Yachting Australia

Eyewitness Report from Hyeres, France

The return of the strong sea breeze caused some races to be cancelled in Hyeres on day three of racing. More than the wind, it was the size of the waves that created havoc.

At time of publication day four racing was looking very doubtful, with very heavy wind conditions expected in Hyeres, reports Graeme Roberts-Thomson, AYF Team Manager.

The wild wind and waves did not stop Michael Blackburn (NSWIS) putting in his best effort to hold onto the number one place in the Laser class. Tom Slingsby has sparked up with a 3rd and 1st in race five and six respectively, placing him 17th overall. While, Brendan Casey (AIS/QLD) and Jon Holroyd (NSWIS) are currently placed 16th and 25th respectively overall.

Race results and overall standings from Day Three of the 35th Semaine Olympique Francaise:

Yngling –
1. Melanie Dennison (AIS/VIS),Caroline Aders (AIS/NSWIS), Fiona Herbert (AIS/NSWIS) (4,1)

Finn –
10. Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) (5,18)
15. Paul McKenzie (VIS) (20,15)

Mistral men –
23. Michael Lancey (NSWIS)
24. Jonathon Bonnitcha (NSWIS)

Mistral women-
6. Allison Shreeve (NSWIS) (6, 2, 2)

470 women-
7. Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) and Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS) (7, 4)
29. Lisa Charlson (QLD) and Friederike Ziegelmayer (28, 25)

470 men –
2. Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) and Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) (3 ,3)
16. Mathew and Daniel Belcher (QLD) 

49er –
No Day Three racing

Europe -
Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIC) (14,3)
Jo Dikkenberg (NSWIS) (26, 8)
 

For more information please contact Simone Green at the Australian Yachting Federation on (02) 9902 2155 or 0402 278 178 or simone.green@yachting.org.au

AYF Mainstream Paralympic Sailing Program

Sailing has become the second sport in Australia to sign an agreement with the Australian Paralympic Committee (APC) to mainstream disabled sailing.

The Australian Yachting Federation (AYF) has signed an agreement with the APC to provide sport services to athletes with a disability, with the goal to continue achieving medal-winning performances at the Paralympic Games and other International and National competitions.

Athlete and coaches services for the Paralympic Squad have been modelled on the Olympic Squad since 1998, with funding from the APC. The agreement will now allow the AYF to fully integrate, manage and administer the National Paralympic Squad alongside with other High Performance programs.

AYF CEO Phil Jones said, “In sailing, modified equipment allows athletes with a range of disabilities to compete equally, both with one another and against those without disabilities.”

“Perhaps, more than any other sport, sailing offers genuine mainstreaming opportunities. This agreement is a natural extension of our policy regarding athletes with disabilities.”

The AYF has now been invited to become a full member of the APC with associated voting rights. This will give the AYF the opportunity to contribute to the further development of disabled sport within Australia.

Australian teams have participated in the IFDS World championships and other significant international/world disabled sailing events since 1994 and the AYF is a current member of the International Foundation for Disabled Sailors (IFDS).

The 2003 AYF National Paralympic Squad will be announced shortly, it is anticipated that this squad will consist of eight athletes in both the 2.4mR and Sonar Paralympic classes.

For more information please contact Simone Green, Media and PR Co-ordinator at the Australian Yachting Federation on (02) 9902 2155 or 0402 278 178 or simone.green@yachting.org.au.
 

The Return of the Strong Sea Breeze Creates Upsets in Hyères

Strong Winds Wreck Havoc at Olympic Nomination Regatta

After one day of racing at Hyeres, France, Australia is prevailing with some impressive results. With strong southerly winds reaching 32 knots some athletes found themselves a lot wetter than others.

With Hyeres being an Olympic Nomination Regatta for the Australian Laser class sailors, close and exciting racing is expected and after two races Australian Laser sailors are proving this. Olympic bronze medallist Michael Blackburn (NSWIS) finished 1st in both races, putting him in the number one spot overall after day one. Jon Holroyd (NSWIS) finished 8th and 3rd respectively, and is placed 17th overall, while Brendan Casey (AIS/QLD) finished 5th and 6th respectively and is placed 19th overall.

