Weekly Sailing Summary

MATCH RACING

Katie Spithill and her five crew won the Match Cup Sweden Women's event after five-matches with Anna Kjelleberg's (SWE) crew in which the Australians came back from two nil down to snatch victory by less than a metre. More here.

Peter Gilmour won the Match Cup Sweden Open event, casting aside strong challenges from Damien Iehl and then Mathieu Richard to make it a double victory for Australia. Australia's Mirsky Racing Team was defeated by Frenchman Sebastien Col in the quarter finals. Details here.

The Australian Match Racing Championships for Youth, Women and Open will all be held in September in Melbourne and Sydney. More info here.

KEEL BOATS

The penultimate race of the Audi Winter Series 2009 was held on a clear day on Sydney Harbour, and the predicted light westerly breeze was present early in the morning, but by the time the fleet of 135 boats started it had swung to the south-west at 15 knots. More here.

Graham Matthews steered Brandy Creek Ferry to a runaway six-point win in the four race Maurice Drent Boating Services trophy series on Pioneer Bay, Whitsunday. More details here.

The fleet for this year's Audi Hamilton Island Race Week has seen a remarkable 30 percent increase in the number of entries during the past two weeks, confirming expectations that more than 150 yachts, including Australia's best, will be competing. Details here.

-- INTERNATIONAL

The 608 nautical mile Rolex Fastnet race starts at Cowes, UK, on Sunday 9 August and the 300 registered crews are hard at work completing their qualification miles and other prerequisites, including the small Australian yacht, Berrimilla, owned by Alex Whitworth. More here.

MULTIHULLS

The controversy surrounding the next America's Cup rumbled on when Swiss defenders Alinghi unwrapped their state-of-the-art catamaran to claims that it may be unsafe. Details here.

AROUND THE WORLD

French sailor Jean-Pierre Dick, winner of the inaugural around-the-world Barcelona World Race, has confirmed his participation in the second edition and is among the elite skippers who have wins in several of the world's great ocean races. More here.

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Tricky conditions provoke a mixed bag on day one of the Finn Gold Cup on Vallensbaek Harbour near Copenhagen in Denmark. More here.

The International Sailing Federation (ISAF) announces the ten sailors elected to the ISAF Athletes' Commission to represent the ten sailing events chosen for the 2012 London Olympic Games. More info here.

OFF THE BEACH

The OAMPS Insurance Brokers Queensland Youth Week started on Saturday 4 July and concludes on Tuesday, allowing the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron three days to prepare for their next regatta, the 2009 Australian School Team Racing Championship. More here.

Queensland high performance sailing Coach Adrian Finglas will be in Buzios, Rio de Janeiro as coach of the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian team when they contest the 2009 Volvo Youth World Championships off the windy Brazilian coast from July 9-18. Details here.

West Australia sailors are gearing up for the UK Mirror National and World Championships in late July 2009 at Clwb Hwylio, Pwllheli in Wales. More here.

The 48th International OK Dinghy Australian Championship will be held in conjunction with Sail Melbourne at Sandringham Yacht Club from December 16 to 19, 2009. More info here.

Windsurfing - Jose ‘Gollito' Estredo (Fanatic/North Sails) walked away with the overall title of the PWA Costa Teguise World Cup in Lanzarote, while Sarah Quita Offringa (Starboard/NeilPryde) dominated the Women's competition. More here.

NEWS BRIEFS

Spirit of Mystery, Pete Goss' 37ft replica wooden lugger that sailed 12,000 nautical miles from Cornwall to Melbourne this year, is now in Sydney Harbour. More here.

Nominations are open for the 2009 Australian Yachting Awards, recognising outstanding achievement in the sport over the period of March 2008 through to July 2009. Details here.

A new era in volunteer marine rescue services has commenced with the official launch of Marine Rescue NSW. More here.

Sydney International Boat Show photo competition - It is only four weeks to go to the Sydney International Boat Show and organisers want to know - Do you love being in and around the water? Are you a keen photographer? More here.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service (Hunter Region) is the latest recipient of a donation from the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Sydney Hobart Yacht Race Safety of Life at Sea Trusts (SOLAS). Find more here.

Yachting Australia announces amendments to the Racing Rules of Sailing effective 1 July 2009, affecting advertising on boats. More here.

MARINE INDUSTRY

The future of the Line 7 brand of sailing clothes is in doubt this week, as the company went into receivership. More here.

Marine Queensland voices serious concerns with the Queensland Government's decision to sell the Port of Brisbane and associated boat harbours if the sale is not structured correctly. More here.

Australian Maritime Systems Limited submitted the winning tender for more than $7 million to service, repair, and install navigation markers on New South Wales waters. Details here.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

July 12 – 26 -- A junior naturalist workshop week and a discover Mr Darwin holiday program will be conducted during the winter school holidays at the Australian National Maritime Museum, Darling Harbour, Sydney. More here.

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.

Nov 1 - Try Sailing Day NSW at various sailing clubs BIA.org.au.

Nov 14 – 15 -- Melbourne Club Marine Sail Boat Show will be held at the Sandringham Yacht Club's new premises. More here.

Photograph courtesy Goss Media: Spirit of Mystery in front of the Opera House