Welcoming a world of Finns in 2026 The International Finn Class has shown exceptional growth in recent years in Australia and, notably, at RQYS. We have the largest Off The Beach (OTB) class at the Squadron and a long association going back to 1958, writes Finn National Secretary David Bull, when Ron Jenyns won no less than12 successive Queensland Championships, 10 Australian Championships and represented Australia in two Olympic Games. In 1976 the Finn Gold Cup (World Championship) was held at RQYS. We have a proud history of Finn sailing at RQYS and, save for a hiatus from 1979 - 2014 when the class was not sailed at the Club, it has rebounded with a vengeance. More recently, many of our Finn sailors have participated in State, Australian and World Masters Championships. Earlier in 2023, Squadron Members Lucas Prescott, Phil Chadwick, Kerry Spencer, Guy Maegraith and David Bull participated in the Finn World Masters in Kavala, Greece. Lucas was third in the Masters division and seventh overall. A great result — but not the first one: present Commodore John Warlow sailed the Masters in 2014 in Spot, Poland; in 2015, Phil Chadwick at Lake Garda, Italy; and, in 2016, Phil Chadwick on his first round in Kavala, Greece. In Barbados in 2017, David Bull won the Silver Medal in Legends, and in 2018 both David and Phil Chadwick competed in El Balis, Barcelona, Spain. The Finn World Masters attracts huge fleets with the record being in 2016 at Torbole on Lake Garda, with 355 entries. In 2018 there were 352 entries at El Balis. Worldwide there are over 1,600 boats sailing in around 40 countries and the class continues to grow. (Who said being out of the Olympics would end the class?) In countries like Germany there are over 400 Finns on the register and Holland has over 200 on theirs. There is even a Finn in Guatemala (GUA 1)! Australia and RQYS are well represented with the administration of the class both here in Australia and Internationally. Phil Chadwick is the National President and David Bull the National Secretary. Phil is also on the FWM Committee and David has recently been appointed as International Treasurer. The International President, Rob McMillan, is based in Sydney, with headquarters in the UK. There has been considerable interest over several years from European and other Northern Hemisphere Finn sailors wishing to come to Australia. With that in mind the IFAA in conjunction with RQYS put forward submissions for the Finn Gold Cup and Finn World Masters to be held in Brisbane in 2026. At the 2023 Annual General Meeting of the International Finn Association Inc. (IFA Inc.) held at Procelero, Sportegyesület, Csopak, Hungary in early May 2023, 18 National Finn Class associations were represented. 1959/60 Ron Jenyns Hi Finn 1960/61 1961/62 1962/63 1963/64 1964/65 1965/66 1966/67 1967/68 1968/69 1969/70 1970/71 1971/72 J Ferguson KA 112 1972/73 KA 56 1973/74 1974/75 John Bowen KA 114 1975/76 John Ferguson KA 13376/77 K Waraker KA 134 1977/78 G Davidson KA 165 1979–2014 Not presented 2015/16 Rob McMillan GBR 88 2016/17 Marcus Whitley AUS 110 2017/18 Matt Visser AUS 5 2018/19 Rockal Evans BER 9 2020 Jake Lilley AUS 1 2021 Curtis Skinner AUS 18 2022 Larry Kleist AUS 3 2023 Rob McMillan AUS 2 The Vic Beaver Perpetual Trophy ~ Qld Championship ~ Finn Class Made by W Bishop Workshop Brisbane, 1959 Mainsheet 2023 Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron Yearbook 54 International Finns round-up
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