Laser sailor Tom Slingsby (NSWIS) finished a well respected 7th in race one, however the strong winds in race two capsized his boat and the main sheet wrapped around his neck. Slingsby was transported to hospital and will undergo a medical tomorrow before being given the ok to continue the regatta. Slingsby’s father David has been in contact with the AYF and said that Tom is recovering well and is eager to continue racing.

Sailing in the Europe class, Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) is living up to her world champion ranking, finished 6th and 5th respectively, giving her 11th place overall.

“She performed very well in the strong wind and short waves battling a sore back around the course. She showed that she can mix it with the best despite being one of the lightest in the front pack”, Craig Ferris, Europe coach, reported from Hyeres. 

Jo Dikkenberg (NSWIS), also sailing in the Europe class had a 13th and 10th and showed good speed in the difficult conditions. She has had trouble getting off the start line in previous races, but got a great start in the second race. Dikkenberg is placed 20th overall.

Olympian Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) is currently placed 7th overall in the Finn class, with a 9th place in race one and doing one better in race two coming in 8th.  Paul McKenzie (VIC) is sitting on 13th overall, finishing 24th in race one and a great sail in race two to finish 6th.

Strong winds played a major role in the 49er races, with three quarters of the pack failing to finish the second race. Mark Turnbull (VIC) and Nick Partridge (VIC) finished 18th in race one, but capsized in race two and were unable to finish the race. This places them 38th overall. Ben and Marcus Tardrew (VIC) failed to finish both races, their boat also not staying upright in the wind.

World number one 470 sailors Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) and Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) are currently ranked 1st overall. Victor Kovalenko, AYF and Head Coach explained that the pair finished 1st in race one and despite equipment failure, finished race two in fourth place under the jib only.

Queensland’s Belcher brothers also had equipment problems in both races of the men’s 470 fleet. They finished 7th in the first race and 11th in the second despite having no spinnaker. They are placed 12th overall.

The strong Hyeres wind also affected the racing of 470 Olympic gold medallists Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) and Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS). Good positioning in race one was soon defeated by the wind, with their boat capsizing and the pair finishing 39th.   In race two, Armstrong and Stowell were first to the mark and held first position, but capsized again and finished in 17th place. As a result of the two capsizes the pair is placed 22nd overall.

Also in the 470 class Lisa Charlson (QLD) sailing with Friederike Ziegelmayer, managed to get through the fierce winds with an 18th in race one, but were unable to finish race two, placing them 35th overall.

In the Yngling class, Melanie Dennison (AIS/VIS), Fiona Herbert (AIS/NSWIS) and Caroline Aders (AIS/NSWIS) sailed competitively to finish 4th in race one and 2nd in race two. The X-Factor girls are proving their dominance, holding onto 2nd place overall.

Mistral sailors Michael Lancey (NSWIS) and Jonathon Bonnitcha (NSWIS) completed both races finishing 23rd and 29th respectively.  While, Allison Shreeve (NSWIS) is off to a great start in France with some very impressive racing, finishing 2nd in race one and 1st in race two. This places her 1st overall.

Visit the regatta website at http://hyeres.ffvoile.net for full results

Further results will be posted as soon as they become available

Notice of Race for Schools Team Racing Nationals released

The Notice of Race for the 2003 Australian Schools Team Racing Championship is now available.

The event will be hosted by the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron from 8 - 12 July 2003. The RQYS have a reputation for running hugely successful regattas and are guaranteed to ensure that the Championship will be of a high standard.

There have been some changes to the structure of the event, including doubling the number of entries to a maximum of twelve teams. This will create a more competitive and social atmosphere for the sailors.

The AYF and QYA invite schools to place their entries by 10 June 2003 in order to be eligible to compete in this prestigous event.

