Day two of the 2026 P Class Nationals Tauranga Cup has done little to loosen Blake Batten's grip on the top spot, though the fleet is making him work considerably harder for it. Three races were completed across the day, and while Batten emerged with his overall lead intact, it is a slender one and the sailors chasing him are gaining confidence.
The day began poorly for Batten. Fleet race 4 handed him a scoring penalty that produced a 13.0 result, subsequently discarded, and left the door open for rivals to close the gap. Caleb Perano took the race win, with Hamish Brown in third, Luca Blundell fourth, and Lauchy Wills fifth. Batten finished well outside the leading positions.
Fleet race 5 belonged to Wills, who sailed with real purpose to take a well-earned win. Luca Blundell crossed the line in second and Batten recovered to claim third, a result that kept his overall position secure while confirming that Wills is very much in the contest.
Lewis Snape was the standout performer in fleet race 6, showing clean lines and strong pace to finish first. Batten came home in second and Wills rounded out the podium in third. Hamish Brown's day ended with a disqualification in that same race, dropping him back in the overall standings.
The day's most consistent improver was Wills, whose results across the three races lifted him into second place overall. Brown slipped to third as a consequence of that disqualification.
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The nett points table tells most of the story: Batten leads on 11, Wills sits four points behind on 15, and Brown holds third on 16. Total points reveal just how tight the battle has become, with Batten on 24 and Wills close behind on 25.
Three fleet races remain on the schedule, and the forecast adds another layer of uncertainty. Expected southwesterlies of 14 to 16 knots with gusty conditions will test boat handling and tactical judgement alike. The Tauranga Cup remains wide open, and the final outcome is far from settled.
