McDowall Takes Control After Day 2 at Marblehead Australian Championship
The 2026 International Marblehead Class Australian Championship continued today at Emerald Lakes on Queensland’s Gold Coast, with a full schedule of racing completed, setting the stage for a decisive final day tomorrow.
Hosted by the Paradise Radio Yacht Club, the 19-boat fleet began the day racing in an east to east-south-east breeze, initially under A rigs, before the wind quickly strengthened, forcing a change to B rigs where the fleet remained for the majority of the day. Conditions reached the top end of B rig range during the middle races before moderating slightly later in the afternoon, providing a demanding and varied test for competitors.
Victorian skipper Lincoln McDowall (AUS 97, F6) has emerged as the new overall leader following a superb Day 2 performance. Starting the day in second place, McDowall delivered an exceptional series that included five race wins, finishing the day on 18 nett points, and establishing a 14-point lead heading into the final day.
South Australia’s Brett Osborn (AUS 79, Grunge) holds second place on 32 points, continuing his consistent regatta and remaining firmly in podium contention.
Overnight leader Greg Torpy (QLD, AUS 25, Grunge) now sits in third place, also on 32 points, after another solid day on the water. Torpy remains well placed and will be looking to regain ground when racing resumes.
Andrew Reid (VIC) holds fourth place on 57 points, while Queensland’s John Gower completes the top five on 65 points, both skippers maintaining consistent scorelines across the opening two days.
With sixteen races now completed and the championship concluding tomorrow (3 March), McDowall holds a strong advantage, but with further races scheduled and discard positions still capable of influencing the standings, the battle for both the championship and podium placings remains open.
The varied conditions throughout the day once again highlighted the importance of adaptability, with sailors required to quickly adjust rigs and setup as the breeze changed.
Progressive results are available at:https://aryanationals.com
Results
| Pos | Name/Club | Sail No. /Design | Nett | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCDOWALL, Lincoln VIC/ALBERT PARK MYC (VIC) | AUS 97 F6 | 30.0 | 58.0 |
| 2 | TORPY, Greg QLD/GLADSTONE RCYC | AUS 25 GRUNGE | 54.0 | 92.0 |
| 3 | OSBORN, Brett SA/ADELAIDE RCYRC | AUS 79 GRUNGE | 57.0 | 89.0 |
| 4 | REID, Andrew VIC/ALBERT PARK MYC (VIC) | AUS 74 GRUNGE | 84.0 | 116.0 |
| 5 | GOWER, John QLD/EAGLEBY RYC | AUS 63 GRUNGE | 107.0 | 148.0 |
| 6 | NOWAK, Rob VIC/ALBERT PARK MYC (VIC) | AUS 17 GRUNGE | 108.0 | 150.0 |
| 7 | STEWART, Kyle TAS/RISDON BROOK RYC | AUS 59 INDIE | 133.0 | 183.0 |
| 8 | NEWMAN, Mark NSW/CANBERRA MYC | AUS 60 GRUNGE | 134.0 | 203.0 |
| 9 | SHERWOOD, Peter QLD/EAGLEBY RYC | AUS 91 F6 | 136.0 | 201.0 |
| 10 | ANDERSON, Dean QLD/MACKAY RSC | AUS 65 F6 | 156.0 | 207.0 |
| 11 | MEE, Jimmy QLD/EAGLEBY RYC | AUS 68 GRUNGE | 159.0 | 217.0 |
| 12 | LAMBOURNE, David QLD/EAGLEBY RYC | AUS 20 F4.5 | 224.0 | 294.0 |
| 13 | PAUL, Roger WA/CHAMPION LAKES RYC | AUS 86 F6 | 272.0 | 352.0 |
| 14 | SCOTT, Rex QLD/PYC | AUS 31 NRW3 | 277.0 | 348.0 |
| 15 | THOMAS, David VIC/ALBERT PARK MYC (VIC) | AUS 88 FX6CR | 279.0 | 356.0 |
| 16 | WATSON, Peter QLD/NORTH BRISBANE RYC | AUS 160 NIOUTRAM | 291.0 | 364.0 |
| 17 | DEANE, Bruce QLD/EAGLEBY RYC | AUS 27 PARADOX | 293.0 | 372.0 |
| 18 | FISHER, Trevor QLD/EAGLEBY RYC | AUS 29 F4.5 | 298.0 | 378.0 |
| 19 | ANDERSON, Ross QLD/MACKAY RSC | AUS 87 PRIME NUMBER | 310.0 | 390.0 |