The CYCA Youth Sailing Academy conducts a range of events throughout the year. Please see information below for our 2025 season:
Kellett Shield: 31 May 2025
The Kellett Shield was donated to the CYCA Youth Sailing Academy in 1993 by Australian Sailing & CYCA Life Member, David Kellett. This fleet racing event, is a friendly in-house competition for the CYCA Advanced Squad teams. The format for the event consists of a maximum of six fleet races with mandatory crew rotation through each position for each race. The event is open to YSA Members only.
CYCA Match Cup: 28 June 2025
The CYCA Match Cup is the opening match racing event for the 2025 / 26 season. The World Sailing Grade 5 event is open to all competitors and features a round robin format followed by Finals series.
Interclub Challenge: 29 June 2025
Created in 2001 as a way to help identify and build youth sailors experience in fleet racing events, the Interclub Challenge is a fleet racing series contested by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron with each Club hosting a stage of the series. Each stage consists of up to two teams from each Club, participating in a maximum of six races per stage.
Captain John Piper Regatta: 19 – 20 July 2025
The Captain John Piper Regatta is a two-day World Sailing Grade 4 event hosted in July. Entries are open to all teams. Since its inception, the regatta was supported by CYCA Member, Dean Harrigan, who sadly passed away in 2022.
NSW Youth Match Racing Championship: 30 – 31 August 2025
Since its inception in 2001, the CYCA has hosted every NSW Youth Match Racing Championship. This is a two day, World Sailing Grade 4 event. Only two yacht clubs have ever won the trophy, with Hunter Academy Sport winning the inaugural event. Since then the CYCA has won the past 22 events.
John Messenger Women’s Match Racing Regatta: 6 – 7 Sept 2025
The John Messenger Women’s Match Racing Regatta has been conducted annually since 1996 and is open to female teams of 4 or 5 sailors. This year the regatta will be a World Sailing Grade 3 event.
The event is supported by CYCA Member Margot Connors with up to 10 teams invited to compete.
In 2018, the trophy was rededicated as the John Messenger Trophy after John sadly passed away in September 2017. John was a proud CYCA Member and was dedicated to the sport of sailing and to this Club – championing both the CYCA’s Youth and Women’s programs.
Helly Hansen International: 19 – 23 January 2026
The Helly Hansen International continues to be the premier match racing event on Australia’s East Coast. Ten international teams will compete for the ‘Joy Ride’ Trophy with crews under the age of 25. The event will be Australia’s only World Sailing Grade 2 event.
