Weekly Sailing News Summary

Summary for w/b - 07 Feb, 2006 12pm

The Melbourne Stopover of the Volvo Ocean Race is generating record crowds at Docklands - Melbourne's newest waterside location. Celebrations continue all week with Melbourne Food and Wine on the Water's Spice Markets until Tuesday, the finals of the Grinding Challenge on Wednesday, the NewQuay Marina Summer Boat Show on the weekend, plus huge farewell celebrations with Brazilian Carnivale and live music by Rogue Traders on Saturday night. The yachts will begin leg three to Wellington on February 12.

Volvo Ocean Race Leg Two Prize Giving Dinner in Melbourne was a chance to award the winners from Leg Two as well as present three special accolades. Brasil 1 won the media prize for footage sent back from the leg as well as the in-depth and heart-felt emails. The Musto Seamanship Award was presented to Andrea Fonseca who dived overboard to cut away the broken rig from the dismasted Brasil 1. The Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics Ocean Watch Environmental Award, went to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Will Oxley will be Brunel's navigator for the rest of the Volvo Ocean Race. The 40 year old Australian will take over from Matt Humphries, who stays on board as watch captain.

KEEL BOATS & MULTIHULLS
Hardy Cup 2006, an ISAF (International Sailing Federation) Grade 3 Match Racing Regatta for sailors under 25 years of age. The only all-women crew, skippered by Katie Spithill, upstaged defending champion Michael Dunstan on the opening day of racing on Sydney Harbour.

A fleet of 25 yachts competed in the CYCA's annual passage race to Newcastle, the Blue Water fleet sailing an overnight race and the Ocean Pointscore fleet enjoying a day sail up the Central Coast. Warwick Sherman's Cookson 39, Occasional Coarse Language, scored an overall win in the Blue Water fleet and for the second year in succession, Dick Cawse's Cawse/Lyons-designed 60-footer Vanguard won the final race of the Ocean Pointscore and the Pointscore itself.

2006 Warren Jones Youth Regatta - Adam Minoprio of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron made it three in a row for the family when he won the match racing event on Perth's Swan River, beating local skipper Keith Swinton 2 - 1 in the final. Adam's brother Simon won the two previous events, with Adam as mainsheet trimmer last year.

The Rotary Youth - Skandia Geelong Week program is essentially a celebration of Australia Day. The program allows selected youth from regional Victoria to enjoy a memorable experience via participation in Skandia Geelong Week.

Peter Gilmour AUS remains in the top spot of the first release of the ISAF World Match Race Rankings for 2006. Limited activity over the last couple of months leaves the top five unchanged.

Champion French sailor Christelle Philippe, ranked 11th in the latest ISAF women's match racing rankings, will travel to Sydney next month with her crew to sail against the best local talent in the Harken Women's International Match Racing Regatta hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia.

OFF THE BEACH & OLYMPIC CLASSES
18 footers retire honourably - On the weekend most of the Sydney Flying Squadron's 18 footers sailed the wrong course and eventually they retired. It was an impressive display of sportsmanship and club culture that marked the afternoon.

CRUISING
Cruising yachts anchoring off Phuket's west coast are advised to use heavy ground tackle to secure the vessel, as Kilo a Silkline 510 catamaran which went missing from Phuket recently, has been found in the Nicobar Islands and now the Indian Coast Guard service, who found the 50ft catamaran, are asking US$56,000 by way of a 'recapitation' fee.

AROUND THE WORLD
Clipper 05-06 Round the World Yacht Race - Race 6 from Singapore to Qingdao, China has been abandoned as 7 of the boats discover loose keel bolts. The fleet has diverted to Subic Bay in the Philippines for haul out and a full investigation. 

NEWS BRIEFS
Nominations for the 2006 Australian Yachting Awards are now open and will close on March 15. Anyone may submit a nomination, provided the criteria and conditions are met.

Nominations are open for the annual Sydney Harbour Awards to be presented on March 3 aboard the Tall Ship James Craig at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, Circular Quay.

The Board at Yachting New South Wales announces the appointment of Stephen Leahy as their new General Manager.

Nautilus Marine Insurance Agency, which was founded last year as a national insurer of recreational pleasure boats and commercial vessels, has appointed WA insurance executive, Raymond Fisher as its first Western Australian State manager.

Feb 11 - 12 -- Wooden Boat Rally, Seaport Marina, Launceston, Tasmania, coinciding with a two day food and wine fair. Bring your wooden boat along whether it be a yacht, cruiser, powerboat, dinghy or kayak its FREE!!

May 18 - 21 -- The Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show will offer the largest on water leisure and light commercial display ever staged in Australia at this year's event. At least eight motor yachts (80ft or larger) are expected at the show.

More information at www.boatingoz.com.au