Sailor Girl HQ - Nic Douglass

11/01/2026

Peter “Billy” Merrington, Ian McKillop and Tom Fountain have won the TLC Healthcare Etchells Australasian Summer Championship, the first part of the Festival of Sails 2026.

“Firstly, thanks to these guys, Ian and Tom, they’ve done an amazing job,” said First Tracks skipper Peter “Billy” Merrington.

“Congratulations to the placegetters, Chris, Nigel and Jake, and Jeanne-Claude and her team. They gave us a good push as always, and the standard across the fleet was very high.

“I’d also like to thank Peter Walsh and the race management team for great work setting courses in tough conditions, and thanks to the club. Hopefully this becomes a very permanent regatta leading into the World Championship here in 2029.”

🥇 First Tracks (AUS1485)
🥈 Tiger (AUS1524)
🥉 Flying Higher (AUS1518)

Full report thanks to Sail-World here: https://www.sail-world.com/news/292881/Etchells-Australasian-Summer-Championship-overall

Full mini episode of yesterday's racing on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/49BEwgMqUqo?si=vttsbLCSsVjrUaVi

Thanks to TLC Healthcare, naming rights sponsor of the regatta, and the supporting sponsors Zhik and North Sails with prizes. Additionally, a big thank you to the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, the Race Management team and all of the volunteers who worked behind the scenes to make the event happen.

📷

10/01/2026

From legends to the next generation ⚓️
We kick off with John Bertrand AO, reflecting on racing in Geelong and the Finn trials ahead of the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Fast-forward to today with Evie McDonald, the first Youth Ambassador for the Festival of Sails in 2024, alongside local sailing icon Chris Manton.

Three perspectives, one message: Geelong is an incredible place to sail. We’re counting down to the next chapter of the Festival of Sails, starting 24 January.

⏰ Entries close today: www.festivalofsails.com.au

🎥

10/01/2026

From sailors with three sessions in an Etchells to those joking about “one million years ago,” this fleet is stacked with experience, enthusiasm, and a whole lot of love for their class.

Why Etchells?
Why Geelong?
Because the racing is tight, the learning never stops, and the flat water keeps the fleet close with passing lanes always open.

Hear from Chris Hampton (Tango AUS1466), Nigel Abbott (Tiger AUS1524), Michael Bellingham (Avalon AUS1447), Peter Stubbings (Men’s Shirts Short Skirts AUS1141), John Kelly (Jac Hoi AUS1317), Peter Robson (Playing Around 3 AUS1444), Peter Bellingham, Gordon & Charlie Maguire (Ripping Yarns AUS1449), Jeanne-Claude Strong (Flying Higher AUS1518), Peter “Billy” Merrington (First Tracks AUS1485), David Dunn (Great White Hunter AUS1483), Matthew & Ryan Fisk (Surprise AUS1361), and John Bertrand (Triad2020 AUS1478).

📍 TLC Healthcare Etchells Australasian Championship, Festival of Sails
📸 Nic Douglass & Josh Baird - Sailor Girl HQ - Nic Douglass

09/01/2026

With the wild weather in Victoria today, I took the opportunity to be guided by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club Commodore, Paul "Bucky" Buchholz through the new Victorian Sailing Centre. It is an immense facility, with incredible amenities which will be amazing for the upcoming Festival of Sails, including the "Sailors Lounge".

Additionally, while on-site for the TLC Etchells Australasian Summer Championships, I know this will be amazing for regattas at the RGYC, from junior events just past like the Cadets, to the Etchells World Championship in 2029.

Incredible for sailing.

🎥 / Sailor Girl HQ - Nic Douglass 🚁

08/01/2026

Three races down and it’s close at the top at the TLC Healthcare Etchells Australasian Championship.

After a windy start and shifting breeze, First Tracks leads on countback from Tango, with Flying Higher charging after two wins.

Watch the full Mini Episode on YouTube.
🎥
📸 Nic Douglass & Josh Baird

08/01/2026

Day 1 delivered classic Etchells racing at the TLC Healthcare Etchells Australasian Championship, part of Festival of Sails 2026 🌊

From a delayed start and 20 knots in Race 1 to tricky, shifting breeze in Race 3, the fleet was put through its paces. AUS1485 First Tracks skippered by Peter "Billy" Merrington with Ian McKillop and Tom Fountain lead after three races on a countback, tied on eight points with Chris Hampton's AUS1466 Tango, sailing with Charlie Cumbley and Sam Haines, while AUS1518 Flying Higher's, Jeanne-Claude Strong, Sam Newton and Seve Jarvin sits in third after claiming two race wins.

With just 11 points separating first to seventh, it’s all on heading into the next three days of racing. As Billy Merrington said after racing "there is a lot of racing to go".

Swipe through the top selects from today, and stand by for the Mini Episode of today’s racing 🎥⛵️

📊 Full results here: https://topyacht.net.au/results/rgyc/2026_Etchells_Aus_Summ_Champs/index.htm?ty=41659

📸 Images by Sailor Girl HQ - Nic Douglass

07/01/2026

A final Hobart as flagship for STS Young Endeavour. Next the Young Endeavour heads to the Festival of Sails, where she’ll serve as official start boat for the Holiday Inn & Suites Geelong, Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race on 24 January.

I’m on the ground in Geelong and ready for Festival of Sails starting with the TLC Healthcare Etchells Australasian Summer Championship which kicks off today!
Entries are open until Sunday www.festivalofsails.com.au 💥

See you soon ⛵️

🎥 / / /

07/01/2026

Rain, wind, no wind, waiting, more waiting, and the final reward. That’s the wrap on the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart 🏁
🔗 www.sailorgirlhq.com/rshyr2025

128 started. 93 finished.We followed the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart, from pre-start to last finisher.Dock walk. Helicopters. Live streams. Finishes. Independen...

06/01/2026

128 started. 93 finished.
We followed the 80th Rolex Sydney Hobart, from pre-start to the last finisher.

Dock walk. Helicopters. Live streams. Finishes. Independent race coverage produced by Sunset Media and published via Sailor Girl HQ.

We strive to add something to the Great Race at every step, if we did that for you sharing it is the best way to support what we do.

Thank you to all behind the scenes for their work, the organising committees, the volunteers and Rolex 💛 To our Hobart home, the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Musto Australasia and Highfield Boats Pacific who support us personally, thank you for believing in what we do - Nic 🏁

▶️ Full recap on YouTube
🔗 Re-live the Race sailorgirlhq.com/rshyr2025

06/01/2026

Behind-the-scenes at the Rolex Sydney Hobart finish ⚓️ Our live finish live streams were just the beginning.

The full chats are now live. You saw bits in the highlights, but this is everything else. Extended cuts, press pit moments, and casual conversations from the dock.

Full wrap drops tomorrow — one week since the last finisher 🏁

Behind-the-scenes at the Sydney Hobart finish ⚓️Our live finish line streams were just the beginning.The full chats — you saw bits in the highlights, but thi...