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Latest News
Feedback invited on Special Regulations Audit FormsCraig Heydon, Tuesday, 9 February 2010Yachting Australia is seeking feedback on the draft Yachting Australia Special Regulations Audit Forms which are designed to be used to perform equipment inspections on yachts and off the beach boats. The forms are based on those used, and supplied by, Yachting New South Wales. The Yachting New South Wales auditor model is used to service events ranging from Category 7 weekly inner harbour International Etchell racing to the Category 1 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and is well recognised nationally. A boat wishing to be inspected for equipment may use the appropriate form and the forms may be used as a guide to boat owners checking that they have the right gear on board. The forms may also be used by race committees when inspecting boats in accordance with Yachting Australia Special Regulation 2.02 - Inspection.
Boat owners must understand that an audit is carried out only as a guide to owners and organising authorities. An auditor/inspector cannot limit or reduce the complete and unlimited responsibility of the owner or owner’s representative as defined in regulations 1.02.1, 1.02.2 and 1.02.3 - Owner’s Responsibility.
The forms will be provided in Word.doc format and future editions may be converted to Excel.xls formats.
Persons wishing to provide feedback should do so in writing to glen.stanaway@yachting.org.au prior to 5 March 2009.
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Funding available for International ClassesCraig Heydon, Wednesday, 3 February 2010Yachting Australia, with the assistance of the Australian Sports Commission, is offering financial support to skippers and crews who competed successfully in recent World Championships of International and Recognised Classes. Limited funding is available to support Australian athletes competing in ISAF International and Recognised Classes World Championships. The grants are paid retrospectively based on Class World Championships held between 1 April 2009 and 31 March 2010. The purpose of the funding is to assist athletes with the cost of their World Championship campaign. Support is calculated using criteria that considers the athlete’s performance and where the World Championship was held.
Other criterion that the applicant must satisfy includes being a member of a Club affiliated to a MYA and a member of their class association.
The eligible classes are any ISAF International or Recognised Class, and that class must be affiliated with Yachting Australia at the time of the event. Crews must have competed in an ISAF recognised World Championship.
Recipients of the funding during the 2008/2009 year included athletes such as Marcus Hamilton and John Harris, winners of the International Contender and International Moth classes respectively, the team of Jason Muir, Bucky Smith, Paul Wyatt and Matthew Chew, International Etchells World Champions, and Steve Brewin who was second in the International A Catamaran World Championship.
Athletes intending to apply should check their and the class’ eligibility against the policy documents on the Yachting Australia website.
This policy does not apply to Olympic, Paralympic, ISAF Youth World’s participation or for World Championships where the Australian representatives are contracted members of the Australian Sailing Team, or if they have already received funding, either through direct funding or class based coaching support, from Yachting Australia.
Applications for funding must be submitted to the Yachting Australia office by 7 May 2010.
For more information contact Susan Veal by phoning 02 8424 7441 or emailing susan.veal@yachting.org.au.
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Upcoming National Officiating Program - Club Race Officers - courseCraig Heydon, Monday, 1 February 2010Yachting Australia will be conducting a National Officiating Program - Club Race Officers course at the end of February at Middle Harbour Yacht Club in Sydney. Dates: Sunday 21st and Monday 22nd February 2010 Two full day seminars – 9am - 5pm each day
Location: Middle Harbour Yacht Club
Seminar presenters – David Brookes (International Race Officer), Peter Moor (Principal Race officer for the 14ft Skiff World Titles and Extreme 40’s) and Jeremey Atkinson (National Race Officer). Maximum attendance 15 people – so be quick and register now.
Receive club race officer accreditation at conclusion of seminar
Topics covered include:
· Roles & responsibilities of race committee, race officer and key personnel
· Race committee – boats and equipment
· Wind direction, strength and laying sailing courses
· Using GPS
· Start lines, start signals and starting sequence
· Finishing tasks
· Post race tasks – scoring, handicapping, protests.
Practical session included.
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In recognition of David LinacreCraig Heydon, Monday, 1 February 2010David Linacre, a long-time member of, and contributor to, the Australian yachting community passed away last week. David’s involvement in the sport of sailing spanned more than 70 years and reached all levels of the sport from his club, the Royal Brighton Yacht Club, right through to the Olympic Games. David played a key role in the success of a number of sailing initiatives and was awarded with the Services to Yachting Award in 2001. David joined Royal Brighton Yacht Club in 1936 and sailed a 12ft Cadet Dinghy, he was a Honourary Life Member of the Club. After a number of years being involved in the club David became Club Captain and then in 1972, Commodore of Royal Brighton Yacht Club.
From 1970 until 1972 David was the President of the Victorian Yachting Council and Victoria’s representative to the AYF.
As Manager of the 1972 Australian Olympic Sailing Team, David was instrumental in arranging overseas training for the Olympic Team that contributed to a Gold Medal for John Cuneo in the Dragon class and a Gold Medal for David Forbes in the Star class. David recommended a Victorian Olympic Development Committee be established following the 1972 Games and this Committee has continues to this day.
