Weekly Sailing Summary

ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART

It may have been raining and overcast, but the start of the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race was still spectacular as crews popped spinnakers in a 12-15 knot southerly on Boxing Day. The spectator fleet was estimated to be around 1,000 boats, down from the 3,000 boats which have been on the harbour on previous occasions.

Before they left the Harbour, things went pear-shaped for some yachts. Grant Wharington’s 98ft yacht Etihad Stadium retired with rigging problems; Todd Leary’s modified Inglis 39, She’s the Culprit from Tasmania retired after sustaining damage; Bob Steel’s Quest, last year’s overall winner, completed a 720 degree penalty turn following a minor collision with Lion New Zealand at the Harbour mark; Robin and Annette Hawthorn’s Imagination also acknowledged a 720 degree penalty turn following an incident.

Neville Crichton’s 100 foot maxi Alfa Romeo was the first yacht out of Sydney Harbour. By Sunday morning only five nautical miles separated the leader, Alfa Romeo, from ICAP Leopard, owned and skippered by Mike Slade from the UK, and four-time line honours winner Wild Oats XI, skippered by Mark Richards. After sailing in difficult conditions with extremes from a testing 25-knot southerly with a bumpy seaway through the first night, to a calm in the notoriously rough and windy Bass Strait, Alfa Romeo was first to finish, beating Wild Oats XI by two hours. ICAP Leopard was third.

Andrew Saies’ newly launched Beneteau First 40 Two True was declared the overall winner of the 65th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race after a protest against him over an incident on Sydney Harbour soon after the start was dismissed by the jury. From the original 100-yacht fleet five yachts retired. Find out more at the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race website.

VICTORIA/TASMANIA RACES

The Entire Group Cock of the Bay record had just under 10 minutes taken off it on 26 December by Scarlet Runner, skippered by Dave Eickmeyer. Over 70 yachts competed in the event around Port Phillip, starting at Melbourne’s Station Pier and finishing at Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron. Scarlet Runner’s owner, Rob Date, was in Sydney at the time, pulling in to port on 'Etihad Stadium' which retired from the Rolex Sydney Hobart. See orcv.org.au for more.

The two Heemskirk Consolidated Melbourne to Hobarts (East and West) and the Kidder Williams Melbourne to Launceston races started in the best kind of sailing conditions on 27 December. Four yachts were OCS and quickly restarted. Tony Fowler skippered his Rogers 46, Ocean Skins, to a line honours victory in the Melbourne to Hobart East Coaster and JazzPlayer, skippered by Andrew Lawrence, crossed the finish line of the West Coaster first in a dying breeze. Check out www.orcv.org.au/ for details.

PITTWATER TO COFFS

A fleet of 48 yachts is expected to start the 2010 Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race on 2 January. Grant Wharington's luckless 100ft Wild Thing has had the rig fixed and has entered the race, and Wild Oats XI is returning from Hobart to compete. More details at Pittwatertocoffs.com.au.

AROUND THE WORLD

Some of the crew from the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race spent Christmas Day in Geraldton, Western Australia, and were adopted by local families. Check out ClipperRoundTheWorld.com.

Jessica Watson admits that she enjoyed and treasured every Christmas present far more than she would have back home, even the silly ones. On Christmas Day she passed into the Fearsome 50's and had less than 2000 nautical miles to go to Cape Horn. Here website is at Jessicawatson.com.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Jan 9 -- Portarlington Mussel Festival, near Geelong Victoria will showcase local produce with mussels to sample and purchase, prepared in a variety of ways. A charter boat will run trips to the mussel farms. Weather permitting, the sailing ship Enterprize will provide short sailing tours.

Jan 21 -- 26 – Audi Victoria Week is the largest sailing regatta in Australia with over 450 yachts competing over the four days and plenty of shoreside activities take place for those not competing. Victoriaweek.com.

Jan 26 -- Australia Day – Events on Sydney Harbour include a Ferrython, Awesome Forces displays, best dressed vessels competition, tall ships race, 174th Australia Day Regatta, Sydney Ports Jazz on the Water Concert. For details see Australiaday.com.au.

Feb 5 - 7 -- Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Show, Docklands. More details.

Feb 8 -- 33rd America’s Cup Match is scheduled to start in Valencia, Spain. The defender is the Swiss team Alinghi and the challenger is BMW ORACLE Racing from the USA. The event website is www.amerciascup.com.

Feb 12 – 21 -- JJ Giltinan International Championship, Sydney Harbour, sometimes referred to as the 18 Footer Worlds. Check out 18footers.com.

Feb 19 – 21 -- The Melbourne Wooden Boat Festival will be held at the Docklands precinct on Victoria Harbour. More details.

Feb 25 - 27 -- Variety Splash - Participants will travel a round trip from Docklands’ Melbourne Yacht Club Hotel, with nightly stopovers at Sandringham Yacht Club and Royal Geelong Yacht Club. More information.

Mar 6 - 7 -- The fourth Whyte, Just and Moore Lawyers Wooden Boat Festival of Geelong will be held at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club. RGYC.com.au.

Mar 6 – 7 -- Rosehill Trailerboat Show, Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney. More details.

Mar 6 – 7 -- Audi Sydney Regatta, Middle Harbour Yacht Club. See MHYC.com.au for more information.

Photograph courtesy of Rolex/Daniel Forster: Alfa Romeo finding it lumpy close to Tasman Island