Weekly Sailing Summary

Balance wins Gascoigne Cup, entries open for Rolex Trophy, young Gilmour's winning streak, 24 prospective teams for America's Cup

KEEL BOATS

Television and radio financial commentator Paul Clitheroe got an excellent dividend when his Beneteau 45 Balance won the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron’s Gascoigne Cup, the 102nd running of this historic annual short ocean race. www.rsys.com.au

Entries are now open for the Rolex Trophy, a lead-up regatta to the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, involving three key events -- One Design Series, Rating Series and the Passage Series. Formerly known as the British Trophy, the Rolex Trophy was originally introduced to provide a competitive series in the even years between the biennial international teams racing series for the Southern Cross Cup. www.cyca.com.au

When the Royal Ocean Racing Club announced that Piet Vroon’s KER46 Tonnerre de Breskens 3 is the 2010 Yacht of the Year, Sydney Yachts Managing Director Darren Williams pointed out that: "Early this year, Jason Ker and his team started development of the Sydney GTS37 and the GTS43, building on the design work they had carried out for the KER46 Tonnerre."

MATCH RACING

David Gilmour (AUS) of Team Gilmour crushed the opposition in the Asian Match Racing Championship Qualifying Session 1, winning his first five matches at the five-star Ri-Yaz Heritage Marina Resort and Spa. The son of four-time World Champion Peter Gilmour, David’s performance on the opening day of the four-day Championship saw him register wins over defending Champion Phil Robertson (NZL) WAKA Racing and the highly rated Reuben Corbett (NZL) Black Sheep Racing. www.wmrt.com

18 FOOTERS

Nick Press, Dan Phillips and Dave Ewings are waiting for their new Smeg-sponsored skiff to be delivered, but sailing a borrowed boat in the Mick Scully Memorial Trophy didn’t stop them from recording a victory on Sydney Harbour. www.18footers.com.au

OLYMPIC CLASSES

Yachting Australia has released the selection policy for the Australian Team to compete at the 2012 London Olympic Games Test Event to be held in Weymouth, England in August 2011. www.yachting.org.au

AMERICA’S CUP

Twenty-four prospective teams for the 34th America’s Cup met with the newly-established independent organisation, America’s Cup Race Management (ACRM), regarding the details for the next Cup racing cycle, set to begin in 2011 with an America’s Cup World Series. Potential competitors were briefed by Australian Iain Murray, CEO and Regatta Director for the ACRM. www.americascup.com

AROUND THE WORLD

American solo skipper Brad Van Liew, leader of the Velux 5 Oceans, suffered two knock-downs in four days on his yacht Le Pingouin as the fleet of five head to Capetown. British skipper Chris Stanmore-Major suffered damage to the stanchions when a spinnaker fitting shattered and he had to retrieve the sail which was flying out of control. www.velux5oceans.com/en

Fifteen teams of two, sailing IMOCA Open 60s, have entered the Barcelona World Race, starting on 31 December. With two skippers it is like solo sailing, but you are not alone. It is like having a crew, but usually you sail with nobody else around. After the last Barcelona World Race and Vendée Globe, the IMOCA class has been shaken by the unusual number of boats dropping out of both races. Nine masts and three keels lie at the bottom of the sea, and both circumnavigations have seen their fleets diminished, with more than 40 per cent abandoned in the last Barcelona World Race and more than 60 per cent in the last Vendée Globe. www.barcelonaworldrace.org/en

BOOK LAUNCH

Rob Mundle’s latest book, Bligh: Master Mariner, will be launched in Sydney’s National Maritime Museum on 12 November. The book is set in the eighteenth century, the era when brave mariners took their ships beyond the horizon in search of an unknown world. From ship's boy to Vice-Admiral, discover how much more there is to Captain Bligh than his infamous bad temper. Mundle's Bligh is about bravery and brilliance, endurance and integrity, great battles and victories. www.anmm.gov.au

NEWS BRIEFS

The 23rd Sanctuary Cove International Boat Show on 19-11 May 2011 will feature a newly-configured space including one of the largest pavilion structures erected in Australia for an annual event. Applications by exhibitors for space will be available for registration online from 1 November at www.sanctuarycoveboatshow.com.au

Sydney Ports Corporation has invited public comment on plans for a cruise terminal to be built at White Bay on the south eastern arm of the Balmain Peninsula. The Australian Cruising Industry grew by 18 per cent per annum between 2002 and 2008 and is expected to grow further. www.sydneyports.com.au/whitebay5cpt

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Oct 30 -- Hempel Gosford to Lord Howe Island Yacht Race www.gosfordsailingclub.com.au

Nov 7 -- Try Sailing Day NSW - Sailing and yacht clubs around NSW devote their club, boats and instructors to give people of all ages, with little or no experience a chance to experience the joys of sailing for free. www.bia.org.au

Nov 7 -- Go Sailing Day helps people go sailing from various clubs throughout Victoria. Register your interest at www.gosailing.com.au

Nov 13-14 -- The Copper Cove Marina Festival in South Australia will combine the best products and produce from local boating, seafood and wine suppliers. www.coppercove.com.au/marina_festival

Nov 20-21 -- 2010 Lipton Cup Regatta, held on Port Phillip. www.liptoncupregatta.yachting.org.au

Dec 6-9 -- Sydney International Regatta - Olympic Class regatta on Sydney Harbour www.nsw.yachting.org.au/

Dec 12-18 -- Asia Pacific Regatta, part of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, is a grade one Olympic Class regatta. www.sailmelbourne.com.au/

Dec 26 -- Rolex Sydney Hobart http://rolexsydneyhobart.com

Dec 31 - New Year’s Eve - Spectacular fireworks are fired off the Sydney Harbour Bridge, barges, and city skyscrapers at 9pm and midnight. www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/nye/

Photograph: Balance leading at off set mark - Photo Geoff Clarke

Weekly Sailing Summary

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