Australian Institute of Sport sailor Nicky Souter has claimed her sixth national title, winning the Australian Women’s Match Racing Championship in Sydney Harbour on 3 September.

Souter skippered the Australian Sailing Development Squad of Nina Curtis and Nicole Douglass to win the national championship ahead of squad team-mates Katie Spithill, Samantha Boyd and Rayshele Martin. The win was decided via a countback, due to poor sailing conditions.

‘It was an extremely close race against the New Zealand crew skippered by Samantha Osborne in the semifinal and she put up a really good fight,’ said Souter. ‘We now head into the Australian Open Match Racing Championships and hopefully we can take this form into the regatta.’

The New Zealand crew of Samantha Osborne, Raynor Smeal and Jenna Hansen finished in third place, ahead of Australian crew Lucinda Whitty, Olivia Price and Jess Eastwell in fourth.