Weekly Sailing Summary

AROUND THE WORLD

For the third time in the Clipper Round the World Race Spirit of Australia secures a victory in the closely contested race from San Francisco to Panama. The ten points for first place, added to the three they bagged at the scoring gate, gives them the lead overall. The yachts will transit the Panama Canal before the start on 18 May of Race 9, a short, upwind sprint to Port Antonio, Jamaica. Check out Clipper round the world.com for more details.

The Groupama syndicate, under the guidance of French offshore specialist Franck Cammas, has revealed plans for their build programme and sailing trials for the next two editions of the Volvo Ocean Race. Volvooceanrace.com.

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Yachting Australia announces the Australian Women’s Match Racing Team (AWMRT) to train and compete towards the London 2012 Olympic Games. The Team of six athletes has been confirmed as Nina Curtis, Jessica Eastwell, Angela Farrell, Katie Pellew (nee Spithill) – Skipper, Olivia Price and Nicky Souter – Skipper. Yachting.org.au.

JESSICA WATSON

Teenage sailor Jessica Watson is expected to arrive in Sydney on Saturday 15 May to a huge welcome after sailing solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. Boaters wishing to greet Jessica should observe the navigation restrictions in place, go slow, keep a proper lookout and comply with safety regulations. See Maritime.nsw.gov.au for more info.

Claims have been made that Jessica has not travelled far enough to claim the World Speed Sailing Racing Council (WSSRC) record for being the youngest person to sail solo, non-stop and unassisted around the world. The WSSRC do not recognise any voyages from sailors under the age of 18. As such, Jesse Martin’s WSSR certificate of recognition cannot ever be challenged in the context of the WSSRC criteria. As a result of the WSSR decision to discontinue recognition of age related journeys, there is no official body to recognise Jessica’s feat, and therefore no official body’s rules that need to be adhered to. Jessica Watson.com.au.

The WSSRC rules for sailing round the World state that a vessel must start from and return to the same point, must cross all meridians of longitude and must cross the Equator. It may cross some but not all meridians more than once (i.e. two roundings of Antarctica do not count). The shortest orthodromic track of the vessel must be at least 21,600 nautical miles in length calculated on a 'perfect sphere'. In calculating this distance, it is to be assumed that the vessel will sail around Antarctica in latitude 63 degrees south. A vessel starting from any point where the direct orthodromic distance is too short shall pass one single island or other fixed point on a required side so as to lengthen their orthodromic track to the minimum distance. Check out SailSpeedRecords.com for more details.

KEEL BOATS

A fleet of 131 yachts sailed in the Audi Winter Series on Mother’s Day on a shortened course on Sydney Harbour. After a DNF last week in light airs, Jim Cooney, the new owner of Brindabella, was pleased to finished fourth in Division A, behind the first placed Stuart Dart skippered You’re Hired, Vanguard (with Adam Barnes at the helm as owner Dick Cawse was celebrating his 70th birthday in Brisbane) and Bob Steel’s TP52 Quest. CYCA.com.au.

Ten yachts have so far entered the Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V) race starting on July 4. The Vanuatu to Mackay (V2M) race, starting July 26, is designed to get participants back to the east coast of Australia in time for regattas in the Whitsundays. ORCV.org.au.

Heath Waters beat Cameron Miles by three points in the 2010 Melges 24 Australian Championship in Brisbane. www.rqys.com.au

Experienced Hobart yachtswoman Lisa Blackwood won a hard-fought and, at times, dramatic Sargison Jewellers Tasmanian women’s keelboat regatta on a windswept Derwent River that saw two ‘women overboard’ incidents. RYCT.org.au.

Ray Roberts and his Evolution Racing crew from Australia beat fellow Cruising Yacht Club of Australia members Matt Allen and his Ichi Ban crew in IRC Racing 1 by a lone point to claim honours in the Top of the Gulf Regatta in Pattaya, Thailand. CYCA.com.au.

The ISAF World Match Racing Tour has invited Kathrin Kadelback (GER), the first female entry, to Challenge the Tour Card Holders at Match Race Germany, Stage 2 of the ISAF World Match Racing Tour. WMRT.com.

AROUND AUSTRALIA

Day five into Ian Thompson’s attempt to set a new world record for the fastest solo non-stop circumnavigation of Australia he was sailing through the Gulf of Carpentaria after setting off from Airlie Beach on 5 May. SOS Ocean Racing.com.

AMERICA’S CUP

The 34th America’s Cup was launched with a press conference in the Musei Capitolini in Rome. The plan is to ‘transform the America’s Cup into a viable, exciting platform which teams and commercial partners will find irresistible.’ In part, this will be accomplished by creating fair rules and a neutral, independent event organising body, which will run an annual series of regattas, leading up to the 34th America’s Cup Match. It will also be done through technology with media coverage of the sport getting a ‘bow to stern rethink.’ Americas Cup.com.

NEWS BRIEFS

The NSW Government is proposing a $7.50 a year Marine Rescue levy on boating fees, so boaters can provide sustainable financial support to Marine Rescue NSW, a voluntary, non-government organisation with more than 2300 members state-wide. Over a year, across the state, Marine Rescue NSW units assist more than 2500 people in trouble. Maritime.nsw.gov.au.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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 22 - Dent to Dunk Rally starts. APYC.yachting.org.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.

May 29 - Dent to Dunk Race starts. APYC.yachting.org.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.

June 16 - Alex Whitworth tells his story of sailing Berrimilla through the North West Passage above Canada in 2008 at the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Rushcutters Bay, Sydey. Arrive early, view the yacht, enjoy dinner on the deck and be seated for the 6.30pm start. Free and all welcome. Please register attendance with CYCA reception by email reception@cyca.com.au or 8292 7800

July 1 - 5 -- Melbourne Boat Show, Melbourne Exhibition Centre. Melbourne Boat Show.com.au.

July 4 - Melbourne to Vanuatu (M2V) ORCV.org.au.

July 15 - 18 -- Adelaide Boat Show, Adelaide Convention Centre. Adelaide Boat Show.com.au.

July 24 - Sail Indonesia Yacht Rally departs from Darwin. Sail Indonesia.net.

July 29 - Aug 2 -- 2010 Sydney International Boat Show, Darling Harbour Sydney Boat Show.com.au.