CYCA crowned Australian Women's Match Racing National Champions
by Jordan Reece 16 Sep 17:48 BST
10-13 September 2026
2026 Australian Women's Match Racing Championship © Tidal Media Australia
CYCA's Chelsea Williams has claimed the Australian Women's Match Racing Championship after a dominant three-day performance in Fremantle, WA.
Sailing with Maddy McLeay, Paige Caldecoat, Clare Cini and Ali Braden, Williams saved her best for the knockout stages, defeating local Sophie Jackson (FSC, WA) 3-1 in the semi final before producing a commanding 3-0 victory over Mia Lovelady (RFBYC, WA) in the finals.
Fellow CYCA Club member Heidi Ferguson secured fifth place after defeating Kirstin Norris (SoPYC, WA) 2-0 in the 5th/6th playoff.
The championship was a hard-fought battle between six of Australia's leading women's match racing teams, with Williams and Lovelady emerging as the early pacesetters after the opening round robin.
Both skippers finished the first stage with four wins from five matches, with Isabella Holdsworth (RPAYC, NSW) close behind on 3-2.
Williams continued her strong form in the second round robin, adding three more wins to her tally to sit on 7-3 alongside Lovelady at the top of the leaderboard.
With everything still to play for heading into the third round robin, Williams again delivered when it mattered, recording three wins and securing top spot heading into the knockout stages.
Williams then faced Sophie Jackson in the semi final and immediately stamped her authority on the series, winning the opening two matches.
Jackson fought back in the third, but Williams responded in the fourth to close out the series 3-1 to book her place in the championship final.
The second semi final between Mia Lovelady and Isabella Holdsworth was also tightly contested, with Lovelady eventually prevailing 3-1 to earn her place alongside Williams in the final.
Holdsworth bounced back in the petit final, overcoming Jackson 2-1 to secure third overall.
The final brought together the two standout performers who had been locked together since Day 1.
There was little separating the pair heading into the series, but Williams proved too strong when it counted.
She won the opening match, backed it up in the second and then completed the sweep in the third to seal a 3-0 finals series result and claim the Australian Women's Match Racing National Championship.
For Williams and her team, it was the perfect finish to a championship built on consistency, pressure and composure across three days of racing.
"We've had a great week here in Perth," Williams said.
"Fremantle is a great place to sail and we saw a range of conditions across the three days.
"After a really disappointing result last week in Sydney (in the CYCA's John Messenger Women's Match Racing Regatta), it was great to bounce back and take out our first national title as a team."