Other Links
	Accommodation listings for competitors

Aussie Girls Win NZ Match Race

A team representing the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club has won the 2003 New Zealand Women’s Match Racing Championships. Katie Spithill (helm), Nicky Souter (main) and Emma Bullough (bow) took the final 3-0 from former Kiwi champion Kylie Jameson (nee Hogg) and crew Sara Roberts and Gretchen White yesterday.

Spithill and co. lost only one match during the 3 day double round robin Regatta which was contested by seven teams on Auckland Harbour in Elliott 6m keelboats supplied by hosts the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron.

Jan Dawson NZL won the petit final 2-0 from Aimee Famularo NZL. “There was good breeze for the entire event easing to about 12 kts for todays finals said a jubilant Spithill who is currently ranked 24th on the ISAF listing and who with Bullough placed 4th in the 2001 Women’s Worlds. Souter is a former Australian Champion in dinghy classes.

Report by Sailsportz for RPAYC phone: (02)99971022 Mobile: 0418922000

Laser Asia Pacific Championship Update

Australian Sailors Looking for Olympic Nomination Success

Australian sailors are heading to Hyeres, France set for some competitive sailing. The 35th Semaine Olympique Francaise de Voile (S.O.F.) will be held from 24 April to 2 May 2003.

All eyes will be on Australia’s Laser sailors, as this is the second Olympic Nomination Regatta for the Laser class. Representing Australia will be Brendan Casey (AIS/QLD), Michael Blackburn (NSWIS), Tom Slingsby (NSWIS) and Jon Holroyd (NSWIS)

Australia has representatives in all Olympic class events for the first time in a European regatta for 2003. Some of our finest athletes will compete in Hyeres, including current world champion Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) sailing in the Europe class, current world champion Tornado sailor Darren Bundock (AIS/NSWIS) with temporary crew Glenn Ashby (VIC), Olympic gold medallists Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) and Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS) in the women’s 470 class and world number one 470 sailors Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) and Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS).

The Australian team will be supported by seven Australian Yachting Federation coaches led by AIS/AYF Head Coach Victor Kovalenko.

The S.O.F. is a Grade 1 ISAF Ranked Event, so there is sure to be some tight racing as athletes attempt to earn valuable points for the world ranking lists.

Daily results and updates from Hyeres will be posted on the AYF website from Monday 28 April till Saturday 2 May 2003

SARS Forces Arafura Games and Laser Asia Pacific Championship Cancellation

Sailing Girls - Winning At Palma!!

Belles are ringing!

Dear Friends and Supporters,

Belles are ringing with some more good news! Firstly, we are very happy to be able to welcome on board another sponsor, Belle Property - Premium Property Specialists. They will be our major sponsor, so if you are buying or selling a house, get hold of them and it will help us!

Our really good news keeps going - we just won Princess Sofia Cup, Palma.  It was our first regatta in Europe, having been delayed due to our boats being on tour without us. After the container went missing for a week or two and we missed the Barcelona regatta we were very hungry to get racing.  The first day began a bit too slowly for us. We had a poor start in fairly light wind. We had to remember how to start in fleets of over 30! We got that sorted out pretty quickly though. The first day was also cut short due to fog. Visibility was so bad that we could not even see the other end of the start line from the committee boat. Not wanting to lose any competitors, they called racing off and we had to use the compass to check the bearing for the harbour!

Some good strong steady breezes followed and we sailed 3 races a day for 2 days. We found that we had good speed and were playing the game well. Our starts improved and we even had one of our best starts ever! We had a really close battle with the Spanish in one race and just beat them over the line. This was to be the deciding factor at the end.

We did not know we had won until we reached the shore. The Greeks who won the last race were OCS (on course side - disqualified). They dropped to 5th overall. We had equal points with the Spanish, but Jenny and I won on countback since we had more second place finishes. A great result for our first regatta here this year. We now are en route to France and begin racing in Hyeres for the French Olympic Week (Semaine Olympique Francaise) on the 27th of April, finishing on the 2nd of May.

