Weekly Sailing Summary

AUDI VICTORIA WEEK

Young Australian Sailing Team sailor Nathan Outteridge came ashore at Waterfront City, Docklands, in Melbourne with an ear splitting smile after winning the Audi King of the Docklands as he gets to drive home to the NSW Central Coast in a brand new Audi A4 Avant, courtesy of Audi. He was helped by his crew of gun Moth sailors Scott Babbage and John Harris, who is also an 18ft skiff world champion.

A fleet of 335 yachts started the 34.3 nautical mile passage race from Williamstown to Geelong. Greg Cooper and Peter Southwell’s Adams 10 ‘Ten Too’ from Victoria sank approximately 10 nautical miles after the start following a collision with another competing yacht, Magic Bullet.

Michael Hiatt and his Farr 55 Living Doll won line honours in the passage race with South Australian Geoff Boettcher and his Secret Mens Business 3.5 crew declared winners of Division 1.

The Rotary Youth Audi Victoria Week program provided six 16-18 year olds from regional Victoria a chance to spend time with Olympic medallists Darren Bundock and Elise Rechichi in preparation for the passage race from Melbourne to Geelong. For all but one of the six successful nominees it was the first time on a boat.

Steve Brewin and Jack Benson won the Club Marine Formula 18 Australian Championship in a new C2 design called BO. Brewin of Sydney, and Benson of Darwin, normally race single-handed A-Class catamarans. Brewin won the 2001 A-Class worlds and both sailors plan to race in this year’s A-Class worlds in Italy and race together at the F18 worlds in Urquy, France. The new C2 design by Greg Goodall at Australian High Performance Catamarans in Bendigo was developed using AutoCAD and 3D computer modelling by his son Brett, who is studying industrial design and mechanical engineering.

Mach 2 Moth designer Andrew McDougall added the McConaghy – KA Sails International Moth Victorian Championships to the Australian Moth title he won earlier this month. Next step will be the International Moth class world championships at the start of March in Dubai, UAE, where the Victorian sailor hopes to make it a trifecta.

Audi Victoria Week concludes on Australia Day with many class championships to be decided, including the SB3 William Angliss Victorian Championship, Audi IRC Series, Morris Finance Sydney 38 Series and the Bundaberg Rum National Sports Boat Series. See Victoriaweek.com.au for more details.

AROUND THE WORLD

Jessica Watson faced her toughest test to date on her solo circumnavigation, experiencing a violent storm with wind gusts of up to 70 knots and a swell of seven to ten metres in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Under the storm jib the autopilot held Ella’s Pink Lady on course downwind, but she was knocked down four times by big rogue waves hitting the boat side on. With everything battened down Jessica belted herself in below deck and held on.

-- One of the knockdowns caused an automatic EPIRB to turn on without her knowing. Luckily she called in only a few minutes later but her mother had already received a phone call. Ella’s Pink Lady has some minor damage, but not enough to stop her. Jessica was bruised but in good spirits. She has now passed the halfway mark. Check out JessicaWatson.com.au for the full story.

Abby Sunderland, who turned sixteen in October 2009 set sail on January 23 from Marina Del Rey, California, in an attempt to be the youngest person, male or female, to circumnavigate the world. Abby’s brother Zac became the youngest person to solo circumnavigate the world in July 2009, but English teenager Mike Perham broke Zac's record about a month later, completing his journey also at the age of 17 but two months Zac's junior. More details at AbbySunderland.com.

The Clipper 09-10 Race fleet made a dramatic entrance to Marina at Keppel Bay, Singapore, to the pulsating beats of 41 drummers. All nine of the Clipper yachts flew an Irish flag to show their support for Cork’s crew who lost their boat on a reef. Cape Breton Island won race five with Spirit of Australia second. Race six to Qingdao, China, will begin on 2 February. ClipperRoundTheWorld.com.

AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION

SOS Ocean Racing is attempting to make people aware that plastic bags are killing our marine creatures and are an environmental hazard. To do this, in 2010 Ian Thomson will embark on a major campaign involving the Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race starting on Good Friday followed by an attempt at the world record for solo, non stop, unassisted circumnavigation of Australia. The plan is to break 50 days. SOSoceanRacing.com

18 FOOTERS

Western Australian representative Grant Rollerson caused a major shock when he skippered SLAM to victory in Race 3 of the SP HighModulus Australian 18ft Skiff Championship on Sydney Harbour on Sunday. 18footers.com.au.

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Iain Percy and Andrew 'Bart' Simpson (GBR) were crowned the 2010 Star World Champions in Brazil. Check out StarWorlds2010.com for more information.

SAFETY & RESCUE

The CYCA Medical Management for Mariners Course (MMM), designed specifically for sailors by sailors, consists of seven three-hour nights at St. Vincent's Hospital in Sydney followed by a three hour practical session taught by Helicopter Rescue Paramedics on board a yacht at the CYCA. During the course participants are shown how to treat and stabilise a patient and prepare and package the injured person for rescue. The next CYCA MMM course commences on Tuesday 16 February and the cost is $600 for CYCA members and $650 for non-members. More details.

NEWS BRIEFS

The Yachting NSW School Holiday Camp is being implemented on a trial basis to clubs in NSW. The initial trial conducted at Concord & Ryde for twelve youngsters between the ages of eight and twelve is intended to lead the way for an expansion of the program to other clubs across NSW. More details.

The Ningaloo Coast has been nominated for World Heritage listing by the Australian Government with the support of the Western Australia Government. It was included in the National Heritage List on 6 January 2010. Environment.gov.au.

NEW PRODUCTS

FinScan have released the Bio eStart Solo for single diesel or gasoline engine boats. The Bio eStart Solo was developed to bring a cost effective fingerprint engine starting solution to boats under 28-feet. A programmed finger is simply presented to the fingerprint sensor for matching, then a press of the green button starts the engine. When the stop button is pressed, the engine will be shutdown and the system armed, all without the worry of keys left in an ignition. See more at FinScan.com.au.

MARINE INDUSTRY

Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show will introduce a dedicated sea trial area at the 2010 Show from Thursday, May 20 to Sunday, May 23 on the Gold Coast. Exhibitors at the show can book a berth on the sea trial dock within the marina display area. The opportunity is restricted to one berth per exhibitor with a limited number of berths up to 45-feet and some berths possible for longer vessels, depending on configuration. Other initiatives for the 2010 event include a Prestige Brokerage and Charter Display. SanctuaryCoveBoatShow.com.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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 (Alinghi.com) and the challenger is BMW ORACLE Racing from the USA (BMW.OracleRacing.com). The event website is AmerciasCup.com.

Feb 12 – 21 -- JJ Giltinan International Championship, Sydney Harbour, sometimes referred to as the 18 Footer Worlds. More details.

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 information.

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

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

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.

April 2 – Good Friday

Photograph: Secret Men’s Business 3 at Audi Victoria Week 2010 courtesy of Andrea Francolini / Audi ©