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News Archive
Week beginning: 27th March 2000
To submit news, please e-mail Megan.Seton@yachting.org.au
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Olympic News - Solings
Australia's Solings representatives for the 2000 Olympic Games Neville Wittey, David Edwards and Joshua Grace have missed out on a place in the Infanta Cristina - the Soling Match Racing Worlds, after a sail off with New Zealand's Rod Davis over the weekend for the one remaining position at the event. The Aussies were beaten 3-1 by the New Zealanders, in what was described by Coach Dayne Sharp as very close racing. "The sail off, raced in a pleasant 8 knots of wind, saw the Rod Davis crew win races 1, 3 and 4 by margins of 8, 9 and 8 seconds," said Coach Sharp. "Neville Wittey and team won their sole race by 12 seconds. Very close racing indeed…" The Aussies now travel to Murcia in Spain to prepare for the Soling Fleet Racing Worlds which commence on April 2. Results will be distributed daily. The website for the event is: www.soling.com |
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AYF Announces 2000 Volvo Youth Sailing Team
The Australian Yachting Federation (AYF) has today announced the 2000 Volvo Australian Youth Team to compete at the Volvo Youth Sailing ISAF World Championships in Sydney from 28 December 2000 to 6 January 2001. The team is: Sailboard Boys (Mistral) Cameron Harrison, New South Wales Sailboard Girls (Mistral) Allison Shreeve, New South Wales Single Handed Boys (Laser) Ben Austin, New South Wales Single Handed Girls (Byte) Jacinta Baker, Victoria Double Handed Boys (420) Gavin Fee & Tom Burger, Queensland Double Handed Girls (420) Melissa Bryant & Bronwyn Polkinghorne, Western Australia This is a truly national team with four States being represented within the team. The team will be supported by three highly experienced coaching staff - Paul Eldrid (420 class), Brendan Todd (Mistral class) and Erik Stibbe (Laser and Byte classes). The Australian Sports Commission and Volvo Car Australia, who have sponsored the Australian Youth Team for three consecutive years, will provide support for the team. Their contribution to the Youth Team will assist the team members in their preparations, providing the best possible coaching and support for each of the Youth Team members. The Youth Worlds will take place on Sydney Harbour and the course areas will be similar to those being used during the 2000 Olympic Games. The event has been a great platform for upcoming Olympic sailors in past years, with Olympic aspirants Sarah Blanck and Natasha Sturges both past medallists at the Youth Worlds. Current Laser World Champion, Ben Ainslie of the UK is also a past Gold Medallist at this event. Members of the team will meet in Sydney during Easter for their first intensive training camp. |
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Farr 40s Heading North to Mooloolaba
Up to five Farr 40 One-Design yachts plan to enter this year’s Sunlover Holidays Sydney – Mooloolaba Yacht Race, a sign of what’s to come for the Farr 40s as the class expands worldwide. "The development of the Farr 40s is one of the biggest things to happen to the yachting scene in a long, long time", said Warren Wieckmann, owner of Leroy Brown, the Farr 40 which smashed the 12.5 metre class record in last year’s Sydney to Gold Coast and Telstra Sydney to Hobart Race. "More than 100 Farr 40s have been ordered since production commenced just over two years ago, largely from the US eastern seaboard but the interest is building in Europe and Asia and of course, Australia," he said. The weekend prior to the Sydney – Mooloolaba Race, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club will host a Farr 40 regatta, a new event that has attracted nine entries to date. At least three, possibly five of these will go on to contest the 469 nautical mile race to Mooloolaba on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. Richard Perini (Corinthian Doors), Steve Ellis (Bon Journo) and Leroy Brown are definite starters while Victorian Farr 40 owners Lawrie Shannon (Young Australia) and Shane Tyrell/Dean Wilson (Terra Nova) plan be on the start line on April 15, pending final deliberations. Entries for the Sunlover Holidays Sydney – Mooloolaba Race have also been received from Melbourne maxi yacht owner Grant Wharington, who is planning to race Wild Thing north using moveable water ballast, current IMS Bluewater Pointscore leader Roger Hickman (Atara) and 1998 Telstra Sydney to Hobart overall winners Ed Psaltis/Bob Thomas (Midnight Rambler). For further information, please contact Lisa Ratcliff on 0418 428 511. |
