Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club has made the decision to cancel racing on Day 1 of the Sailing Champions League Asia Pacific Finals 2026, with severe weather conditions impacting Newcastle Harbour.
SailFest, host of the SCL, was set to deliver a high-energy weekend of inshore racing in Elliott 6s, welcoming teams from across Australia and the Asia-Pacific for the Sailing Champions League Asia Pacific Final. However, a Bureau of Meteorology Storm Force Wind Warning for the Hunter Coast has resulted in the suspension of on-water activity for Friday.
Forecast conditions include winds building to 30–45 knots, with gusts of up to 50 knots offshore.
While Newcastle is known for producing exciting and challenging sailing, the safety of competitors, officials, volunteers and club assets remains the highest priority. In line with established safety protocols, racing operations are suspended under Storm Force conditions. The decision was made early to provide clarity for teams who have travelled significant distances to compete.
Skipper of Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club team, Angus Cameron, said the conditions were a reminder of the respect required when racing.
“It’s disappointing not to get racing underway today, but these are serious conditions and the right call has been made. Everyone’s here to compete, but safety always comes first, and we’re looking forward to getting out there as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Representing Cercle Nautique Calédonien, skipper Pierrick Oghino said his team remained eager despite the delay.
“We arrived ready to race and were able to get a feel for the harbour yesterday, which was fantastic. The conditions today are strong, but that’s part of sailing. We’re excited for the weekend ahead and to line up against such a strong fleet.”
Local competitor Arthur ‘Art’ Bell, one of the event’s youngest skippers, said the postponement would only build anticipation for the days ahead.
“Yeah, it’s a bit frustrating, but it’s pretty wild out there so it makes sense. We’ll just reset and be ready to go tomorrow. It should be a good weekend once we get racing.”
Attention now turns to Saturday and Sunday, with racing expected to proceed subject to conditions. While strong winds are forecast to continue, they are anticipated to ease below storm-force thresholds, allowing competition to resume within operational limits.
With a full fleet assembled and crews eager to hit the water, the Elliott 6 format is set to deliver fast, close-quarters racing on Newcastle Harbour, with short races and quick turnarounds keeping spectators engaged from start to finish.
SailFest Newcastle Regatta is proudly supported by City of Newcastle, whose ongoing commitment helps bring major events to the harbour and showcase Newcastle as a premier sailing destination.
Racing is scheduled to continue across the weekend, with spectators able to watch the action from the Honeysuckle foreshore.
For more information, visit sailing-championsleague.asia
