It truly was a race for the ages. In fact, one sailor suggested it may be another 10 years before we experience near-perfect conditions like that again… but then again, maybe global warming will come through for us… (joke!).

However, what cannot be denied is just how fabulous the 2026 edition of the Peter Loft Marathon was for everyone involved.

Prestart

First of all, we were uncharacteristically organised at BYRA, having closed entries on Friday at midnight. Spread the word! This is now ‘a thing’ going forward! The new normal!

This strategy allowed us to check yardsticks and assess numbers in each division, especially when it looked like we would attempt a Lion Island rounding! While fun is definitely the focus of the PLM, it’s an added bonus when everyone arrives safely back to shore, an experience greatly enhanced by our recently opened BYRA Bar! Best view on Pittwater!

We also had the excitement of two VIPS in attendance - the granddaughter (Kate) and grandson (Andy) of WH King, one of the founding members of BYRA and a builder who essentially built the original clubhouse!

Amidst the madness of last-minute rigging, we even pulled off an interview with them on the front deck (coming to a screen near you soon!) and the donating of some wonderful BYRA memorabilia, including a BYRA blazer. Eat your heart out, Woody Point!

Check out our snazzy new BYRA blazer!

BYRA loves a captive audience...

This year, we had 93 entries. Yes, 93! And the club was buzzing! Thank you to all competitors for your attentiveness during the Welcome Briefing and the more detailed Race Briefing. We like to keep people on their toes with new divisions (the boards), last-minute course changes (Div 3), and generally complicated instructions like ‘we might shorten this course when on the water but not the other one’… But rest assured, this is all in the best interests of fun optimisation! We want to see as many of you (yardstick notwithstanding) getting around that island as we can!

Marathon Madness

Once the formalities were dealt with, it was show time!

The grass filled up with wetsuit clad creatures, some with their feet tantalisingly close to the sand (!) and craft were strung in a completely unequal line across the bay (return to that thought when you complain about your time!) and then, with the precision of an Olympic final, the horn went off and it was a splish-splash-splosh through the shallows to your stead (which at least one person couldn’t remember where they'd left…)

There’s not much to add from hereon in. The carbonised flying machines zipped over the horizon before some dinghies had even got their rudders down, and with the inevitability of an annual sailing event, the usual suspects took their rightful place in the order of ceremony around Lion Island - the Vipers vipered, the Hobies hobied, Tornadoes blew, the MGs MG-ed… you get the picture… and the board-people seemed to have their sails every which way, including in the water. But never bored, it would seem; some were spotted most definitely checking out the penguins…

And then the vintage display cruised casually through the island’s wind shadow; lasers, scow moths, skuds and at least one board rider who may or may not have been regretting their life choices…

Meanwhile, back on Course 2, the fleet of mostly Lasers, Spirals, and LTs, with a whole heap of randoms thrown in for good measure, had waved at Alice on Bunai and successfully rounded the big orange mark below the lighthouse. At least one straggler at the back just could. not. work. out. why. I. am. going. so. slowly!

The Valiant Among Us

Yet, going at all is not to be taken for granted in the PLM. It is a Marathon after all!

So yes, we had at least 15 DNFs and some dramatic (described as such for purely dramatic effect) rescues! 

One dinghy was sailed home by a support crew while a windsurfer had to jettison their craft at Palm Beach and hitch a RIB to HQ. Another team had to abandon due to (minor) injury following some unintended acrobatics, while a final valiant crew, although originally set on the island, found themselves frantically bailing out their rapidly sinking vessel at Clareville! ASIO now have sightings of a suspected submarine on file…

Yes, the PLM has it all! 

Daring! Drama! Diversity! Doughty! 

We applaud these competitors for giving it a good crack, and we applaud the fantastic on-water support team for their coordinated professionalism - a great example of not getting what you pay for (yes, you had to think about that for a moment…)

As for Div 3, two mighty Bics were battling it out for top spot. Would the student become the teacher…?

Final Festivities

Back at HQ, it was all go in the BYRA canteen. How this team survived the day is one of the day’s great mysteries. They were literally run off their feet! Having done the toasty run of the morning, they moved swiftly and seamlessly into burgers and beer. We are in awe, and we thank you for feeding us!

The prize-giving was the usual palaver, as is the Peter Loft way (!), but with multiple Excel versions now cross-checked, phone calls, texts, emails, and the reviewing of GoPro footage later, we believe we have it ‘close enough’. Results below! Thank you to Whitworths for the prizes, and we promise we have already strategised a better 'results management system' for next year!

What was not a palaver was the Scott Sails sail bag lucky draw! This had the dedicated drinkers on the edge of their (metaphorical) seats! Who would win! Oh, they’re not here! “RE-DRAW”, cried the people! This was the closest thing to mob rule we’ve seen at BYRA.  

As for the Lion of Pittwater. Say no more. If you did not hear its ROAR, you missed out.

Like the event, if you’ve made it this far, you’ve done well! 

Your reward is the final list of winners and a prize winner’s photo that doesn’t match.

Results: 

Div 1 Lion Island Course Yardstick Results,   Div 1 Lion Island Course Scratch Results      

Div 2 Barrenjoey Course Yardstick Results,   Div 2 Barrenjoey Course Scratch Results  

Sailboard Results

So, a huge congratulations to the lot of you, and see you again next year!!!

Love BYRA

p.s.  For more photos, check out our BYRA Facebook page!

p.p.s. For the weather buffs, the wind was northerly but shifting up to 40 degrees, the strength was anything from 8 to 20 knots, the swell was about a meter, and the sun was mostly out!