The Prince Philip Cup (PPC), also known as the Australasian Championship for the International Dragon class, was contested on the waters of Lake King from January 24 to 28, and hosted by Metung Yacht Club.
The Gippsland Lakes system was described as very akin to European waterways where Dragons race by Matty Whitnall, who has helmed two boats to a PPC victory and contested this regatta at the helm of Trio, the fastest wooden Dragon in the 2023 PPC.
A fleet of 17 yachts entered the regatta, with boats travelling from New South Wales, Tasmania, Western Australia, to tackle the Victorian contingent.
Four local boats and crews entered the regatta – Wicked II helmed by Fred Haes and crewed by Will Crooke and Adrian France, Imagination helmed by Damien Daniel and crewed by Dean Robson and Dean Smith, Tarakona helmed by Hugh Howard and crewed by James Harland and Maia Hester, and Sea Joy VI helmed by Clive Bury and crewed by Terry Grundy and Alan Watkins, while three other local boats were hired by interstate and overseas competitors.
Fickle wind plagued the regatta, with gales of 30-plus knots causing the cancellation of racing for the entirety of day two.
A wind that kept switching from 1.5 to 20 knots during the other three days of competition caused long delays between races.
There needed to be five races completed to make a series. By the end of the regatta, seven races had been completed.
Tasmanian sailor, current Victorian champion in the class and multiple winner of the PPC, Nick Rogers and his team of Leigh Behrens and Lucas Upton, sailing Karabos IX, established an early lead in the 2024 edition.
Rogers finished second and first respectively in races one and two on day one on January 24.
Rogers, Behrens and Upton already had experience sailing on Lake King, winning the Victorian Championship in 2023.
International competitors David Tabb (Britain), Laerke Norgaard (Denmark) and Jeremy Nolan (Australia) competed in local boat Fascination and won two races of the eventual seven race series.
Tabb brought his own sails and Norgaard to Australia to compete in the PPC.
At the end of the series, Karabos IX was the winner, Gordon, a boat and crew from Western Australia finished runner-up, and the crew of Wicked II took out third place, with
Imagination and Fascination sixth and seventh respectively.
