Skip to main content
Time to race start
00 days
:
00 hours
:
00 mins
:
00 secs

Smuggler Claims Overall Victory as Light Winds Test the Fleet in Tollgate Islands Race

Home 2026 Smuggler Claims Overall Victory as Light Winds Test the Fleet in Tollgate Islands Race

Article Image

The third race of the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore delivered a test of patience and perseverance, as lighter-than-forecast conditions turned the 260-nautical-mile Tollgate Islands Race into a prolonged offshore contest along the NSW coast.

news
—

Sebastian Bohm’s TP52 Smuggler emerged victorious, claiming her first overall win of the season after crossing the finish line second on Line Honours. To no surprise, Rob Appleyard’s R/P69 Moneypenny continued her dominant run at the front of the fleet, securing her second consecutive Line Honours victory this season.

The fleet started at 1700 hours on Friday 16 October in a moderate easterly of 12–15 knots, with forecasts suggesting the breeze would ease overnight before building again along the coast. Instead, competitors encountered prolonged periods of light and shifting breeze, particularly around Tollgate Islands and along the return leg north through the Illawarra region.

The challenging conditions slowed the fleet considerably, with many competitors spending much of Sunday working their way towards Sydney and finishing well into the evening and overnight. Seven yachts ultimately retired, with Magic withdrawing due to crew illness, Wots Next suffering mainsheet damage, and Atraxia, Inner Circle, MWF Kayle, Ragtime and Toucan retiring due to time constraints.

Moneypenny.    Photo: CYCA | Ashley Dart

Moneypenny Leads, Smuggler Takes the Overall Win

As expected, Moneypenny proved the fastest yacht around the course, crossing the finish line at 2020 hours on Saturday evening after one day, three hours, 20 minutes and 15 seconds of racing.

Back 2 Black made an early impression off the start, leading the charge in the opening stages, but as the breeze faded, Smuggler maintained her pace in the lighter conditions to secure the overall victory on corrected time.

For Smuggler, the result marks her first overall win of the 2026/27 season. As the 2024/25 Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore champion, the performance provides a strong platform heading into the Rolex Sydney Hobart, where a highly competitive fleet of TP52s is expected to line up on Boxing Day. 

The result highlighted how dramatically the conditions reshaped the race. With the majority of the fleet slowed by light airs, corrected-time performance became more about the boats who were able to maintain the pace throughout the long race.

Disko Trooper.    Photo: CYCA | Ashley Dart

Disko Trooper Fights Back to Win Two Divisions

One of the standout performances came from Jules Hall’s J/99 Disko Trooper, which recovered from a difficult opening to finish sixth overall and claim victory in both IRC Double Handed and IRC Division 2.

After an individual recall at Friday’s start and last yacht out the Harbour, the Double Handed crew showed considerable resilience to sail their way back into contention, including the competition amongst their fellow J/99s. Their performance reinforces Disko Trooper’s position as one of the leading contenders in the season-long pointscore.

The result was particularly significant given the strength of the competition across the fleet, with the light and shifting breeze demanding consistent decision-making over more than two days at sea.

Back to Black.    Photo: CYCA | Ashley Dart

Results Overview

  • IRC: Smuggler, Moneypenny, Back 2 Black 
  • PHS: Smuggler, Moneypenny, Caol Ila 
  • IRC Corinthian*: Disko Trooper (DH), Kanreki, Supernova 
  • Wild Rose IRC*: Kanreki, Vixen Racing, Ragtime 
  • Double-Handed IRC: Disko Trooper (DH), Verite (DH), Jupiter (DH)
  • Double-Handed PHS: Verite (DH), Jupiter (DH), Disko Trooper (DH)

 

Note results are currently provisional due to a protest lodged by Caol Ila against Kanreki that is set to be heard on Thursday evening.

Pointscore Battle Tightens

With three races completed, the contest for the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore championship is developing into a close battle between Disko Trooper and Back 2 Black.

Disko Trooper sits on eight points, with Back 2 Black close behind on 11. Their performances in the Tollgate Islands Race have kept both yachts firmly in the hunt as the fleet approaches the final stretch of preparation for the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Next Up

The Tollgate Islands Race offered a timely reminder that offshore racing rarely unfolds exactly as forecast. What began with a promising easterly breeze became a drawn-out test of endurance, tactical judgement and crew management, with the fleet forced to adapt as the wind faded and shifted along the coast.

Next on the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore calendar is the Bird Island Race on Saturday 14 November, the shortest race of the series. The 83-nautical-mile challenge races north up to Bird Island off Norah Head and a return leg to Sydney.  

With entries for the Rolex Sydney Hobart closing this Friday 23 October at 1700 hours AEDT, the countdown to the final blue water showdown is firmly underway.