Sunshine Coast Radio Sailing Club
DF65 Fun ‘Long Line’ Race Day Report – 23rd May 2026
What a day for DF65 racing on the Sunshine Coast!
Blue skies, sunshine, temperatures around 20°C, and a solid breeze averaging 25 km/h with gusts pushing close to 30 km/h created spectacular racing conditions for the biggest DF65 regatta held in Queensland in 2026.
With 26 boats entered from seven different clubs, the Sunshine Coast Radio Sailing Club delivered an unforgettable day of competition, camaraderie, laughs, close finishes, and some seriously exciting sailing.
The B Rigs were definitely the order of the day, with the fresh breeze keeping skippers busy from the very first start right through to the final race. The big fleets produced crowded start lines, tactical mark roundings, plenty of overtaking opportunities, and enough excitement to keep competitors and spectators entertained all day long.
A huge congratulations goes to organiser Mark Lewis and race officer Derek Warne, who, together with a fantastic team of volunteers, ran an outstanding regatta. Events like this simply do not happen without an army of helpers behind the scenes, and the entire club should be proud of what they achieved.
Special thanks also go to the cooks who kept everyone fueled throughout the day, and to Jenny, & Richard who filmed virtually every race. The YouTube videos will be released shortly, and competitors are in for an extra 10 hours of viewing, analysis, laughs, and probably a few “what was I thinking there?” moments as well.
One of the highlights of the regatta was the wildly entertaining “Around the World” novelty race. Half the fleet sailed clockwise while the other half went anticlockwise, producing some incredibly close crossings, tactical chaos, near misses, and roaring laughter from both competitors and spectators. Somehow everyone survived, and the finishes were unbelievably close. It was one of those races that reminded everyone why radio sailing is such a fantastic sport.
But perhaps the best part of the entire regatta was the camaraderie. Whether on the water, in the pits, or around the BBQ, the atmosphere was relaxed, friendly, and supportive all day long. Competitors shared tuning tips, stories, laughs, and encouragement, proving once again that DF65 sailing is as much about friendships as it is about results.
Top 10 Results
After a full day of tough racing, the final standings were:
- Mike Jefferys – 38 points
- Andrew Gibbs – 43 points
- Gary Metcalfe – 58 points
- Don Horton – 74 points
- Nick Taylor – 75 points
- Tony Silver – 87 points
- Stephen Sherring – 103 points
- Will Thomson – 105 points
- Michael Hickman – 115 points
- Doug Turner – 123 points
Congratulations to podium placegetters Mike, Andrew, and Gary, who all sailed exceptionally well in the strong and gusty conditions.
Mike Jefferys sailed consistently throughout the regatta with a string of top finishes and crucial low scores early in the series that proved decisive. Andrew Gibbs was extremely fast all day and kept the pressure on right to the very end, while Gary Metcalfe produced some outstanding race wins and spectacular recoveries to secure third place overall.
There were race wins spread throughout the fleet, with Will Thompson, Michael Hickman, Nick Taylor, Tony Silver, Andrew Gibbs, Gary Metcalfe and Mike Jefferys all taking bullets during the regatta, highlighting just how competitive the racing was across the entire fleet.
At the presentation, Mike Jefferys was awarded the now-famous plastic yellow sheep for first place, producing plenty of laughs and becoming one of the most talked-about trophies of the day. The “Sheep Nation” spirit was alive and well, although it was suggested that a few sheep escaped the paddock during the excitement of the racing!
Overall, this was a truly outstanding regatta — fantastic racing, fantastic people, and a fantastic atmosphere.
Well done to everyone involved, and we look forward to doing it all again next year.
Report courtesy of Mike Jeffreys
Scores
https://www.sailscores.com/SCRSC/Regatta/2026/df65-long-line-fun-regatta