Weekly Sailing Summary

KEEL BOATS & MULTIHULLS

A broken mainsheet did not stop Graham Buckeridge and his crew from a line honours victory and third place overall in the opening race of the Sail Port Stephens Regatta. Nor did it stop them from having a good time, although the crew had to call off the sausage sizzle mid-race when breezes peaked at 25 knots and life aboard became a little unruly. Sail Port Stephens.com.au.

Popular blue water racing skipper Bill Wild finally won the 2010 Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race on Wedgetail. He has been close on several occasions and to win against a very competitive fleet was a special reward for the skipper and his crew, which includes world champion dinghy sailor Vanessa Dudley and specialist helmsman Mike O’Brien. Brisbane to Gladstone.com.au.

Bruce Arms’ 14-metre catamaran, Big Wave Rider, was first to sail across the finish line of the Solo Trans-Tasman Challenge in Mooloolaba, but light airs foiled his attempt to set a new solo Tasman record. Solo-Tasman.co.nz.

The final race of the Club Marine Series ended the summer season on Port Phillip with the Premier Club being Royal Yacht Club of Victoria, followed by Sandringham Yacht Club and then Royal Brighton Yacht Club in both IRC and AMS. ORCV.org.au.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia announces that an ORCi Division will be included in its prestigious Blue Water Pointscore 2010/2011 Series, which starts with the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race on Saturday 31 July 2010. CYCA.com.au.

The 2010 Club Marine Brisbane to Keppel Tropical Yacht Race will start 6 August and the Notice of Race is now on the website. Brisbane to Keppel.com.

Mathieu Richard (FRA) and the French Match Racing Team defeated Ben Ainslie (GBR) and TEAMORIGIN by winning both of the final two matches of Match Race France, Stage 1 of the ISAF World Match Racing Tour. Richard is the tactician for the French America’s Cup syndicate, Aleph. Australia’s Torvor Mirsky placed eighth and Peter Gilmore eleventh. More details.

AROUND THE WORLD

Jessica Watson is back sailing in Australian waters in her attempt to be the youngest person to sail solo around the world non-stop and unassisted. Ella's Pink Lady will pass under the Great Australian Bight and head south to Tasmania, and it’s very likely that they will pass out of Australian waters again. Rather than taking a short cut through Bass Strait, Jessica will sail around the bottom of Tasmania, avoiding shipping, islands and forecast light headwinds. Jessica Watson.com.au.

After the battering unleashed by the Pacific Ocean during Race 7 of the Clipper Race allied to Team Finland's late departure from Qingdao, the start of Race 8 has been put back to 19 April. Clipper Round the World.com.

The Spanish footwear brand Camper is the latest entry in the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race. The campaign will be run by Emirates Team New Zealand and sees the return to the race of Grant Dalton. PUMA Ocean Racing, which finished second overall in the 2008-09 race, has entered for the next edition of the event with Ken Read leading the campaign. Volvo Ocean Race.com.

DORIEAN FAMILY APPEAL

The international sailing world was stunned on 6 April by the news of the sudden death of Peter ‘Spike’ Doriean, 38, one of Australia’s best known professional sailors. Spike was in the Caribbean to compete aboard George David’s 90 foot maxi Rambler. Tragically, in a senseless accident, he slipped in the bathroom and sustained massive head injuries and never regained consciousness. Spike is survived by his wife Nicki and two young children, Jemima aged five and Fox aged three. An appeal has been set up to support the family now facing an uncertain financial future. Doriean Family Appeal.com.

NEWS BRIEFS

Salvage experts have refloated the Shen Neng 1, the Chinese registered bulk carrier which grounded off the central Queensland coast on 3 April. The first step to float the vessel was to ‘blow down’ the vessel’s breached tanks with high pressure air, testing if the tanks were clear of oil. More details.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

April 18 - ORCV's Rip Tour on Port Phillip. ORCV.org.au.

April 27 - Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminar - Medical and Dentistry with Rosie Colahan at Royal Brighton Yacht Club at 7pm. ORCV.org.au.

April 28 - Don McIntyre and crew depart Tonga to re-create Captain William Bligh’s 4,000 mile open boat ‘Mutiny on the Bounty’ voyage. Talisker Bounty Boat.com.

May 4 - Information night at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Rushcutters Bay, Sydney on electrical maintenance with Rob Starkey. All welcome. Please book at CYCA reception on 8292-7800 or reception@cyca.com.au.

May 9 - Butlers Business and Law Round Lord Howe Island Yacht Race - The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria is assisting the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club with their hosting of the 770 nautical mile Category 1 race. Vessels will partake in either the non-stop Racing Division or the Performance Cruiser Division, which give competitors a few days to explore the wonders of the World Heritage Park, before finishing back in Newcastle. ORCV.org.au.

May 11 - Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminar - Communications with Neville Rose at Royal Brighton Yacht Club at 7pm. ORCV.org.au.

May 20 - 23 -- Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show, Gold Coast. Sanctuary Cove Boat Show.com.au.

May 20 – 23 -- 1770 Festival, Town of Seventeen-Seventy, Queensland. Celebrating the "Birth Place of Queensland", this festival has been an annual event for 17 years and commemorates the visit of the Endeavour and landing of Lt. James Cook and his crew in May 1770. 1770festival.com.au.

May 21 – 30 -- Port Douglas Carnivale, Tropical North Queensland. The seaside resort village of Port Douglas sets aside ten days each year to celebrate music, arts, sport, food culture and entertainment. Carnivale.com.au.

May 27 – June 21 -- Vivid Sydney, a festival of light, music and ideas, featuring the spectacular illumination of the Sydney Opera House sails. Events NSW.com.au.

June 8 - Long Distance Offshore Sailing Seminar - Search and Rescue at Royal Brighton Yacht Club at 7pm. ORCV.org.au.

June 13 - 14 -- The Oceanic Whitsunday Boat & Leisure Show, Meridien Marinas Abel Point Marina, Airlie Beach. Whitsunday Boat Show.com.

Photograph: Courtesy of Sail Port Stephens