Festival of Sail changes format
New dates and off-the-beach and trailerable boat series includedEntry to a very different 2017 Festival of Sails is now open following the release of the Notice of Race, which outlines the new dates and additions such as a separate the Off-The-Beach (OTB) and Trailable boat series.
The core sailing component of the 2017 Festival of Sails regatta will be staged from Saturday January 21 to Tuesday January 24, separating the larger Festival from the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, and bringing the Festival closer to the finish of the Rolex Sydney Hobart in early January.
Fourteen divisions are listed on the preliminary schedule of racing including the ever-present Sydney 38 one-designs and S80s plus the sports boats and multihulls. If there are enough classic yachts, built pre-1970, a separate series will be run, and given the biennial Australian Wooden Boat Festival is on in February 2017 in Hobart, renewed interest from owners in entering their floating timber classics is anticipated.
Among the enhancements to the 2017 Festival of Sails are two new series catering for OTB and trailable boats. This extension to the sailing program starts on Wednesday 25 and runs through Australia Day on Thursday January 26 to the final day of racing, Friday January 27, 2016 when the on-road action of the aforesaid Cadel Evans event begins.
Within the principal regatta organised by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC), a separate Grand Prix series will be scored for invited high-rating IRC yachts. The idea of a standalone Grand Prix series sitting outside the Festival was floated, but the majority of owners voted to stay within the key dates.
Being a part of the mass Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race start off Williamstown on Saturday January 21 and the arrival at Corio Bay is a Festival highpoint, and primary reason those Grand Prix owners gave for sticking with the bulk of the passage race fleet, likely to be 200 plus yachts.
To make it simpler for owners needing crew and crew who are boat-less, the RGYC now offers a crew match database to join the two together, see festivalofsails.com.au/crew-match-database.
2017 Festival of Sails entries received prior to November 30,
2016 will be eligible for an early bird rate. The 2017 Festival of Sails
is presented by Rex Gorell Land Rover. Notice of race, online entry and
further details at
festivalofsails.com.au.
Photo Credit: Images by Saltwater Images.
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