Sailability Middle Harbour sailors Gregory Myers and Gareth Bishop recently competed in the 2026 Hansa Nationals in Ballarat, finishing 1st and 3rd respectively in the 303 singles divison, and are here to share their story and reflect on their sailing journeys.
Held over the Easter period at Ballarat Yacht Club on Lake Wendouree, the 2026 Hansa Nationals brought together sailors from across Australia to compete in a range of classes including the Hansa 2.3, 303 and Liberty, highlighting the inclusive, all-abilities nature of Hansa sailing.
Gregory Myers has been sailing with Sailability Middle Harbour for just over two years, rekindling a passion first sparked during his pre-teen years racing Manly Juniors out of Mosman Bay Sailing Club. After being encouraged to compete in the Hansa World Championships at RPAYC last year, Gregory began racing regularly with fellow MHYC sailor Gareth Bishop, a partnership that has clearly paid off.
“Last November, I won the Australian Para Sailing Championship at RFBYC, and I’m hoping to defend that title in Melbourne later this year,” Gregory said. Reflecting on the Nationals, he added, “As Gareth says, it was much better than expected!”.
Looking ahead, Gregory has an ambitious and exciting schedule for 2027, with plans to compete at the Hansa Nationals in Perth, the Hansa World Championships in France on Lake Geneva, and the World Masters Games in Japan in the Hansa 303 singles class. “Busy, exciting… and maybe a bit unaffordable,” he joked.
Gareth Bishop shared his perspective on the regatta and his steady progress through the sport. “From my point of view, it went much better than expected,” he said. Gareth first competed at the Hansa Nationals in Canberra in 2021, where he finished in last place. Since then, he has steadily improved, including a strong 5th place finish at the Inclusive Classes Regatta at MHYC in 2024.
After competing in the World Championships at RPAYC last year, Gareth placed 14th out of 20 Australian sailors, making this year’s result a significant step forward. “Gregory and I have been racing together locally in Sydney, and I think we’ve been pushing each other to improve. The final points scores were very close,” he said. A long-time member of Sailability Middle Harbour, Gareth has been sailing for over 10 years and is now preparing to compete internationally at the European Hansa Championships in Barcelona this September.
Congratulations Gareth and Gregory. So proud of what you achieved and will continue to achieve! Margery