Weekly Sailing Summary

MATCH RACING

Torvar Mirsky (AUS) and his Mirsky Racing Team of Kinley Fowler, Kyle Langford, Tudur Owen, and Graeme Spence claimed their first win at the Troia Portugal Match Cup, in their second full season on the World Match Racing Tour. More here.

Kinley Fowler reports on MRT’s win in Portugal. Click here for more.

Australia will be represented at the Match Cup Sweden in Marstrand on 29 June to 5 July by four teams skippered by Peter Gilmour, Torvar Mirsky, Katie Spithill and Nicky Souter. More here.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE

After a disappointing leg nine, when Telefonica Blue ran aground and had to return to Marstrand for emergency repairs, Bouwe Bekking and his men made a remarkable comeback to snatch the in-port race in Stockholm from nearest rival PUMA.

Team Russia head to Stockholm with the intention of taking part in leg ten, a sprint, starting on 25 June, to their home port of St Petersburg. The team suspended racing in Singapore owing to insufficient funds. More here.

KEEL BOATS

Colin Pruden steered Sandpiper to a ‘grudge match’ victory over his arch rival and father-in-law John Galloway in the third race of the Maurice Drent Boating Services trophy series on Pioneer Bay in the Whitsundays. More details here.

Alfa Romeo and its skipper, Neville Crichton, are literally racing across the Pacific Ocean to take part in the 2009 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. More info.

Etchells sailors are invited to compete in the 2010 Australian Etchells Championship to be held at Lake Macquarie Yacht Club from 11 to 16 January. Click for more.

INTERNATIONAL

British super maxi ICAP Leopard, owned by Helical Bar PLC Chief Executive Mike Slade, took monohull line honours in the JP Morgan Asset Management Round The Island Race. More here.

Javier Pujol, owner/skipper of the Sparkman & Stephens-designed 43-foot Calima (ESP), is the winner of the Giraglia Race part of the 57th edition of the Giraglia Rolex Cup, held at the Yacht Club Italiano in Genoa. For more info go here.

The prevailing mistral wind which has made the regatta course off Porto Cervo one of the world’s most famous failed to cooperate for the Audi Invitational, the third leg of the Farr 40 European Circuit 2009. More here.

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Yachting Australia signed a long term sponsorship deal with apparel manufacturer SLAM which will see Australian sailors wearing the sailing brand until the 2012 London Olympic Games. For more info click here.

OFF THE BEACH

The OAMPS Insurance Brokers Queensland Youth Week regatta will be held on July 4-7 and so far 57 entries have been received from all the states of Australia and from New Zealand. This year the host club, Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron, is offering new Optimist sailors the chance to be involved in the Optimist Green Fleet Training Camp, which will run alongside the regatta. More here.

NEWS BRIEFS

Olympians Sarah Blanck and Glenn Ashby have taken out top honours at the annual Victorian Yachting awards – both now named Sailor of the Year an unprecedented six times each. Details here.

Melbourne Boat Show patrons can win a new Whittley Inflatable RIB package as part of $7,500 worth of great marine prizes over the five days of the Show. Daily prize draws will culminate with the Whittley-Yamaha draw on the final day, Monday 6 July, when all the entries will be put in the RIB for the draw. More.

Nominations for the 2009 NSW Maritime Medals in the categories of Safety, Community and Environment are being sought to recognise exceptional people and groups in the maritime community. Find more here.

MARINE INDUSTRY

Storm Performance announces their appointment as the Australasian distributor for Dubarry of Ireland, the famous Irish Lifestyle brand. Click here for more.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

July 2 - 6 -- Melbourne Boat Show, Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Melbourneboatshow.com.au

July 16 - 19 -- Adelaide Boat Show, Adelaide Convention Centre. Adelaideboatshow.com.au

July 18 - Sail Indonesia Yacht Rally departs from Darwin. Sailindonesia.net

July 25 - Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race Goldcoast.cyca.com.au

July 30 - Aug 3 -- Sydney International Boat Show, Darling Harbour. Sydneyboatshow.com.au

August 12 - 16 -- Perth International Boat Show, Perth Convention Exhibition Centre. Perthboatshow.com.au

Aug 13 – 20 -- Airlie Beach Race Week, Meridien Marinas Abel Point Marina Airliebeachraceweek.com.au

Aug 21 – 29 -- Audi Hamilton Island Race Week Hamiltonislandraceweek.com.au

August 28 - 31 -- Brisbane International Boat Show, Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. Brisbaneboatshow.com.au

Sep 11-13 -- The Great Tropical Jazz Party on Magnetic Island follows on from Sunferries Magnetic Island Race Week, with many crews lingering on to relax after a week of competitive sailing. More here.

Oct 8 – 11 – Mandurah Boat Show, Mandurah Ocean Marina. Mandurahboatshow.com

Oct 17 - 18 -- Darwin Boat & Leisure Show, Darwin Convention Centre. Darwinboatshow.com.au

Photograph: MRT sail to victory in Portugal courtesy of Wander Roberto