Weekly sailing summary

Reports on the Rolex Sydney Hobart, Melbourne to Hobart, Pittwater to Coffs and more

ROLEX SYDNEY HOBART RACE

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race started with a ‘southerly buster’ during the first night, with the fleet of 87 starters encountering winds that reached 40 to 50 knots. Those gale-force winds and the resulting monstrous seas took their toll and saw 18 boats retire over two days due to steering damage, torn sails and engine problems, and for one unlucky yacht, a dismasting.
Following that, boats and crew had to contend with getting across the notorious 100nm wide Bass Strait. By the race end winds lightened, and boats at the back of the fleet had trouble getting enough wind in the River Derwent to the finish in Hobart.
Robert Oatley’s 100-foot maxi Wild Oats XI, which led the fleet out of Sydney Harbour, won line honours for the fifth time after a Race Committee radio protest was dismissed. Alan Brierty’s Reichel/Pugh Limit finished less than three minutes ahead of Stephen Ainsworth’s Loki, but the Reichel Pugh 51 Geoff Boettcher’s Secret Men’s Business 3.5 was the overall handicap winner of this year’s race, winning both IRC overall and IRC Division 1 titles.
Investec Loyal’s skipper Sean Langman received the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia Trophy for second overall and greeted the last boat, Wave Sweeper, when it arrived into King’s Pier Marina. www.rolexsydneyhobart.com

MELBOURNE TO HOBART

Melbourne to Hobart presentations were held at the Derwent Sailing Squadron. Kate Mitchell and Peter Blake’s Goldfinger won the Red Wine Cup for being first to Hobart from either coast. Goldfinger also set a new Eastcoaster record. John Muirhead's Enchantress was first in each of IRC, AMS and PHD down the West coast and was presented with the Alan Collins Memorial Rookie Skipper prize, as it was his first attempt in the mighty Westcoaster. www.orcv.org.au

PITTWATER TO COFFS

Wild Oats X, skippered by Mark Richards, took line honours in the 30th Anniversary Pittwater to Coffs hosted by The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club. Richards did his first Coffs race back in 1985 and said he loves coming back despite having to back up after the Hobart.
Julian Farren-Price's Cookson 12 About Time won the coveted IRC handicap crown, following his victory in 2009 and his third place last year. www.pittwatertocoffs.com.au

OLYMPIC CLASSES

After three regattas in three weeks in three states in eight Olympic classes, the 2010 Sail Down Under Series wrapped up at Sail Melbourne with the medals being shared by seven nations. www.yachting.org.au and www.sailmelbourne.com.au

AROUND THE WORLD

Brad Van Liew leads the four remaining Velux 5 Oceans solo sailors in the Southern Ocean sailing below Australia towards their next stopover at Wellington, New Zealand. Christophe Bullens has retired from the race after a string of technical problems on his yacht. www.velux5oceans.com

The first prize of the Barcelona World Race 2010-2011 has been won by race title holder Jean-Pierre Dick (FRA), sailing with Loick Peyron (FRA) on Virbac Paprec 3. They claimed the North to South Mediterranean Trophy for the first team to the reach the longitude of 05 37W, having best overcome the capricious light winds and strong tides faced by the fleet on the 540-mile first leg of the non-stop race from Barcelona across the Western Mediterranean. www.barcelonaworldrace.com

AMERICA’S CUP

San Francisco has been selected as the host venue for the 34th America’s Cup. The world-famous San Francisco Bay will be home to the 2013 America’s Cup Finals and the Challenger Selection Series for the Louis Vuitton Cup, as well as an America’s Cup World Series event in 2012. This will be the first time the America’s Cup has been hosted in the United States since 1995. www.americascup.com

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

Jan 20-26 -- Audi Victoria Week is the largest sailing regatta in Australia with over 450 yachts racing in various classes. Plenty of shoreside activities are available for friends and family who are not competing. www.victoriaweek.com

Jan 26 -- Australia Day. Events on Sydney Harbour include a Ferrython, Awesome Forces displays, best-dressed vessels competition, tall ships race, 174th Australia Day Regatta, Sydney Ports Jazz on the Water Concert. For details see www.australiaday.com.au

Feb 4-6 -- Melbourne International Boat & Lifestyle Festival, Docklands. www.miblf.com.au

Feb 11-14 -- Australian Wooden boat Festival, Hobart. www.australianwoodenboatfestival.com.au

Feb 16-Mar 20 -- Van Dieman’s Land Circumnavigation Cruise. www.ryct.org.au

Feb 19 -- The Wooden Boat Rally will be held on the Tamar River at the Seaport Marina in Launceston, Tasmania. www.woodenboatrally.com

Feb 23-Mar 5 -- Australian Offshore Challenge Bass Strait Rally, a 700 nautical mile navigation rally for powerboats starts in Hobart. The fleet travels the east coast of Tasmania, before crossing Bass Strait via the islands of the Furneaux Group and then on to Westernport to the finish in Melbourne.

Feb 24-27 -- Variety Splash. A three-day rally on Port Phillip open to all sail and power boats, commencing at Waterfront City, Docklands, with an evening ‘Welcome’ function. www.varietysplash.org.au

Feb 25-Mar 4 -- Geographe Bay Race Week held at in Busselton is the largest yachting regatta in Western Australia. www.gbyc.com.au

Feb 26-27 -- South Australian Wooden Boat Festival at the historic River Port of Goolwa. www.woodenboatfestival.com.au/

Mar 3-13 -- JJ Giltinan International Championship, Sydney Harbour, sometimes referred to as the 18 Footer Worlds. www.18footers.com.au

Photograph: Geoff Boettcher's Secret Mens Business 3.5

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