Pallas Capital Gold Cup Act 3 Delivers True Grand Prix Racing
by Nic Douglass 27 Apr 06:40 BST
24-26 April 2026
The TP52 Australia fleet made its familiar trip to Sail Port Stephens for Act 3 of the Pallas Capital Gold Cup, delivering three days of racing across a range of formats, from passage racing showcasing boat tuning and moding to tighter, high-pressure contests.
With the TP52s and Super 40s sharing the racetrack once again, the regatta produced close, competitive racing throughout, with positions changing quickly and little margin for error.
Friday's inshore windward-leeward racing saw the fleets balancing patience with precision triggering and boat handling in variable conditions over the delayed three scheduled races. Saturday's passage race shifted racing outside the heads of Port Stephens, with the boats and crews stretching their legs. The single race saw some big moves across the fleet, setting up showdowns for the final day.
Sunday racing returned to the inshore windward-leeward course. The building easterly fluctuated across the course, creating the perfect setting for some classic grand prix racing battles.
Across the three days, Matador, skippered by David Doherty, took top honours in the TP52 fleet, ahead of Smuggler and Zen.
"It was a great weekend," Doherty said. "We were deep at times today, but we managed to fight back.
"The fleet really took it to us. Virago, First Light, they all had their moments, and that's what's making it so good.
"It just keeps bringing the field closer together. You've got to be a good racer to win this series, and that makes it even more valuable.
"I've got to thank the team. Everyone pitches in, we get on well, and it's a really good feeling."
Corinthian honours were taken out by Lee Hawksley, chartering Koa for Act 3 of the Pallas Capital Gold Cup.
In the Super 40 fleet, Karl Kwok's Beau Ideal took the win across the regatta, ahead of Chris Dare's Ambition and John Bacon's Edge.
For Beau Ideal helm Gavin Brady, the conditions and format kept the fleet under constant pressure.
"It was tricky conditions, but that's what these regattas are about, close, action-packed racing," Brady said.
"You don't have to motor miles offshore, you're straight into it, and that's what the owners want. It's fun racing.
"For us, it's a great opportunity to learn the boat against such a range of designs. It's a bit of a box of chocolates, every boat has its moments depending on the conditions."
That variety, combined with the nature of the racing, meant no race was straightforward.
"It's snakes and ladders out there," Brady said. "You have to stay on top of your game, and if you fall behind, you've got to fight your way back."
Across the divisions, the results told a clear story of consistency at the front and tight racing behind. In the TP52 fleet, Doherty's Matador was dominant across both IRC and TPR, winning every race on IRC and finishing on just seven points on TPR. Behind them, Seb Bohm's Smuggler and Gordon Ketelbey's Zen were locked in a close battle for the minor placings across both handicaps, with First Light and Virago also featuring prominently and regularly mixing it at the front of the fleet. With positions changing quickly and margins tight, the racing rewarded teams able to convert opportunities and minimise errors across all six races.
In the Super 40s, Karl Kwok's Beau Ideal delivered a standout regatta, winning ORC and IRC convincingly and taking SFR overall, underlining both speed and consistency across the range of conditions. Behind them, Chris Dare's Ambition and John Bacon's Edge were locked in a tight battle for the minor placings, trading positions across all three handicaps and finishing level on points in IRC, with countbacks separating them. Further back, the fleet showcased its depth and diversity, with boats like Bushranger, Bullwinkle 400 and Little Nico all posting standout individual race results, highlighting the "snakes and ladders" nature of the racing and rewarding teams able to minimise mistakes as much as maximise pace.
Many of the Pallas Capital Gold Cup frontrunners also featured in the NSW IRC Championship, part of Sail Port Stephens, with the TP52s taking out Division 1, and Beau Ideal winning Division 2. Ambition finished third, beating Edge on a countback.
With the final act to be held at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club on 16-17 May, the 2026 Pallas Capital Gold Cup will be decided in a closely contested finale, with the combined TP52 and Super 40 format continuing to prove its value in driving both performance at the top end and pathways into Grand Prix keelboat sailing in Australia.
For more information visit www.GoldCupRegatta.com or www.sailportstephens.com.au
Full results: www.sailportstephens.com.au/results
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Thanks to title sponsor Pallas Capital, and also Zhik for their support of the class.