Thai Fiji Adventure 2026 at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club
by Carlo Pagano 14 Apr 09:37 BST
20-29 March 2026
Thai Fiji Adventure 2026 © Carlo Pagano
The rigged boats, the screaming Gulf of Thailand and the adrenaline on the starting line. This wasn't just a sailing competition; it was an all-out assault on the water. No one was here to play it safe, but to go hard or go down!
The Gulf of Thailand was set ablaze from March 20 to 29, 2026, as the Royal Varuna Yacht Club hosted the latest chapter of the prestigious Thai Fiji Adventure. This high-octane event, which traces its storied heritage back to the turquoise waters of the Fiji Islands, has spent the last four years evolving into a premier Southeast Asian maritime tradition, transitioning from the open ocean to the tactical challenges of the Gulf. Under the uncompromising 2026 motto "GO HARD OR GO DOWN," twelve elite teams comprising Hobie 16 legends and Dart 18 champions pushed their crafts to the absolute limit.
The seven-day odyssey tested every facet of seamanship, featuring a gruelling schedule of 6 short-course races around the buoys and 12 long-distance marathons weaving through the rugged beauty of the surrounding islands.
The Champions of the Gulf
The competition was fierce, with podium positions often decided by mere seconds of corrected time.
Short Course Dominance: In the sprint format, the Australian duo of Lachlan Macfarlane and Sharon Rayner (Sail No. 119020) showcased masterclass consistency. With three first-place finishes across six races, they claimed the overall Short Course title and were awarded the traditional, hand-carved Fijian War Clubs.
The Long-Distance Grind: When the course stretched toward the horizon, experience reigned supreme. The American pair Mike Montague and Kathy Ward (Sail No. 117871) proved untouchable in the endurance format. Their strategic brilliance secured them the Big Bowl Trophy as the 12-race Long Distance winners.
Veteran Excellence: In a testament to lifelong skill, Mike Montague also steered his way to the Fossil Shield Trophy, a specialised honour reserved for the top-performing Skipper over the age of 65.
National Pride: For their combined excellence and top-tier rankings across both formats, Australia—represented by Lachlan Macfarlane and Sharon Rayner—was crowned the Country Winner for 2026.
The event concluded with a celebratory atmosphere at the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, cementing the Thai Fiji Adventure's reputation as a "must-attend" fixture for the world's most elite multihull sailors. Save the date, book your seat and see you all next year for another crazy Thai Fiji Adventure from 20 to 29 March 2027. The Gulf is waiting. I dare you!
Short Course Results:
| Pos | Class | Sail No | Helm | Crew | Rating | Nat | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | HOBIE16 | 119020 | LACHLAN MACFARLANE | SHARON RAYNER | 832 | AUS | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | (3) | 1 | 8 |
| 2nd | HOBIE16 | 42 | STEFAN RUMPF | WAFA AL HADHRAMI | 832 | OMA | 1 | (DNF) | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
| 3rd | DART18 | 7711 | DAVID LLOYD | SUZY TAMNICHART | 841 | GBR / THA | 3 | 3 | 2 | (5) | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| 4th | HOBIE16 | 117871 | MIKE MONTAGUE | KATHY WARD | 832 | USA | 5 | 1 | 4 | 1 | (DNF) | 4 | 15 |
| 5th | HOBIE16 | 555 | GRAHAME SOUTHWICK | JOSHUA ANANDA KURTZ | 832 | FIJI | 4 | 4 | (6) | 6 | 4 | 5 | 23 |
| 6th | HOBIE16 | 56 | MATTHAEUS WALCHER | LUCA WALCHER | 832 | ITA | (OCS) | 6 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 27 |
| 7th | HOBIE16 | 112322 | DANIEL SLABY | RADKA SLABA | 832 | CZE | 7 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 7 | (8) | 33 |
| 8th | DART18 | 7987 | SIMON LAKE | JA‑AEY LAKE | 841 | THA | 6 | 7 | (8) | 8 | 6 | 6 | 33 |
| 9th | HOBIE16 | 37 | RODGER GEOFFREY CADOUX MARTIN | RICHARD HENRY BOLAM MARTIN | 832 | GBR | 8 | (9) | 9 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 43 |
| 10th | HOBIE16 | 111695 | ANDREW HURRELL | NICHOLAS HURRELL | 832 | AUS | (DNF) | 8 | 10 | 10 | DNF | DNF | 54 |
| 11th | DART18 | 7787 | STEVE TIMMS | | 852 | THA | (DNC) | DNC | 12 | 12 | 9 | 10 | 56 |
| 12th | DART18 | 7722 | JONATHAN MICHAEL SIMS | | 852 | GBR | (DNC) | DNC | 11 | 11 | DNC | DNC | 61 |
Long Distance Results:
| Pos | Class | Sail No | Helm name | Crem Name | Nat | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | Pts |
|---|
| 1st | HOBIE16 | 117871 | MIKE MONTAGUE | KATHY WARD | USA | 1 | 2 | 2 | (5) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | (4) | 17 |
| 2nd | HOBIE16 | 119020 | LACHLAN MACFARLANE | SHARON RAYNER | AUS | 3 | (4) | 1 | 3 | (11) | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 20 |
| 3rd | DART18 | 7711 | DAVID LLOYD | SUZY TAMNICHART | GBR / THA | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | (5) | (6) | 4 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 27 |
| 4th | HOBIE16 | 56 | MATTHAEUS WALCHER | LUCA WALCHER | ITA | 4 | (5) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | (5) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 35 |
| 5th | HOBIE16 | 42 | STEFAN RUMPF | WAFA AL HADHRAMI | OMA | (9) | 7 | 6 | 4 | (10) | RDG | 4 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 45 |
| 6th | HOBIE16 | 555 | GRAHAME SOUTHWICK | JOSHUA ANANDA KURTZ | FIJI | 5 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 3 | (8) | (9) | 6 | 46 |
| 7th | HOBIE16 | 112322 | DANIEL SLABY | RADKA SLABA | CZE | 6 | (9) | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | (8) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 63 |
| 8th | HOBIE16 | 111695 | ANDREW HURRELL | NICHOLAS HURRELL | AUS | 7 | 6 | (9) | 8 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 8 | (10) | 7 | 7 | 8 | 76 |
| 9th | DART18 | 7987 | SIMON LAKE | JA‑AEY LAKE | THA | 8 | 8 | 8 | (9) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 8 | (10) | 78 |
| 10th | HOBIE16 | 37 | RODGER GEOFFREY CADOUX MARTIN | RICHARD HENRY BOLAM MARTIN | GBR | (10) | (DNF) | 10 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 94 |
| 11th | DART18 | 7722 | JONATHAN MICHAEL SIMS | | GBR | 12 | 11 | 11 | (DNC) | 9 | 10 | (DNC) | DNC | 11 | 11 | DNC | DNC | 114 |
| 12th | DART18 | 7787 | STEVE TIMMS | | THA | 11 | 10 | (DNF) | (DNC) | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | DNC | 125 |