We have and few more days training to fit in before that!

More news after Hyeres,

Fair winds.

Regards,

Belinda and Jenny

Thanks to our supporters and sponsors:

• Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club
• LINE 7 and Musto
• RONSTAN
• Balgowlah Automotive
• Driveaway Holidays
• My bank: Westpac
• Oakley
• North Sails Japan
• AYF with Schenker and P&O shipping
• The governments: Australian Sports Commission/AIS, WAIS, NSWIS
• Sailing clubs: Royal Freshwater Bay YC and Middle Harbour YC

Interstate Teams Do Well at Sail Sydney Regatta

The final days racing for Sail Sydney on Botany Bay saw teams from Western Australia, Victoria and ACT have taken major places in the some of the classes being raced at the regatta.  The fleet sailed day 4 in a light Sou'easter breeze of 10 knots with the sun managing to make an appearance after three days of overcast conditions and rain squalls. 

In the Laser Radial class Seve Jarvin showed how it is done with seven 1^st places during the regatta.  In the Laser class Kevin Lim from Malaysia was again the competitor to beat and won from Mark Tonner Joyce from Victoria.  In the 470 class father and son team Ian and Byron Salav who have only been sailing in the 470 this week won from Craig Souter after damage to his rig saw Craig have three DNS results.  The 420 men's class saw the Victorian combinations of Matt Petzke and Jon Newman and Pete Wilson and Paul Newman take the two top places and in the 420 women's Elise Rechichi and Rayshelle Martin from RPYC in Western Australia won from Emma Phillips and Samantha England from Sorrento Victoria.

The Tornado class saw Andrew Macpherson and Andrew Heaney win from David Hart and Kez Stevens after taking the gun in 2 of today's races.  The 49'er class was won by Brendan Garner and Ben O'Brien from Victoria and first place in the 29'er class was taken by Tom Clout and Sam Newton on a count back from Will Critharis and Jeremy Wilmot.  James Ward and Kurtis Warner dominated the Flying Ant class with brothers Angus and James Naylor close on their heels.  Cherubs saw James Birdsall and Jensen Penney take the top spot after 6 first places during the regatta. 

This year's Sail Sydney regatta has been well supported by competitors from interstate travelling from WA, Victoria, ACT, Queensland and Tasmania to compete.  The organisers would like to thank the sponsors from Ronstan and the Bayside Plaza at Novotel Hotel, Brighton Beach for their support and the clubs involved for their work on the water and the host venue.  For overall results please check the YA of NSW website at www.nsw.yachting.org.au

Results - Top three positions in each class:

420 men's class

1    Matt Petzke, John Newman BYS         

2        Pete Wilson, Paul Newman BYS

3        Nathan Outteridge, Ayden Menzies Wangi SC

420 women's class

1    Elise Rechichi, Rayshelle Martin RPYC

2    Emma Phillips, Samantha England SSCBC

 470 class

1    Ian Salav, Bryon Salav Canberra YC

2    Craig Souter, Kieran Humphries RPAYC

2.4mr class

1        Stuart Shimeld CYC

2        Michael Leydon

3        Peter Thompson YMCASC

49'er class

1        Brendan Garner, Ben O'Brein RGYC

2        Emmett Lazich, Phil Manning WSC

3    John Harris, Euan McNicol AEFL

29'er class

1        Tom Clout, Sam Newton HHSC

2        Will Critharis, Jeremy Wimot WSC

3        Evan Walker, Mathew Hodge Wangi SC

Cherub class

1        James Birdsall, Jensen Penney GRSC

2        Peter McKewen, Carlin de Montfort GRSC

3        James Warner, Luke Hasting GRSC

Laser class

1        Kevin Lim WSC

2        Mark Tonner-Joyce RBYC

3        Sean Feeney MHASC

Laser Radial class

1        Seve Jarvin WSC

2        Martin Cox CYC

3        Ian Quartly RSYS

Flying Ant class

1        James Ward, Kurtis Ward GRSC

2        James Naylor, Angus Naylor GRSC

3        Lachlan Alexander, Mathew Perini NSC

Tornado class

1        Andrew Macpherson, Andrew Heaney Gosford SC

2        David Hart, Kez Stevens KCC

3        Steve Medwell, Brent Vaughan KCC

Media Contact: Sam Crichton ph # 0407 63 64 16 email samcrichton@smartchat.net.au