| Sun Microsystems Australia Cup - Bertrand Pace takes the lead after Day 3
30 March 2000 Frenchman Bertrand Pace and his Le Defi Francais team, have taken over the top spot on the scoreboard after the third day of the Sun Microsystems Australia Cup. Bertrand and his crew almost had a dream day today (Thursday) winning six out of the seven races they sailed, and just missing out on a Aus$10,000 bonus. The bonus was payable to the first skipper to win ten consecutive races, with the French winning ten races over the past two days, but split in the middle by a loss to James Spithill of Australia. After a late start to the day, as the crews waited ashore for some breeze to ruffle the glassey Swan River, the action came thick and fast when the fabled Fremantle Doctor seabreeze arrived. Peter Gilmour and his Japanese Pizz LA team, currently second on the scoreboard, suffered a gash in the side of their boat when he collided with Peter Holmberg's Starsail team. Gilmour protested the umpires' decision to penalize him, but this was dismissed, though the jury recommended that the cost of the damage be shared between the two teams. The last race of the day turned into a thriller, with the two "young guns" of the series, Team New Zealand's Dean Barker and James Spithill of Team Young Australia having a dead-heat. This puts Barker and his crew in third place, half a point behind Gilmour, and looking good to make the cut into the semi-finals. In fourth place is Peter Holmberg's Starsail team, but it is very tight around this area of the scoreboard, with three skippers all having seven wins, but with Holmberg having sailed less races, and therefore having fewer losses. The other two skippers currently vying for the fourth semi-finals place are Sweden's Bjorn Hansen and local veteran Gordon Lucas, each with seven wins. Though it is early days, with the double round robin elimination series only just past the halfway mark, Pace is looking likely to take a big points lead in the Swedish Match Tour. Having won last week's opening event, the Steinlager Line 7 Cup in Auckland, he got a head start on the championship leaderboard, and another good result here in Perth will strengthen his position to take the US$50,000 first prize. SUN MICROSYSTEMS AUSTRALIA CUP 2000 - RESULTS Day 3 Flight 14
Flight 15
Flight 16
Flight 17
Flight 1
Flight 2
Flight 3
Flight 4
Scores:
Contact: John Roberson, Mobile - 64 (0)21 705 216, Media Centre 61 (0)8 9389 1052 |
| Workforce International Coffs Coast Sail Week - Hot Competition on the Agenda
27 March 2000 The Workforce International Coffs Coast Sail Week and associated Australian Offshore Sailing Championship has attracted some of Australia's most competitive ocean racing yachts. A strong fleet of sportsboats, especially Magic 25s, will also be competing in the series between April 8 and 14. "It's a wonderful response for a new regatta that has come together in only 12 weeks," said Middle Harbour Yacht Club commodore, Rob Reynolds. "The quality of the fleet this year proves its viability and assures its future. Coffs Coast Sail Week is destined to become one of Australia's major offshore events." Geoff Ross' Sydney to Hobart race winner, the Farr 49 Yendys, will be using Sail Week as its development program for the Australian challenge for the Kenwood Cup in Hawaii in July. Yendys is one of three yachts in that team. Adelaide yacht Ausmaid, owned by Kevan Pearce, will be the benchmark for Yendys as it finished third in the Hobart race, just 22 minutes behind the winner. Also included in the strong Sail Week fleet are two keenly campaigned Sydney 40s, Ron Jones' Sledgehammer and Rob Kothe's Sword of Orion. Sledgehammer was a member of the Australian Admiral's Cup team in England last year while Sword of Orion claimed seventh overall in the Hobart race. Among other high profile starters is Ray Roberts' optimised Sydney 46, ABN Amro Challenge - which will be renamed Workforce International - and near sistership Hawk, owned by England's Nigel Bramwell. Roberts raced his yacht into second on corrected time in the recent Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race while Hawk has made a special trip across the Tasman just to be in Sydney in time for the commencement of Sail Week. The race for line honours on the first leg of Sail Week for the offshore racers – a coastal dash from Sydney to Coffs Harbour – will be intense. Recently retired 18ft skiff champion Peter Sorensen is hoping he will be leading the charge up the coast with the 50-footer he shares with Sydney radio personality, Stan Zemanek, and Julie Hodder. Late entries are still being accepted for Sail Week. The Workforce International Coffs Coast Sail Week is a joint venture between Coffs Coast Yacht Club and Sydney's Middle Harbour Yacht Club. It has as associate sponsors Pacific Bay Resort - Coffs Harbour, Tourism NSW, Ansett Australia, Park Beach Plaza, Coffs Harbour Regional Airport, Volvo and Beneteau – Vicsail. Special travel and accommodation packages have been created to assist competitors, their families and friends. The Workforce International Coffs Coast Sail Week Notice of Race is available on the following websites: www.sailing-online.com.au and www.mhyc.com.au For more information please contact the organisers:
