World class SB20 sailors to battle it out on the River Derwent
by Jane Austin 26 Mar 12:18 GMT
27-29 March 2026
Porco Rosso and Silver Gull in a close battle on the River Derwent © Jane Austin
Some of the world's best SB20 sailors will be on the River Derwent this weekend chasing the coveted 2026 Australian Championship title.
14 boats will be on the start line with the fleet competing in Open, Women, Masters and Youth Divisions in the 2026 Storm Bay Apparel ®.SB20 Australian Championship in Hobart.
The lure of another SB20 world championship set for 2029 in Hobart has been the catalyst for several skippers to get their bands back together and for some first- timers to jump onboard for their first nationals hit out.
Sydneysiders David "Chappo" Chapman and Harry West, both teammates from the Sydney Hobart winning TP52 Celestial, will be sailing with Tasmanian skipper Michael Cooper on Export Roo.
Cooper and Chapman, who finished second in the 2017 SB20 World Championship in Cowes, will be hoping SB20 newcomer West makes a quick and easy transition from the big keelboat to the 20-foot sportsboat.
Cooper will also be hoping Export Roo makes the distance this year after losing its mast in 30 knots of breeze in the final race of the 2025 Australian Championship.
Porco Rosso, skippered by SB20 Association of Australia President Paul McCartney, with Will Sargent and Eddie Reid, are the defending champions and will be hard to beat in Hobart.
Sargent, who travels the world and is building a great reputation on the professional sailing scene, along with Reid, also an SB20 world champion, knows what it takes to win and will be keen to ensure the lads from Porco Rosso have their names inscribed on the silverware for two years running.
But McCartney will have a target on his back over the three-day event and can expect some tough competition from Karabos, skippered by 2024 national champion Nick Rogers, who is sailing with one of the fleet's most intuitive tacticians, Cole Dabner.
Joining Karabos for the first time in a national championship is GBR sailor, Ian Turnbull, who is currently living with his family in Hobart.
Turnbull is primed for the event after competing in the JJ Giltinan 18ft Skiff World Championship in Sydney recently, so fans can expect some hot competition from team Karabos.
One of the most consistent boats on the water in Hobart in this year's pennant season has been Rebellion, skippered by Class Vice President, Stephen Catchpool, who is sailing with his regular crew of Nick Jones and Lucas Upton.
"We've got a very competitive fleet of sailors; it is hard to predict who will be on the podium at the end of the regatta, but I'd like to think that if we get some consistent breezes on the lighter side, then we are in with a shot," said Catchpool.
But the calibre of this fleet is high with the likes of South Australia's Darren "Twirler" Jones, Sydneysider Paige Caldecoat, and local hot shot, Sam Tiedemann sailing with skipper Eirini Marios on Ares Racing.
The Ares sailors are no strangers to success, with Marios and Caldecoat part of the 2023 World Championship Open and Youth winning teams, while Jones and Tiedemann finished fourth in the 2024 SB20 World Championship in Dubai.
Competition will also be hot in the Youth division with two teams from The Hutchins School Sailing Academy lining up against the Fahan School Alumni team, while Chloe Abel will be skippering Cook Your Own Dinner with mum Jill and will be hoping for a win in the Women's Division.
There are ten races scheduled for the three-day championship. Racing begins at 1pm on Friday 27th of March and 1pm on Saturday and Sunday and will be under the direction of Race Officer, Colleen Darcey.
Keep an eye on the SB20 Australia Facebook page for daily updates and the Derwent Sailing Squadron website for results.