Final Standings - Princess Sofia Trophy

470 Men (66 entries)

1. Mathew Belcher (QLD) & Dan Belcher (QLD) 
8. Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS)

470 Women (37 entries)

Europe (120 entries)

13. Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) 
32. Jo Dikkenberg (NSWIS)

Finn (62 entries)

8. Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) 
23. Paul McKenzie (VIC) 

Gales to Glass for the Sail Sydney Fleet on Botany Bay

Day 3 of racing saw a dramatic change in the breeze after the 25 knots the fleet sailed in on the first day of racing, with the top being 12 knots from the southwest.  The fleets enjoyed constant breeze but with Easter being later in the year it is definitely colder in the water and several rain squalls produced fresher breezes.  The 11 boats in the 2.4mr class finished up their racing with Stuart Shimeld taking first place Michael Leydon in second and Peter Thompson in third. 

Interstate teams from Victoria and WA still hold the top three positions in the 420 fleet with Matt Petzke and Jon Newman and Pete Wilson and Paul Newman from Victoria in first and third places with Elise Rechichi and Rayshelle Martin from WA in second after 8 races.  In the 470 class Craig Souter had damage to his mast, which has caused him to not be able to race and has allowed Ian and Byron Salav to move into first.  James Ward and Kurtis Warner have maintained their overnight lead in the Flying Ant class with brothers James and Angus Naylor in second.  

Emmett Lazich and Phil Manning are currently first in the 49'er class. In the 29'er class Evan Walker and Matthew Hodge have maintained their position of first in the fleet.  Kevin Lim in the Laser class leads from Mark Tonner-Joyce and Sean Feeney.  Seve Jarvin is still in first position in the Laser Radial after three first places today.  Tornados are being lead by Steve Medwell and Brent Vaughan with Andrew Macpherson and Andrew Heaney in second after two first places in today's races.  In the Cherubs James Birdsall and Jensen Penney continue to dominate the class.

Results - Top three positions after day 3 of racing:

420 class

1    Matt Petzke, John Newman BYS         

2    Elise Rechichi, Rayshelle Martin RPYC

3    Pete Wilson, Paul Newman BYS

 470 class

1    Ian Salav, Bryon Salav Canberra YC

2    Craig Souter, Kieran Humphries RPAYC

2.4mr class

1        Stuart Shimeld CYC

2        Michael Leydon

3        Peter Thompson YMCASC

49'er class

1        Emmett Lazich, Phil Manning WSC

2        John Harris, Euan McNicol AEFL

3        Brendan Garner, Ben O'Brein RGYC

29'er class

1        Evan Walker, Mathew Hodge Wangi SC

2        Will Critharis, Jeremy Wimot WSC

3        Tom Clout, Sam Newton HHSC

Cherub class

1        James Birdsall, Jensen Penney GRSC

2        Peter McKewen, Carlin de Montfort GRSC

3        James Warner, Luke Hasting GRSC

Laser class

1        Kevin Lim WSC

2        Mark Tonner-Joyce RBYC

3        Sean Feeney MHASC

Laser Radial class

1        Seve Jarvin WSC

2        Martin Cox CYC

3        Ian Quartly RSYS

Flying Ant class

1        James Ward, Kurtis Ward GRSC

2        James Naylor, Angus Naylor GRSC

3        Lachlan Alexander, Mathew Perini NSC

Tornado class

1        Steve Medwell, Brent Vaughan KCC

2        Andrew Macpherson, Andrew Heaney Gosford SC

3        David Hart, Kez Stevens KCC

Media Contact: Sam Crichton ph # 0407 63 64 16 email samcrichton@smartchat.net.au

Gladstone Fleet Blown Home by Fresh Winds

Squally south east trade winds with local gusts recorded to 30 knots provided a ‘blow home’ finish for 38 yachts in the 55th Brisbane to Gladstone ocean yacht race fleet overnight.

