Gladstone turned on the breeze and the action for the 2026 Queensland International One Metre (IOM) State Championship, with 30 skippers battling challenging conditions over the weekend of 17–18 October.
The forecast promised winds of 15 knots and above, and Happy Rock certainly delivered. With strong breezes, choppy water and B rigs in action across both days, racing was fast and furious as the fleet tackled some of the most demanding conditions of the championship season.
While the familiar names were expected to feature prominently, the weekend also saw some new faces making their mark at the front of the fleet. Local skipper Ben Thorburn and Andrew C "Archo" Wilson were among those taking the fight to the established contenders, including reigning Australian IOM Champion Aaron Farrar.
From the outset, the conditions demanded precision, boat speed and concentration. With B rigs the order of the day, the fleet faced plenty of challenging moments as gusts swept across the Gladstone racecourse.
The racing was competitive throughout the fleet, with opportunities to make significant gains — or suffer costly losses — on every leg.
As the afternoon progressed, the breeze continued to build, eventually forcing an early conclusion to racing. With conditions becoming increasingly difficult, the decision was made to finish the day early amid concerns that the safety boat would be unable to safely recover any yachts experiencing difficulties. A further rig change would also have delayed proceedings.
It was a sensible conclusion to an otherwise action-packed opening day, with plenty still to play for on Sunday.
Sunday brought more of the same, with the strong winds continuing and B rigs remaining the preferred choice.
The racing was relentless, with the demanding conditions testing both skippers and equipment. Consistency became increasingly important as the leading contenders battled for championship honours.
By lunchtime, the Rogue designs were looking particularly strong, holding first and third positions overall. Garth Halton was firmly in contention for the title, while Gordon Maguire was mounting a serious challenge.
Unfortunately for Maguire, electrical problems would ultimately derail his championship aspirations. Despite showing excellent pace throughout the regatta, including a race victory, the technical difficulties proved costly, leaving him fifth overall.
Meanwhile, Ben Thorburn was putting together an outstanding performance on his home waters. Sailing his V12, Thorburn demonstrated impressive speed and determination, regularly featuring among the leaders and keeping the pressure firmly on the championship contenders.
Andrew C Wilson was another to impress, with his fourth-place finish highlighting the strength of the competition at the front of the fleet.
Reigning Australian Champion Aaron Farrar was never far from the action. His V12 showed plenty of pace, with three race victories helping him remain firmly in the podium battle.
In the end, it was Garth Halton from Redlands RSC who emerged as the 2026 Queensland IOM State Champion.
Sailing his Rogue, Halton produced a commanding performance across the 13 races, recording four race victories and demonstrating the consistency needed to master the challenging conditions.
His final nett score of 26 points gave him a comfortable 16-point advantage over Ben Thorburn, who secured a well-deserved second place on 42 points.
Aaron Farrar completed the podium in third place with 46 points, just four points behind Thorburn, while Andrew C Wilson finished fourth on 57 points.
The battle immediately behind was exceptionally close, with Gordon Maguire and Greg Torpy both finishing on 59 nett points, Maguire taking fifth ahead of Torpy in sixth.
With 30 competitors, strong winds and fiercely contested racing, the 2026 Queensland IOM State Championship certainly lived up to expectations.
The conditions tested equipment, sailing skills and endurance, while the performances of skippers such as Ben Thorburn and Andrew Wilson demonstrated that there is plenty of emerging competition ready to challenge the established names.
Congratulations to Garth Halton on his Queensland State Championship victory, and to Ben Thorburn and Aaron Farrar for completing the podium.
Thanks also to Gladstone RCYC, the race management team, volunteers and everyone involved in delivering the championship under challenging conditions.
Happy Rock delivered — and so did the racing!
Event Results - Top 5
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