SB20 Singapore

2026 SB20 Mayhem Regatta Match Report
Sunday 17 May 2026, Raffles Marina, Singapore

After Day 1 was washed out, Race Officer Jonathon Kwek delivered an outstanding day of racing, expertly squeezing in five back-to-back races to ensure a full and competitive regatta. With five SB20s on the water, the fleet was treated to tight, tactical racing that kept positions changing throughout the day.

TARA took the regatta honours with a commanding and consistent performance, posting four race wins and a second to finish on a net score of just 4 points. Agoston proved adept at reading the shifting winds and tidal conditions, making smart gains throughout the day to hold off a determined challenge from the fleet.

Steve Kennedy and The Sidewalk Cafe team put in a solid series, claiming the Race 3 win and a triplet of second places to finish second overall on 7 net points. The Sidewalk Cafe was never far from the front and kept the pressure on TARA all day, ultimately falling just three points short of the top step.

NUS’ LumiNUS had a day of what-ifs. An unfortunate hook-up on the top mark in Race 1 while leading converted a near-certain first into a last, effectively costing the team the regatta. To their credit, Lee Wonn Kye and crew bounced back strongly, posting a pair of second places and two third positions across the remaining races to secure third overall with 10 net points — a result that could easily have been much better.

Sebastian Zilm on Sea U Later showed genuine pace throughout the day, leading at multiple stages of several races but was unable to convert those promising positions into results. A frustrating day on the scoreline for a boat clearly capable of being in the mix at the front, finishing fourth overall on 15 net points.

SMU’s SMURF crew were recognised as the most improved team of the day. Phang Sze Ting and the team showed encouraging development across the five races, and if that trajectory continues, they will be ones to watch at future events.

Summary

Five races, five boats, and a day of close and exciting racing made for a memorable Mayhem Regatta. After post-racing refreshments on the dock, there was plenty to talk about — from near-misses to mark-roundings that turned the race on its head.

A huge thank you to Singapore Sailing, Race Officer Jonathon Kwek and his team, and the Raffles Marina crew led by Boon for putting on a fantastic regatta and making everyone feel so welcome.

Overall Winner: TARA - Agoston Sipos
Second Place: The Sidewalk Cafe - Steve Kennedy
Third Place: LumiNUS - Lee Wonn Kye
Most Improved: SMURF - Phang Sze Ting

Sailed: 5 races | Discards: 1 | Scoring: Appendix A

SingaporeSailing Raffles Marina SB20 Class

SB20 Sailors! Don't miss your chance to dominate on the water! Tight racing and maximum adrenaline await at the Mayhem Regatta! Gather your crew and register now to secure your spot in the lineup. Let's make some noise!

🔗 Register by 8 May 2026 at https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/documents/14494/event

📍 Raffles Marina

SB20 Sailors! Don't miss your chance to dominate on the water! Tight racing and maximum adrenaline await at the Mayhem Regatta! Gather your crew and register now to secure your spot in the lineup. Let's make some noise!

🔗 Register by 8 May 2026 at https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/documents/14494/event

📍 Raffles Marina

Ready to embrace the Mayhem? SB20 racers, prepare for tight racing and big winds! Let's make some noise on the water!

Notice of Race, Sailing Instructions, and registration now available 👉 https://www.racingrulesofsailing.org/documents/14494/event

At SB20 Singapore, we believe in the power of the water to bring people together. ⛵️ We were thrilled to partner with ONE15 Marina for a special SB20 Fun Sail, giving members a hands-on opportunity to experience the thrill of sailing. It’s our way of giving back and growing the local sailing family! 🌊✨ ONE15 Marina

SB20 Asia Pacific Championships 2026 Race Report

A Championship Won on Count-Back, Nerve, and Pace

The 2026 SB20 Asia Pacific Championships unfolded as a true East Coast heavyweight contest: fresh breeze throughout, relentless planing conditions, and a leaderboard that refused to settle until the very last calculation was made.

Day 1 – An Early Statement, but No Escape

The opening races immediately delivered high-speed SB20 racing at its best. Daire O’Reilly on Another Incident wasted no time laying down a marker, winning Race 1 decisively, then backing it up with a second and another win across the opening set. It was a statement start in conditions that rewarded confidence and precision.

But he was never allowed to slip away.

