A puffy 10-15 knot south-westerly breeze set the scene for a sparkling opening day of the 2026 Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup Passage Series. With 124 boats lining up for the spectacular downwind start off Nelson Bay breakwall, the big fleet was split into four manageable divisions. Division 1’s 28 entries featured an eclectic mix,…
The 2026 Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup Passage Series gets underway tomorrow, marking the 19th year of one of Australia’s premier offshore sailing events – and it’s shaping up to be the largest yet. A record-breaking fleet of around 124 starters will hit the line immediately off Nelson Bay’s breakwall, making this year’s edition even…
Sublime sailing weather on Day 2 of the Sail Port Stephens 2025 Performance Series was followed by a ridiculous amount of rain and wind today, with no further racing allowed. It meant that overnight results for the NSW Yachting Championship, TP52 Pallas Gold Cup Act 3, Super RC Series and Rob Hampshire Trophy (ORC) all…
Day 1 of the 2025 Sail Port Stephens Performance Series yesterday had a bit of everything – highly competitive racing on- and offshore, tropical islands, fluctuating tides, fluctuating fortunes and a hint of controversy. The inaugural Super RC Division start off Nelson Bay breakwall created an impressive sight for spectators who’d earlier attended Anzac Day…
Having been on cruise control earlier this month for the Commodores Cup Passage Series, Sail Port Stephens 2025 now goes up a gear for the Performance Series starting tomorrow (April 25) and running through to Sunday. Four major trophies are up for grabs – the NSW Yachting Championships with nine entries, Pallas Capital Gold Cup…
It was a fitting finale to the 2025 Sail Port Stephens Passage Series (Commodores Cup), with crews aboard the 105 yachts enjoying the kind of premium sailing conditions that attracts boats from as far as the Gold Coast and Melbourne to the event. An 18-knot westerly provided plenty of horsepower at the downwind kite start off…
With the switch flicked to signature Sail Port Stephens conditions, sunshine and a light south-westerly, the stage was set for a banner edition of the 2025 Passage Series on Thursday. Appropriately, the course took the big fleet out of Port Stephens then on scenic laps around Cabbage Tree, Little and Boondelbah islands before returning between…
Everything else being equal, it’s hard to beat local knowledge as demonstrated on Day 3 of the Sail Port Stephens Commodores Cup Passage Series. The combination of a stronger-than-forecast south-westerly and a powerful incoming tide pushing into a rain-swollen Port Stephens catchment set the scene for some white eyeball moments on the five divisional start…
With the remnants of an East Coast Low still generating 4.5m monster swells off the twin sentinel headlands marking the entrance to Port Stephens, the Race Committee overseeing the Sail Port Stephens Passage Series wisely opted for a course within the huge and spectacular waterway. A brisk south-south-westerly of 15- 20 knots ensured a press…
Wet we got, wind not so much, as Race 1 of the Commodores Cup Passage series kicked off Sail Port Stephens for its 17th year, with the five divisions enjoying an action-packed race instead of retiring to the local cafes and pubs. The call to sail was greeted with cheers, and the Pub-to-Pub course took…