2026 Interislander Optimist Challenge draws record fleets as girls dominate Starling class at Queen Charlotte Yacht Club

Record numbers in the Optimist fleets and a commanding display by female sailors in the Starling class defined the 2026 Interislander Optimist Challenge and Port Marlborough Youth Classes Regatta, hosted by the Queen Charlotte Yacht Club on 21 and 22 February.

Well over 100 boats competed across the Starling, ILCA 6, Optimist, Splash and 420 classes, with the Optimist division alone accounting for 62 entries. The class was split into open, rainbow and white fleets, with 11 boats in the open, 22 in rainbow and a record 29 in white.

In the Optimist open fleet, Worser Bay Boating Club’s Kester Holmes took overall honours. Nelson Yacht Club’s Alina Romanenko finished second and was the first female sailor home. The rainbow fleet was won by Queen Charlotte Yacht Club’s Aaliya Cameron, who led club-mate Otis Coningham. In the white fleet, Barney Donald of Nelson Yacht Club secured victory, while Grace Hodren, also representing Queen Charlotte, was eighth overall and the top-placed girl.

The Optimists saw a record number of entries. Photos / Lamirana Photography

The Starling fleet was the largest class at the regatta, with 32 boats - the biggest Starling turnout at any South Island event this season. Girls, who made up roughly a third of the fleet, featured prominently in the results.

Charteris Bay Yacht Club’s Lucy Luxford won the regatta outright, claiming four victories from six races and finishing six points clear of Queen Charlotte’s Emily Overend in second. Worser Bay’s Nico Holmes was third. Three of the top five sailors were female, with Mila Blundell fourth and Liam Stack fifth, and in one race, the first five finishers were all girls. 

Six of the top 10 overall were female, most of whom are current or former members of Yachting New Zealand’s Starling Girls Accelerator programme.

The regatta saw the largest Starling fleet at any South Island competition this year. Photos / Lamirana Photography

Queen Charlotte Yacht Club commodore Tony Robb said the regatta had delivered both in numbers and conditions.

“At 32 boats, it was the largest Starling fleet at any South Island regatta this year, and the largest class in a regatta of this size,” Robb said.

“It was champagne sailing over two days, with an easterly seabreeze producing consistent conditions up to 18 knots on day one, turning more variable from the north-west on day two.”

Full results here.