By Ian Grant.
Leo Rodriguez has again entered the former Volvo Globe race sloop Telcoinabox Merit in the gruelling 628 nautical mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Both he and the delivery crew face a long journey from the warm tropical environment of Airlie Beach to Sydney before preparing for another race over a cold and inhospitable Tasman Sea simply to record another Hobart Race in their personal log books.
However the crew who will race under the Whitsunday Sailing Club burgee as they did when they won the Performance Handicap trophy in 2008 understand what to expect when the weather mood swing turns nasty at sea. Read more…
Perth International Regatta (PIR), the test event for the World Sailing Championships, received a boost today with seven world number ones confirming they will sail. The PIR has attracted 230 boats from over 40 nations and commences in just three weeks’ time from 16 to 21 November 2010. Athlete entries include triple Gold and Silver Olympic Medallist Ben Ainslie from Great Britain, six of the current World Champions and four 2010 ISAF World Sailor of the Year Award Finalists.
World Number One and current World Champion teams, Matthew Belcher and Malcolm Page in the 470 class, Nathan Outteridge and Iain Gensen in the 49er class and Tom Slingsby in the Laser class are amongst the 54 entries competing from Australia. Read more…
By Ian Grant.
Ray Roberts the popular Cruising Yacht Club of Australia ocean racing skipper who holds the distinction of winning the 2006 Sydney to Mooloolaba Race would like to defend his trophy.
Skipper Roberts like so many other prominent Australian Blue water racing yachtsmen remain keen to support a new launch of the tactically demanding Sydney – Mooloolaba coastal classic onto the Australian circuit.
Unfortunately the event which attracted a record fleet of 79 yachts in 1979 including Australia’s best crews lost a place on the National Ocean racing calendar when the Mooloolaba Yacht Club fell into financial trouble.
Sure fleet numbers had also fallen away due to the shoaling of the Mooloolah River entrance however while this was considered to be dangerous the destination still remains as one of Australia’s most popular sailing ports. Read more…
Perth, Western Australia: 25th October 2010
Some of the world’s best sailors are coming to Perth in November for the Sunseeker Australia Cup, and the action in this gladiatorial match racing event will be on Perth Water, where just about every office in the CBD has a grandstand seat.
Frenchman Mathieu Richard currently has a 15 point advantage at the top of the World Match Racing Tour leaderboard, with just one event – the Monsoon Cup in Malaysia – to go this year, and he’s coming to Perth.
Mathieu sailed in the Sunseeker Australia Cup last year, when asked why he was coming back he said, “sunshine, sailing atmosphere, feeling that this is a city where sport is important, and specially sailing.”
Also coming back is English skipper Ian Williams, who has twice won the world championship, “top quality racing”, is the reason he gives for returning, as part of his preparations for the Monsoon Cup.
Perth’s own Torvar Mirsky won the event last year, and is one of the top players on the World Tour, currently in fourth place, nudged out of the top three by triple Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie. Read more…
Emerging Nations Laser athletes
Emerging Nations athletes engaged in the Perth 2011 program will compete against local talent in the City of Perth Sailing Regatta to be held on Sunday 24th October 2010 at 1.00pm, on Perth Water in front of Barrack Street, Perth. Deputy Lord Mayor, The Honourable John Tognolini, will be attending the event on behalf of the City of Perth. The City of Perth Sailing Regatta will be a proud moment for the city, bringing together more than 20 athletes from 11 nations, building on the vision “that as the Capital of Western Australia, the City of Perth be widely acclaimed as a city of international significance”.
“It is an honour for Perth to be the venue for such an important yachting event. The location on Perth Water is ideal for spectators to see elite junior sailors up-close and showing their skills. It will be a taste of what is to come with the ISAF championships later. I urge people to come along & watch this international event here in our great sporting city,” said The Deputy Lord Mayor, The Honourable John Tognolini. Read more…
By Ian Grant.
When Rod Jones decided to sell his Audi Australian IRC championship winning ocean racing sloop Alegria 111 most of his blue water racing rivals breathed a sigh of relief.
The Mooloolaba Yacht Club skipper and his talented and close knit crew of Sunshine Coast sailors had proved that a bunch of good mates who race for the love of the sport had outraced the best in the Nation to win not one but two National championships.
They were never out of their depth despite being forced to match both skill and endurance against their professional competitors.
The winning formula which also forced Rod Jones to upgrade his garage space to park his Australian championship trophies –two new high class Audi sedans came from making the right decisions in the four regatta series. Read more…
18th October 2010
15 year old Angus MacGregor named Sailor of the Year with a Disability
The 2010 Sailor of the Year with a Disability award has been won by Queensland teenager Angus MacGregor. Fifteen year old MacGregor’s win follows his victory at the Access 2.3 World Championship earlier this year with his award coming after he was a finalist at the 2009 Australian Yachting Awards.
The winners of the 2010 Australian Yachting Awards were announced in Sydney over the weekend with a gala event for 250 guests hosted by yachting’s peak body Yachting Australia at the Deckhouse in Woolwich.
Angus’s major successes started in 2008, winning the Australian Access Class Championship, and coming second in the Silver Fleet in the IFDS Worlds in New Zealand. Read more…
By Ian Grant.
Whitsunday Sailing Club life member Jim Hayes has continued to express his unique personal passion to encourage local sailors young and old to enjoy sailing on Pioneer Bay.
He has been responsible for introducing the Club’s successful Try Sailing days which have ultimately set up a career in the sport for a number of local sailors.
Hayes a self-taught sailor who first braved the cold elements of Tasmania followed the compass bearing first to a warmer sailing environment in Brisbane before heading further north to now name Airlie Beach as his ‘port o call’.
Very few seafarers could blame him from breaking the shackles from his place of birth to enjoy a sailing lifestyle in a pleasant environment. Read more…
Klaus followed by NSW sailor, Caitlin Tames
Get Optimised at www.qioda.com !
When the ‘plane home is delayed, and you have to spend more time than you would like at the airport, you do at least have time to think, and maybe reflect on why you are there. I flew down to Sydney last week to race in the Pittwater Spring Cup regatta, and take part in the two days of training which preceded it. The objectives were, firstly, to get a feel of the waters where the Optimist Nationals will be held in January, and, secondly, to compete in my first big regatta since July. There were 41 Optimists on the start line for most races, which is a sizeable fleet. On day 1, Saturday, we were on the water for 6 hours without a break, but achieved only one start due to light and fluky winds. I did win the race, and it was very hard work! Day 2 saw 5 starts in rather better wind conditions, of which I won 2, came 3rd in 2, and got a 6th, which I was able to drop. Overall, I came 1st, with the other Queenslanders, Kye Evans, Kyle O’Connell, and Charlie Wyatt at 11th, 12th, and 20th positions respectively. I was very lucky to have been able to stay with the Campbell family, and to be supplied with a boat by Steven bond of OziOpti. Without this assistance, I would not have been able to compete at all.