2025 Victorian State Championships
With thanks to our sponsors…
Tight Racing and Tactical Duels Define Adams 10 State Titles at Safety Beach
With thanks to our sponsors Ronstan & Doyle...
The Safety Beach Sailing Club played host to the 2025 Adams 10 Victorian State Championships over the weekend of March 29–30, with seven boats from three clubs braving shifting breezes and tactical challenges across a high-stakes Saturday session.
With Sunday’s forecast predicting strong winds and possible cancellations, race officials made an early call to condense the regatta into a single day of five back-to-back races. Conditions on the Saturday ranged from 8 to 17 knots, with gusts pushing higher and wind direction fluctuating downwind from Arthurs Seat — a combination that tested crews’ skills and decision-making.
The day began under overcast skies at the SBSC clubhouse, where teams gathered for briefings and last-minute preparations. Down at the marina, crews readied their boats, applied sponsor decals, and made their final rigging checks.
Racing got underway with a dramatic start in Race 1, as at least two boats jumped the gun. Despite the early aggression, Will Sheers and his team on Executive Decision found clean air and claimed the first win, narrowly beating Bo Derek (Greg Rowlands) and Ten Past Two (Peter Southwell).
In Race 2, the committee boat flew the Uniform flag to deter false starts, but Organised Chaos was caught over early and disqualified by mere seconds. Executive Decision and Bo Derek again took the top two spots, while Rawhide, helmed by Graeme Sergeant, claimed third.
By Race 3, the gusts had built to near 20 knots. Tactics proved critical in the patchy conditions, and Rawhide rose to the occasion, toppling the favourites to secure the win ahead of Bo Derek and Executive Decision.
Race 4 delivered a shake-up, with David Richards skippering One Out of the Box to a surprise victory—his first as helm of an Adams 10. Executive Decision and Bo Derek rounded out the podium.
With light fading and crews tiring, organisers pushed ahead with Race 5. Executive Decision sealed its dominance, notching a third bullet and securing the championship. Bo Derek took its fourth runner-up finish of the day, while Rawhide completed the top three.
Given the conclusive standings and a deteriorating weather outlook, Sunday’s scheduled Race 6 was officially abandoned.
The final results saw Executive Decision crowned overall champion, followed by Bo Derek in second and Rawhide in third. Notably, One Out of the Box placed fourth overall—a strong debut for Richards, who also claimed a race win.
Under PHS handicap, Bo Derek took top honours, with Rawhide and Executive Decision completing the podium.
Four of the five races were decided by margins of less than 17 seconds, underscoring the high level of competition and close-quarters racing throughout the day.
The SBSC thanked all competitors, officials, volunteers, and sponsors for making the event possible. With growing interest in the class, organisers are optimistic about an even larger fleet at future state titles.