He became an International Judge in 1982 and was a member of the VYC Racing Rules Committee and the AYF Racing Rules Committee and remained a consultant to the national committee for a number of years.
David remained involved with the club on a social level until just prior to his death.
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Australian crew win silver at ISAF Sailing World Cup in MiamiCraig Heydon, Sunday, 31 January 2010The Australian Sailing Team’s 470 men’s crew of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page has won the silver medal at round two of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, the Rolex Miami OCR. The Australian pair headed into the medal race in second position, just one point off the lead and tied on points with third. With just the top ten crews taking part and the double-points racing having to be counted in the final scores the 470 men’s title was always going to go right down to the wire. “The conditions today where the lightest we’ve had for the entire regatta,” said Page. “We were all just on the trapeze on the first lap and then completely off the trapeze in the second.”
“That combined with the way the points were meant that it was a very tricky race,” he said.
Belcher and Page finished the medal race in third position, keeping their competition in check throughout the entire race.
“No-one in the top four was doing anything crazy, there were plenty of lead changes, both on the course and on the overall leader board, which made it quite stressful but it made it a really good race,” said Page.
“A few days ago we would have been happy to finish the regatta in the top five but to come away with second was a great result.”
After two rounds of the 2009/2010 ISAF Sailing World Cup the Australian pair have the overall lead, following their first position at Sail Melbourne in December and second in Miami with the series now heading to Spain for round three.
“There was a lot happening on the course between the top four, the other two crews who numerically could have jumped us and then keeping an eye on the American crew of Stuart McNay and Graham Biehl who sit second in the World Cup standings,” said helmsman Belcher.
“We had our backs against the wall a few times in this regatta but we’re really happy with where we ended up and are looking forward to the next round in Spain at the end of March,” he said.
The final day of racing saw current Women’s Match Racing World Champion, Australian Nicky Souter, take on former World Champion, Claire Leroy of France, in the petit-final.
In the petit-final the first crew to two wins would finish the regatta third overall and Souter and crew got off to a great start, leading off the line and holding a small lead for victory in the opening race.
“In race two the situation switched with the French team leading to the first mark,” said Australian coach Dayne Sharp. “Nicky sailed aggressively downwind and round the bottom mark right on the stern of the French.”
“A small wind shift gave the French a small lead which they held right through to the finish,” he said. “In the deciding third race Leroy had the early advantage off the start line and took a three boat lead around the course to finish third overall.”
After six days of intense match racing Nicky Souter, Stacey Jackson and Rayshele Martin finished the regatta in fourth position, one ahead of fellow Australians Lucinda Whitty, Jessica Eastwell and Amanda Scrivenor.
In the 49er medal race Australian crew Will and Sam Phillips finished the race in tenth position, but were able to hold on to their sixth overall, finishing nine points ahead of seventh position. The medal race appearance capped off a strong week for the Australian Sailing Development Squad crew which included them leading the regatta after the first two days and recording five race wins along the way.
Australian Brendan Casey finished 13th in the Finn fleet, while Megan de Lange was 34th in the Laser Radial class. Australian crew Paul McKenzie and Philip Toth finished the week 14th in a competitive Star fleet.
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Strong day’s racing for Aussie Women’s Match Racers in MiamiCraig Heydon, Saturday, 30 January 2010Australia’s two Women’s Match Racing crews had a good day on the water at the Rolex Miami OCR with both crews tasting success at various points throughout the day. Lucinda Whitty and crew Jessica Eastwell and Amanda Scrivenor lost their race against Anna Tunnicliffe of the USA for a semi-final berth but went on to beat New Zealand’s Samantha Osborne and American Sally Barkow to secure fifth overall. “Lucinda and crew showed great improvement throughout the regatta, and this is Lucinda’s best placing at a world cup event as a skipper,” said Australian coach Dayne Sharp.
Meanwhile Nicky Souter, Stacey Jackson and Rayshele Martin sailed two good races against Samantha Osborne to take out their quarter-final match 3-1 and head into a semi-final match up with American Anna Tunnicliffe.
“The semi-final between Nicky and Anna was an epic battle,” said Sharp. “Nicky came back from two-nil down to draw it at two-all and force a deciding race.”
“In what was a great deciding match with many lead changes and the boats never being more than two lengths apart the American crew crossed the line just one metre ahead of Nicky and crew. It was a tough result for the girls but great encouragement for the work that we’re doing at home to see that Australia is with the tope group,” he said.
On the final day of the regatta Souter will race against Claire Leroy of France to decide third and fourth places.
Australian Sailing Development Squad 49er crew Will and Sam Phillips head into the medal race in sixth position. The pair completed the final fleet races with a ninth, 13th and last race victory to head into Saturday’s medal race with a podium finish still possible.
In the Laser Radial fleet Australian Megan de Lange ended the day in 35th position after recording a 40th and black flag in the day’s two races.
Brendan Casey held down his overnight 13th position in the Finn fleet with a 16th and 12th on Friday, a strong finish in a very competitive fleet.
