Weekly Sailing Summary

SAIL PARADISE

Sail Paradise, a new east coast offshore circuit, started with Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club’s Pittwater to Coffs race on January 2. This was followed by two events staged by Southport Yacht Club, the 150 nautical mile Coffs to Paradise race, then Sail Paradise, which involved four days of racing along the Gold Coast’s long ribbon of golden beaches.

The series ended on a high note when the $5000 lucky draw for competing yachts was won by Ocean Mentor, the Sydney 32 class yacht that had been given to Southport Yacht Club by philanthropist Peter Teakle for a youth training program.

The outright winner of IRC Division 1 was Bob ‘Sir Robbo’ Robinson, with his Brisbane-based Farr 40, Crackling Rosie. Robinson claimed victory over Matt Percy’s Gold Coast entry, Alacrity, by four points. Peter Harburg’s canting-keel 66-footer, Black Jack was third. SouthPortYachtClub.com.au.

AROUND THE WORLD

On January 14, Cork, one of the ten yachts competing in the fifth leg of the Clipper 09-10 Round the World Yacht Race, struck a rock in the Java Sea around 200 nautical miles north east of Jakarta. All 16 crew were safely evacuated to two sister yachts, Team Finland and California. All personal possessions were taken off the boat, but the boat is unrecoverable. Berths for the crew have been made available for the next leg on the other yachts competing in the event.

-- Cape Breton Island, the 68-foot yacht crewed by people from all walks of life, took line honours in the race from Geraldton, Western Australia, beating Spirit of Australia by just 15 minutes. The crews are at Nongsa Point Marina, Batam, Indonesia, waiting for the rest of the fleet to finish before the nine boats head to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, on Saturday 23 January. As a number of teams suspended racing when Cork ran aground, the final results will be subject to ratification once all the skippers’ declarations have been received by the Race Committee. More details at Clipperroundtheworld.com.

Jessica Watson writes in her blog about the thrill of seeing ‘the distinctive outline of Cape Horn’ after so long without seeing land. In poor weather conditions the plane carrying her parents found Ella's Pink Lady on the third attempt and flew over her for 45 minutes. See JessicaWatson.com.au.

AUDI VICTORIA WEEK

Entries for Australia’s largest and most established sailing regatta, Audi Victoria Week, have closed and host club, the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, announces a fleet of 441 yachts.

The weeklong event comprises the Docklands Invitational, a five race series on 21-22 January, an invitation-only event; King of the Docklands on 21-22 January, a knock-out event aboard the SB3s for all divisional winners from the past two year’s; and finally the Audi IRC Series starting with the passage race from Melbourne to Geelong on Saturday 23 January.

Once in Geelong, 19 classes will race in their own divisions with two state championships, the McConaghy – KA Sails International Moth Victorian Championship and the William Angliss SB3 Victorian Championship, plus a national title is up for grabs, the Club Marine Formula 18 Australian Championship. The event is also the first leg of the Audi IRC Australian Championship. Victoriaweek.com.au.

ETCHELLS

John Bertrand, Tom Slingsby and Andrew Palfrey on Triad won the Murphy & Nye 2010 Australian Etchells Championship on Lake Macquarie NSW, proving that they will be a strong force at the 2010 Etchells Worlds in Dublin. Etchells.org.au.

18 FOOTERS

The second race of the SP-HighModulus Australian 18ft Skiff Championship gave the defending champions Seve Jarvin, Sam Newton and Tom Clout their second win of the series when they brought Gotta Love It 7 home a narrow winner over Rag & Famish Hotel on Sydney Harbour. 18footers.com.au.

NEWS BRIEFS

Online ticket sales for the Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Festival on 5-7 February are now available. Tickets are $15 for adults and $8 for children under 16 and concession holders, and family tickets are $35 for up to two adults and three children. The Festival will feature boats on the water and along the Promenade, as well as lifestyle activities for the family. The Coast Guard will run license training and testing sessions for $70, with all proceeds going to help the Coast Guard in its vital work on the waterways. More details.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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 wBMW Oracle Racing from the USA. The event website is 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. VarietySplash.org.au.

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

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

Mar 6 – 7 -- Audi Sydney Regatta, Middle Harbour Yacht Club. More details.

Mar 9 – 21 -- Louis Vuitton Trophy series - Ten countries are expected to compete in event-supplied 85-foot long AC Class yachts from the last two America’s Cups. These yachts require a crew of 17 top sailors. LouisVuittonTrophy.com.

Mar 11 - 14 -- Auckland International Boat Show is being held in conjunction with The Louis Vuitton Trophy series to push up attendance at both events.