With R&R, the 2024 and 2025 champion, not competing this season, the Burnsco Traveller Series title will change hands at Sandspit on 17–18 October.
It all comes down to Sandspit. Revelry heads to the final round of the Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series on 17–18 October with 95.5 points, 15.5 clear of Reggae Shark on 111 after 33 races on the class's points table.
Neither boat is new to the front of this series. Reggae Shark and Revelry finished second and third in 2023, and Revelry was third again in 2024. Last year both slipped down the table after sailing only two of the five regattas, Reggae Shark finishing eighth and Revelry 11th.
This winter Revelry hasn't finished lower than second at any regatta. It won the opener at Rotoiti, then took second at Marsden Cove, Whitianga and Russell. Reggae Shark's best weekend was Whitianga in August, still the only regatta where it has beaten Revelry. The last of Revelry's seconds, at Russell, is the one that opened up the gap.
Shapeshifter wins a wild weekend at Russell
The penultimate round, hosted by the Russell Boating Club on 12–13 September, had a bit of everything. The 11 boats launched at Opua and headed across to a race area off Russell, where Saturday's breeze kept building. Three races went in before the gusts climbed beyond 30 knots and the race officer sent everyone ashore.
It was a day for hanging on downwind, with Slam Dunk and Zoot Allures among the crews who had their moments under spinnaker. The course had its own traps. A strong tide at the top mark caught several boats out and led to a few mark hits, while going left to escape the current took boats in close to the headland and into shiftier, gustier air.
Out front, Shapeshifter and Revelry went back and forth. Shapeshifter won the first race and Revelry the second. Revelry was leading the third until spinnaker trouble on the last leg let Shapeshifter back through. Bloodline stayed in touch with a second and a third, and Shapeshifter went ashore narrowly ahead.
Sunday was kinder, a 15-knot breeze with puffs and shifts, and five races were sailed back to back. Shapeshifter won three of Sunday's races and was second in another, winning the regatta overall on 9 points after its discard. Revelry won the fourth race and took second overall on 15 points, and Reggae Shark won the sixth race on its way to third overall on 25 points.
Slam Dunk's Sunday run of 3, 4, 4, 7, 4 lifted it to fourth on 31 after its discard. Zoot Allures kept every Sunday result inside the top five and finished fifth, just one point behind on 32. Bloodline, second in race five, dropped to sixth on 34 – two points further back – after a difficult final race. Class Act, which had rig problems on Saturday, bounced back with a fourth in race seven and finished ninth, a point behind NYX.
By the end of the weekend, Revelry's series lead had grown from 8.5 points to 15.5.
| Race | Winner | Second | Third | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday 12 September: fresh breeze, building through the day | ||||
| 1 | Shapeshifter | Bloodline | Revelry | Strong tide at the top mark led to several mark hits across the day. |
| 2 | Revelry | Shapeshifter | Reggae Shark | The left side gave relief from the current but brought boats in under the headland's gusts. |
| 3 | Shapeshifter | Revelry | Bloodline | Revelry led until spinnaker trouble on the final leg. Racing then stopped with gusts beyond 30 knots, Shapeshifter narrowly ahead overnight. |
| Sunday 13 September: about 15 knots, puffy and shifty | ||||
| 4 | Revelry | Reggae Shark | Slam Dunk | Revelry's second win of the regatta. Slam Dunk starts a Sunday run that lifts it to fourth. |
| 5 | Shapeshifter | Bloodline | Revelry | Bloodline's second runner-up finish of the weekend. |
| 6 | Reggae Shark | Shapeshifter | Revelry | Reggae Shark's only win at Russell. |
| 7 | Shapeshifter | Revelry | Reggae Shark | Class Act, back after Saturday's rig problems, finishes fourth. |
| 8 | Shapeshifter | Zoot Allures | Reggae Shark | Shapeshifter seals the regatta. A difficult final race drops Bloodline from the top four to sixth. |
Placings from the official Russell results sheet. Conditions and notes from the Elliott 5.9 Class Association regatta report.
What Reggae Shark needs at Sandspit
That leaves Reggae Shark with a big job at Sandspit. Up to 10 races can be sailed, but winning races alone won't do it. If Reggae Shark won all 10 and Revelry finished second in every one, Revelry would still take the title. A weekend of thirds for Revelry would swing it Reggae Shark's way.
Shapeshifter could make that job harder. The back-to-back national champion missed Rotoiti and Whitianga, so it sits seventh overall and can't win the series, but it has won both Traveller regattas it has turned up to. Every race it wins at Sandspit is one Reggae Shark can't.
The fight for third, and the Most Improved trophy
Russell also shook up the race for third. Bloodline is still there on 132, but its margin over Zoot Allures has shrunk from four points to three. Further back, Slam Dunk went into Russell 8.5 points behind Dirty Circus and came out half a point adrift, on 146.5 to 146.
That fits the way Slam Dunk's winter has gone. The four-time series champion and runner-up to R&R last year started with seventh places at Rotoiti and Marsden Cove, then finished third at Whitianga and fourth at Russell.
Revelry, Reggae Shark and Bloodline also have a second trophy to settle. The three are tied on +3 for the Most Improved Ranking Trophy.