The strong wind warning conditions gave the on watch helmsmen and the crew on deck a heavy work out as the yachts wave rode the building seas on the final spinnaker sailing dash from Lady Elliot Island to the finish off Gladstone’s Auckland Point.

Many of the crews said “The sail home was a great way to finish an ocean race”.

These faster sailing conditions have allowed the lower handicapped yachts to press their claims for outright race honours on corrected time.

Late yesterday the class line honours winners the Gold Coast catamaran Flat Chat (Jamie Morris) and Sean Langman’s super fast Sydney sloop Grundig held the chance to repeat their performance from the 2002 race by completing a clean sweep of the major trophies.

But the first gusts from the ‘brute’ breeze progressively blew their chances away as the smaller yachts completed their race with faster corrected course times.

Official race times are yet to be confirmed however the small Brisbane sloop Saltash 11 the baby of the fleet appears to have logged the fastest course time to win both IRC and IMS class handicap divisions and claim her record sixth win.

Provisional results: Queensland Cruising Yacht Club 55th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race IRC Division: Saltash 11 (Ian Wright, Qld) 1, Outsidedge (Peter Gaddes, Qld) 2, Grundig (Sean Langman, NSW) 3. IMS Division: Saltash 11 1, P&O Nedlloyd (Michael Spies, NSW) 2, Sweetheart (Tony Love, Qld) 3.

Multihull Yacht Club of Queensland 40th Brisbane to Gladstone Yacht Race: IOMR Division: The Cats Wiskers (Richard Jenkins, Qld) 1, Flat Chat (Jamie Morris, Qld) 2, Spellbound (Geoff Toomey, Qld) 3.

Today....Tony Mooney Officially Retires

After 33 years of working in yachting administration, Tony Mooney today official retires.

Tony Mooney has made a significant contribution to yachting in Australia since 1969. He initially worked with the Yachting Association of NSW for eight years before joining the Australian Yachting Federation in 1977.

During the 33 years in which Tony has worked in yachting administration, he has strongly influenced the direction of yachting in Australia and has become a famous name within yachting circles.

Tony is a member of several committees, ranging from Safety Regulations to Racing Rules and is highly respected by both Australian and overseas yachting administrators alike.

Tony now leaves his full-time role at the AYF to spend some well-deserved leisure time on his yacht. The AYF wishes Tony a long and happy retirement.

Offshore Grand Prix Rule Working Party Outcomes and Questionnaire

Darren Bundock Reports on Day 3 of the Princess Sofia Trophy

Darren Bundock (Tornado)

Only one race today due to extreme conditions. The race started in 25 knots and kept building. The Tornado course is the furthest course offshore and suffered the worst from the fresh land breeze.

After the 1st race the race committee sent the fleet back to shore.

The race was one by Sven Karsenbarg from Holland, who gained a nice shift from the right hand side of the course on the last upwind. Mitch Booth narrowly took second from myself and Glenn. The spanish were fourth.

It was a spectacular race with plenty of capcizes and gear failure.

Now after 5 races we can discard our worst race which enables us to sky rocket up the result list.

1.NED Booth 6,2,4,2,2 (10)
2.AUS Bundock / Ashby BFG,1,6,1,3 (11)
3.ESP Eckavari 2,13,7,4,4 (17)
4.GBR Styles 14,6,2,6,8 (22)
5.FRA Backes 3,14,3,5,12 (23)
6.GBR McMillian 13,3,8,3,10 (24)
7.FRA Revil 5,4,10,DNC,5 (24)
8.NED Karsenbarg BFD,15,1,11,1*6 (33)
9.FRA Guilchard 7,11,9,7,23 (34)
10.GER Landenburger 15,7,11,18,7 (40)

Regards,

Darren

Sponsored by: Marinepool, FSE Robline, Subaru-All Wheel Drive, Ronstan, Tacktick, Ullman Eye Wear.

