all the action from the regatta via the Bellerive Yacht Club Facebook page and website at byc.org.au/racing/banjos-shoreline-crown-series.
About the Crown Series
The Banjo's Shoreline Crown Series Bellerive three-day regatta is Tasmania's biggest combined keelboat and off-the-beach (OTB) sailing regatta open to sailors of all ages and Classes.
This year's event will also include the Tasmanian Yachting Championship for keelboats, which the BYC is hosting on behalf of Australian Sailing-Tasmania until 2028.
Racing runs from Friday the 20th of February until Sunday 22nd February for keelboats, while the Off-The-Beach Classes run over the weekend.
Sailors, supporters and the broader Bellerive community will also have access to a full program of onshore entertainment at the Bellerive Yacht Club.