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| Medal Ceremonies Presentation Team Positions
The Sydney Olympic Games will run from 15 September to 1 October 2000. There will be 300 Medal Ceremonies for Olympic finals in 24 venues over a 16 day period. Eleven roving teams, consisting of management and presentation positions, will service all medal ceremonies with each team covering several venues and sports. Consideration will be given to volunteers wishing to be placed on teams that cover their particular sport of interest, however this can not be guaranteed. Volunteers will be required for the following positions:
Entitlements: During Games time, Medal ceremonies volunteers are entitled to meals (depending on shift duration) uniform/costume and transport between SOCOG HQ (Ultimo) and sport venues. Commitment: Medal Ceremonies staff would be required to be exclusively committed for the period commencing Sunday, 3rd September to Sunday, 1st October 2000. During this period, training, rehearsals and shifts will take place. The 300 Olympic medal ceremonies will be scheduled between 16th September and 1st October 2000. Although staff will not be required to work every day, availability is necessary. Contact: If you require further information on the Presentation Team positions please contact Maree Dryden, Production Coordinator, Medal Ceremonies, SOCOG on 02 9297 3950 or email Maree_Dryden@socog.com.au |
| 1st and 2nd for Sydney Yachts in President's Cup Regatta 2000, Subic Bay, Phillipines
The extremely successful Sydney 46 has again shown its winning performance under IRC with `Subic Centennial' (Judes Echauz/Jamie Wilmot) and `Hi Fidelity' (Neil Pryde) taking 1st and 2nd places respectively in the President's Cup Regatta, 7-11 March. The President's Cup was hosted by the Subic Bay Yacht Club, the racing was contested in light to moderate conditions, flat water and 33' temperatures. The competition was as fierce as ever with a number of competitors arriving on the morning of the first race direct from the SORC Regatta in the United States. 3rd Place in the event was taken by Ray Ordoveza/Steve Benjamin in their Andrews 53, and 4th went to Hocux Pocux 2, and X-612 raced by David Kong/Colin Richardson. This is the second consecutive year that the Sydney 46's have dominated the President's Cup. The 1999 Regatta saw "Centennial II" take 1st Place and "Hi Fidelity" take 2nd Place. The new IRC orientated Sydney 38, is creating a lot of interest in Asia and it is expected that up to three (3) yachts will be racing there next season. The Sydney 38 is a cost effective One Design IRC racer and follows Sydney Yachts domination of the Asian circuit. Contact: Sydney Yachts Marketing Ph 61-2-9979-8044, Email lbashford@bashford.com.au
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| Voluntary Product Recall:
Pains Wessex Marine Distress Flare Kits and Handsignals 28 March 2000 Pains Wessex Australia Pty Ltd wishes to advise that it is undertaking a voluntary product recall of certain batches of flares, sold mainly in inshore kits. Flares with Orange Handsmoke MK3 and Red Handflare MK2 identification manufactured in Australia between October 1999 and January 2000 (inclusive) may be affected by a quality problem. Defective adhesion of ignition paint to the striker plug in certain circumstances may prevent the flares from being ignited. This fault does not make the signals unsafe. Consumers are being asked to check their flares and if they fall within the above date of manufacture, to return them to where they were purchased for a no charge replacement. Alternatively, they can call the toll free Pains Wessex support line on 1800 111 028 between 9am and 5pm EST Mondays to Fridays for assistance. Please note: This voluntary recall refers only to the specific flares noted above and does not apply to any other Pains Wessex product. Pains Wessex is Australia's only manufacturer of marine distress flares and military pyrotechnic products. The company's modern production plant is located a Lara (north of Geelong) and its range of distress flares and other safety products are sold by most marine retail outlets Australia wide. |
