Weekly Sailing Summary

OFFSHORE

Peter Millar's catamaran Cynophobe took line honours in the Dent to Dunk Race, then motored up the channel to Port Hinchinbrook, Cardwell. Eureka II, a Sydney 60 skippered by Mal Robertson, was the first mono across the line in a very slow and frustrating race. Check out APYC.Yachting.org.au for more details.

The Solitary Islands Series will be sailed off Coffs Harbour over the June long weekend with a series of races over the three days encompassing an ocean race and a windward/ leeward course. The Notice of Race is available at CoffsYachtie.com.au.

INSHORE

No wind over ten knots was recorded for the sixth Audi Winter Series race in a row on Sydney Harbour. When the breeze dropped to two knots, competitors battled an outgoing tide with no wind resulting in only 28 from 129 starters finishing, the lowest number of finishers for many years. David Pescud’s Lyons 53 Sailors with disAbilities was the sole division A finisher. Division B honours went to Sean Langman’s Sydney 39 LBXX on which he is trialling crew for his and Anthony Bell’s “big boat”, the 100 foot Investec Loyal, which is in the shed at Noakes undergoing modifications prior to its relaunch for the 25th Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race. CYCA.com.au.

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Australia won two gold medals on the final day of the Delta Lloyd Holland Regatta, round five of the ISAF Sailing World Cup. Australian Sailing Team member Tom Slingsby won gold in the Laser class while Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen claimed first in the 49ers. The 470 men’s crew of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page won the silver medal.

In the RS:X class Jessica Crisp finish second in the medal race and fifth overall. Krystal Weir in the Laser Radial fleet finished the medal race in fourth position and moved up to fifth overall in her return to the class. The Australian Women’s Match Racing Team crew of Nicky Souter, Nina Curtis and Olivia Price finished the regatta in seventh position. Yachting.org.au.

AROUND AUSTRALIA

Ian Thomson sailing around Australia has found the Southern Ocean not as he expected. He was stuck in the middle of a high-pressure system and only cruising at around five to seven knots. He hopes to be rounding the bottom of Tasmania by Thursday 3 June in his quest for the fastest solo Australian circumnavigation. SOS OceanRacing.com.

Jamie Dunross is in Airlie Beach, one of six scheduled stops during his attempt to be the first quadriplegic sailor to circumnavigate Australia. Solo1.com.au.

JESSICA WATSON

Jessica Watson and her crew set off from Sydney early on Sunday 30 May to avoid the east coast low that has battered the south coast of NSW and hit Sydney on Monday. They are scheduled to sail past Caloundra at 10.00am next Sunday morning, then Point Cartwright and on to Alexandra Headland by 12.30pm, before sailing into Mooloolaba Harbour. The Queensland Premier and Jessica will then address fans and the media at Mooloolaba Surf Club. JessicaWatson.com.au.

AROUND THE WORLD

The ten yachts in the Clipper fleet are racing from Jamaica to New York. Neck and neck racing to the Scoring Gate provided some anxious moments for those on board the leading four boats as they closed in on the points prizes on offer. For Edinburgh Inspiring Capital, their hard work was rewarded with their first Scoring Gate point of the Clipper 09-10 campaign. ClipperRoundTheWorld.com.

AMERICA’S CUP

Sir Keith Mills, Team Principal of TEAMORIGIN, the British America’s Cup sailing team, announces that Australian-born Grant Simmer has been appointed as CEO. Simmer was most recently Managing Director and Design Co-ordinator of Alinghi, winners of the America’s Cup in 2003 and 2007. TeamOrigin.com.

LOUIS VUITTON TROPHY

A hard-fought battle between Emirates Team New Zealand’s Dean Barker and BMW Oracle Racing's James Spithill at the Louis Vuitton Trophy La Maddalena went the Kiwis' way when the American team lost a penalty call in an aggressive luffing match approaching the second weather mark. LouisVuittonTrophy.com.

SAFETY

The use and carriage of flares as distress signals at sea has changed as more robust and technologically advanced alternatives have developed. As a result the Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has revised its advice to mariners regarding the carriage and use of flares in combination with more modern alerting methods such as EPIRB’s and VHF DSC. They are not saying don’t carry flares, but combined with modern devices you might not need to carry as many as previously recommended. RYA.org.uk.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

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. Whitsundayboatshow.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. Melbourneboatshow.com.au.

July 6 – Aug 17 -- CYCA Medical Management for Mariners course - St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney aims to teach those who go to sea in small craft, especially yachts, how to deal with a medical emergency should it arise when professional medical assistance may be hours or even days away. The course consists of seven three-hour nights at the hospital 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. All welcome. CYCA.com.au.

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

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

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

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

July 31 - Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race CYCA.com.au.

Photograph: Cynophobe line honours winner of the Dent to Dunk Race