The 2026 Wednesday Night Racing season, hosted by the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club, kicked off in dramatic fashion as Crossfire secured the first victory of the campaign in a closely contested battle on the water.
Conditions for the opening night provided a technical challenge for the fleet, but it was Crossfire that handled the pressure best. Demonstrating superior boat speed from the starting gun, they were the first vessel to cross the line with an elapsed time of 43:37. Once the handicaps were applied, their corrected time of 48:06 was enough to secure the overall win and set a high benchmark for the season.
The race for the podium was decided by the narrowest of margins, with Airforce pushing the leaders until the final leg. Airforce was the second boat to physically cross the line at 51:00, and their corrected time of 48:16 earned them a well-deserved second place. Only ten seconds separated the top two boats after calculations, highlighting the competitive nature of this year’s fleet.
Passion occupied the third spot on the podium after a disciplined performance, recording a corrected time of 48:59. While they remained within striking distance, a late shift in the wind saw them settle for third. Further down the leaderboard, Scatteraction claimed fourth with a corrected time of 49:22, while Menace rounded out the top five at 50:10. All eyes now turn to the second round of racing next week.