Australian Star crew Paul McKenzie and Philip Toth ended the qualification races in 14th, missing out on a medal race appearance by just 13 points. McKenzie and Toth recorded a 16th and 22nd in Friday’s two races.
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Belcher and Page race up the ladder with all to play for in medal raceCraig Heydon, Saturday, 30 January 2010The Australian Sailing Team’s 470 men’s crew of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page had a great penultimate day of the Rolex Miami OCR, claiming a second and third placing to jump up the leader board from their overnight position of seventh to second heading into Saturday’s medal race. “We had a nice day out there today and raced exactly how we wanted to race,” said Page. “We didn’t have sensational starts, both races were good starts but we played the percentages and took all of our chances when they presented themselves.” France’s Nicholas Charbonnier and Baptiste Meyer Dieu won both of the day’s races to squeeze into the medal race in tenth position.
“In the first race today we were leading the way but dictated slightly by the fleet, allowing Charbonnier to head a different way and take the victory,” said Page. “Then in the second race we had to work our way through the fleet, so to finish third in that one was very satisfying.”
In what is sure to be an incredibly tight finish to the second round of the ISAF Sailing World Cup the pair are just one point behind the leading crew of Gideon Kliger and Eran Sela of Israel and tied on points with Anton Dahlberg and Sebastian Astling of Sweden.
“There’s nothing between the top crews here, tomorrow is all going to be about who beats who,” said Page.
“It’s anybody’s regatta at this stage and we’re really happy that we could get into a position to be in the running after being in seventh overnight.”
“Today we managed to do all the little things right, we took our opportunities and had good speed under pressure, to be able to perform well in such a high quality fleet was great,” he said.
With the top six crews separated by just 10 points the medal race is set to be a thriller.
Though not everything went the Australian’s way on Friday with coach Victor Kovalenko struck down with illness after spending the day on the water.
“Victor wasn’t feeling too well before we went out but in true Victor style spent the day on the coach boat working away,” said Page. “After racing we got him checked out at the club and then headed straight to the hospital, we’re sitting here still in our sailing gear.”
“Victor’s had a series of scans tonight and the blood clot has cleared so he’ll be right to fly home, and I’m sure we won’t be able to keep him off the water for tomorrow’s medal race,” he said.
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Australian crews in strong position as Miami OCR heads towards the business end of the regattaCraig Heydon, Friday, 29 January 2010The Australian Sailing Team’s 470 men’s crew of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page continue to hold down seventh position after four days of race in Miami. Belcher and Page started the day in the best possible fashion, winning the opening race comfortably before finishing 17th in the second race.
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Day full of close racing for Australian crews in MiamiCraig Heydon, Thursday, 28 January 2010Day three of racing at the Rolex Miami OCR has finished with plenty of movement both up and down for Australian crews at the second round of the ISAF Sailing World Cup. Another day of light and shifty wind conditions meant challenging racing on the Women’s Match Racing course. The conditions meant there were no hard and fast rules, sailing well provided opportunities to win by a lot or stage a come-from-behind win. And this was the case with both Australian crews who were racing for different outcomes. | ||||||||||||||
Belcher and Page move up the ladder on day three in MiamiCraig Heydon, Thursday, 28 January 2010Australian Sailing Team crew Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page have moved up to seventh overall after six men's 470 races at round two of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Miami. Belcher and Page finished day three of the Rolex Miami OCR event with an 18th, fifth and second to move up two positions overall from their overnight position of ninth. “Today was a pretty good day for us with two really good results,” said Belcher. “Mal and I are really enjoying getting back into racing at this level, where you need a good balance between strategy and tactics and if you make a mistake you lose four or five boat lengths straight away.”
“The wind was still quite light, we started the first race in about four or five knots and it built throughout the day to about eight or nine knots when we crossed the line at the end of the third race.”
The Australian crew’s day got off to a rough start when they were caught out by a 60 degree wind shift on the first beat of the first race which cost them dearly with the pair recording an 18th place finish.
“We were able to put the first race behind us and from then on had good starts, played the percentages and took all the opportunities that were presented to us,” said Belcher. “The racing here in Miami is incredibly close, there’s nothing in it with the top crews changing in every race.”
“It’s important to play the risks properly and stay on your game the whole time, working hard to be in the right position and then realising as soon as you’re not in the right position and getting there as quickly as possible to limit any damage.”
Belcher and Page finished the day on 38 points and with just 15 points separating themselves from the leading crew of Nic Asher and Elliot Willis of Great Britain there is still plenty to play for amongst the leading crews.
Belcher said that he and Page were finally in a position to tune their chartered boat properly after spending their first few days in Miami getting it to a condition where it could be raced.
“We lost three or four days when we first arrived just getting the boat to a condition we were happy with,” said Belcher. “It had been left unattended for about 10 months and needed quite a bit of work to get it to a level that we were happy with but now we’re finally able to get the tuning right and work on our race speed.”
“After the strong finish this afternoon we’re really looking forward to tomorrow’s racing,” he said.
Two races are scheduled for the men’s 470 fleet on Thursday with another two on Friday before the final medal race on Saturday.
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