Agoston Sipos on Tara responded immediately, bouncing back from a tough opener to take Race 2, keeping himself firmly in contention. Close behind, Muhamad Uzair Amin on X-press Feeders showed excellent pace and consistency, while Ewan McEwan (Fugazi) quietly put together solid scores that kept him hovering just off the podium places.

By the end of Day 1, it was already clear this would not be a runaway. The fleet was tight, the breeze was up, and fortunes were changing fast.

Day 2 – Swings, Comebacks, and Costly Setbacks

If Day 1 hinted at volatility, Day 2 confirmed it.

Another Incident remained quick but was no longer bulletproof. A pair of deeper scores crept onto Daire’s scoreline, opening the door for the rest of the fleet. Tara took full advantage, stringing together a run of consistently strong finishes and briefly seizing momentum at the top of the leaderboard.

Further down, X-press Feeders produced one of the standout performances of the regatta, winning races and climbing into serious podium contention, before suffering a late retirement that would ultimately cost them dearly.

Elsewhere, the swings and roundabouts were brutal. Steven Kennedy (The Sidewalk Cafe) recovered impressively from an opening-day setback to post strong mid-fleet and upper-fleet results, while Evan Seet (NUS Purple Patch) showed flashes of real pace, including a second place, only to see progress undone by retirements and redress complications.

By the dock that evening, the leaderboard had compressed even further. Discards were coming into play, calculators were already out, and nothing at the top was settled.

Day 3 – A Dead Heat at the Top

The final day delivered the highest-pressure racing of the regatta. With the breeze still fresh and boats charging fully lit down the runs, Daire O’Reilly and Agoston Sipos traded blows race for race. Neither blinked. Wins, seconds, and thirds were exchanged with remarkable symmetry, each skipper responding immediately to the other’s good results.

By the final finish, the unthinkable but entirely appropriate outcome emerged:
Another Incident and Tara were tied on points.

The championship came down to count-back.

On that basis, the title went to Daire O’Reilly, securing victory for Another Incident by the narrowest possible margin. It was a result that perfectly captured the regatta – relentless, uncompromising, and decided only after every decimal place had been considered.

Behind them, X-press Feeders held onto third overall, despite their late setback, underlining the strength of their performance across the week. Fugazi, helmed by Ewan McEwan, delivered one of the most consistent campaigns in the fleet to finish fourth, rarely spectacular but always in the hunt.

Depth of Fleet and Standout Efforts

The regatta also highlighted the growing depth of the Asia Pacific fleet. University teams, including NUS Purple Patch, NUS Pocapena, NUS LumiNUS, and NTU, took on demanding, high-speed conditions and came away with valuable results, improving visibly as the regatta progressed.

Not every campaign ran smoothly. Retirements, DNSs, and penalties proved costly for several teams, a reminder that in fresh conditions, survival and seamanship are as important as raw speed.

Race Management and Organisation

Throughout the championship, Jonathan Kwek and the Race Officer team delivered excellent race management, setting fair and challenging courses in conditions that could easily have overwhelmed lesser operations. Their judgement ensured proper racing right through the event.

Ashore, James Roy, Debbie Ong, and the ONE15 organising team ran a faultless regatta. From logistics to socials, the event flowed seamlessly – a hallmark of a championship done properly.

As if the racing itself wasn’t enough, the regatta finished with a final seamanship examination. Boats ran back to the marina in gusty conditions and standing waves, crews focused and tired, but fully engaged. It was a fitting end to a championship that demanded respect from start to finish.

Prize giving brought the fleet together, with Freddie Hall adding a touch of RYS class while handing out the podium prizes. Formalities were observed just long enough before the fleet’s sense of humour reasserted itself, with memorable “down-downs” for the class reprobates ensuring the evening ended on exactly the right note.

The quality of racing, the depth of the fleet, and the mix of experienced campaigners and emerging teams all pointed in the same direction: the SB20 class in Asia Pacific is moving forward at pace. With competitive numbers, great venues, and a fleet that clearly relishes fast, challenging racing, the outlook for the 2026 season is exceptionally bright.

This championship felt less like a culmination and more like a launch pad, and there is real excitement about building on this energy, growing participation, and taking the class to even greater heights in the year ahead.

📷: Freddie Hall Tony Holman