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Official regatta report Shapeshifter takes Russell thriller as Elliott 5.9 fleet battles big breeze in the BayBy Gareth Howard, Elliott 5.9 Class Association The Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series returned to the historic waters of the Bay of Islands over the weekend of 12–13 September for Round 4, hosted by the ever-hospitable Russell Boating Club. With overall series honours on the line and tight points across the leaderboard, the penultimate round delivered everything the class is known for: exhilarating one-design racing, tactical duels, and fantastic camaraderie off the water. Launching out of Opua and heading across to the race area off Russell, the 11-boat fleet was greeted by a fresh, rising breeze on Saturday. Three hard-fought races were completed in strong conditions before gusts pushing well past 30 knots prompted the Race Officer to call a sensible end to the day's action. The wild Saturday conditions provided plenty of high-adrenaline drama and high-speed action, with heavy gusts claiming their fair share of victims. Wiping out under kite was a real risk with crews aboard Slam Dunk and Zoot Allures, among others, with stories to swap back at the club. Tactically, the race course presented a classic Bay of Islands puzzle. A strong tide at the top mark caught out several crews, leading to a few costly mark hits. While working the left-hand side offered relief from the current, it forced boats close to the headland, exposing them to more unpredictable gusts and wind shifts off the nearby headland. Despite the testing conditions, every crew came ashore with big grins after an epic day on the water. The racing at the head of the fleet was exceptionally tight between Shapeshifter and Revelry. The pair traded blows around the track all day, with Shapeshifter taking wins in Race 1 and Race 3, but only after Revelry let a solid lead evaporate on the final leg of Race 3 due to spinnaker issues, while Revelry took out Race 2. Bloodline also made an early statement on Day 1, snaring a 2nd in Race 1 and a 3rd in Race 3 to stay right in the mix. At the end of Day 1, Shapeshifter held a narrow edge at the top of the leaderboard. Off the water, the fleet made the most of the northern hospitality. Friday night kicked off with a relaxed social gathering at the Russell Boating Club, setting a great tone for the weekend. On Saturday evening, crews gathered at the Nauti Penguin to recount the day's high-speed action, catch up over a few quiet drinks, and cheer on the Warriors. Sunday brought more settled conditions – a solid 15-knot breeze with puffy gusts and shifts that kept everyone on their toes. Five races were completed in quick succession, providing plenty of opportunities for moves up and down the fleet. Shapeshifter put on a masterclass in the shifted breeze, leveraging standout boat speed and consistently finding clear air to dictate terms across the fleet. Winning three of Sunday's five races (and finishing 2nd in another), Shapeshifter sealed the Round 4 victory with an impressive 9-point total after drops. Revelry took victory in Race 4 to lock down 2nd overall (15 pts), while Reggae Shark claimed Race 6 to secure 3rd overall (25 pts). Behind the top three, the battle for 4th through 6th was decided by single points. Slam Dunk put together a blistering Sunday run (3-4-4-7-4) to snatch 4th place overall on 31 points. Zoot Allures showed incredible consistency, posting five top-5 finishes on Sunday to finish just one point back in 5th (32 pts). Bloodline was right in the podium conversation after another 2nd place in Race 5, but a tough final race dropped them to 6th overall on 34 points. Further down the fleet, Class Act produced a great second day. After a tough Day 1, when they had to sit out with rig issues, they found their groove on Sunday, climbing from 10th up to a 4th-place finish in Race 7 to finish 9th overall, just a single point behind NYX. With four of the five rounds now completed and 33 races on the board, the overall Burnsco Elliott 5.9 Traveller Series points table is poised for a thrilling showdown. In the title race, Revelry holds onto the top spot on 95.5 net points, but Reggae Shark sits just 15.5 points adrift in 2nd (111 pts). Both teams will be leaving nothing to chance at the final regatta. In the battle for 3rd, Bloodline holds 3rd overall on 132 points, but Zoot Allures (135 pts) is now trailing by a mere 3 points. Dirty Circus (146 pts) and Slam Dunk (146.5 pts) remain well within striking distance of the final podium spot. Meanwhile, the battle for the Most Improved Ranking Trophy is deadlocked, with Revelry, Reggae Shark, and Bloodline all tied on +3 ranking points heading into the grand finale. All eyes now turn to Sandspit on 17–18 October for the final round of the series, where the 2026 Traveller Series Champions and Trophy winners will be crowned. Follow results and pictures on the class's Facebook page, find more information at e59.org.nz, and view previous results on the class results page. About the Elliott 5.9 The Elliott 5.9 emerged in the early 1980s as a high-performing trailer yacht and continues to deliver competitive one-design racing in a welcoming fleet of world-class sailors and novices alike. The boats started a revolution with their well-balanced and cost-effective design, and quickly became the boat of choice for top club training schemes and a breeding ground for NZ's America's Cup, Ocean Race and Olympic champions. Sailed by a crew of three, the Elliott 5.9 remains a low-maintenance sailboat with an efficient single-spreader fractional rig, a well-balanced sail plan and practical deck layout. Whether sailing among mixed trailer yachts, sport boat fleets or in a one-design setting, the 5.9 is celebrated for its responsiveness and outstanding value. |
| Place | Boat | Points | Behind leader |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Revelry | 95.5 | – |
| 2 | Reggae Shark | 111 | 15.5 |
| 3 | Bloodline | 132 | 36.5 |
| 4 | Zoot Allures | 135 | 39.5 |
| 5 | Dirty Circus | 146 | 50.5 |
| 6 | Slam Dunk | 146.5 | 51 |
| 7 | Shapeshifter | 208 | 112.5 |
Series points after 33 races and six discards. Lower points are better. Source: Elliott 5.9 Class Association.