Supported by: Australian Yachting Federation, Australian Institute of Sport, NSWIS, AOC & VSaW.

Standings After Day 3 - Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

The classes have completed at least 5 races, some up to 7. The Australian standings after day 3 were:

470 Men (66 entries)

2. Mathew Belcher (QLD) & Dan Belcher (QLD) - 21 points
16. Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) - 48 points

470 Women (37 entries)

Europe (120 entries)

16. Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) - 57 points
27. Jo Dikkenberg (NSWIS) - 78 points

Finn (62 entries)

9. Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) - 53 points
23. Paul McKenzie (VIC) - 111 points

Kontrol second into Osaka

Kontrol

Sailing teaches patience, but the patience of the two Victorian’s Peter and Simon Blake aboard their 14-metre racer was tested again today.

While it was hard on the nose for 12 hours for overall line honours winner Maverick II, with 30-35 knots as she closed on the Japanese coast, it was a tiptoe tour for the Kontrol team who had shadowed the leader for 5,000 miles.

Light southwesterly winds were blowing from their first landfall Muroto Saki, to the coastal city of Wakayama which guards the narrow channel between Awaji-Shima and the small islands at the entrance to Osaka Bay.

Right across Osaka Bay from Kobe in the north to Kishiwada on the southern shore and importantly to Osaka in the east, there has been only a gentle breeze from the southwest at 5-6 knots all day.

Time after time, the wake from the containers vessel easing out of Kobe and then Osaka just about stopped Kontrol dead in the water as she struggled towards the Osaka finish line.

Argos satellite data has been unavailable for six hours this afternoon as the French ground station was in the middle of a major computer server update.

However by 2pm JST Kontrol was 13 miles from the finish, 4900 miles from Melbourne, so close the two Australia’s could almost smell hot food and cold beer after 30 days at sea.

The welcoming flotilla tooted horns and cheered as they crossed the line at 17:49:48 AEST 16:49:48 JST

Their elapsed time was 30 days  3 hours  49minutes and  48 seconds. Second Overall and Second Open Racer.

Team FGI is now 150miles behind her, 101 miles south of Tanabe. She is sailing in the same light southwesterly. While her ETA is 24 hours from now, the soft conditions ahead are likely to mean she will spend another two nights as sea.

Club Marine Wizard is now 42 miles behind in 4th place overall. After almost 4000 miles Lulu has now be pushed back into 5th place.

Online updates are being processed and the latest Argos satellite positions data is available now.

On Tuesday morning at 6:57:15 AEST 5:57:15 JST, the line honours winner Maverick II has crossed the finish line in Osaka Bay.Her elapsed time for the 4941 mile passage was 29 days 16hs 57m 59s. 

Detailed news and interview at www.sail-world.com/osaka

ISAF Issues Rule 42 Interpretations

ISAF has today issued a number of racing rule 42 interpretations that will clarify the rule and make it easier for the judges to enforce rule 42 with consistency around the world. 

The interpretations will come into force on 26 April 2003, but any event may adopt the interpretations before then, provided the judges brief the competitors. This is a major initiative by ISAF to ensure a level, fair playing field for all competitors in the sport of sailing.

Click here to view a copy of the RRS 42 Interpretations as a .PDF file.

Teenage Gladstone Sailor Realises His Boyhood Dream

When Andrew Patrick was born 18 years ago plans were made for him to follow in the deck shoes of his famed Grandfather to become a Brisbane to Gladstone race yachtsman.

Those plans will be fulfilled on Good Friday morning when Andrew stows his sea bag on board the four times race winner Wistari, a yacht which his grandfather designed and built to a ‘strict shoe-string budget’ to ultimately claim a special place in Queensland Offshore sailing history.

Wistari launched in 1965 long before Andrew was born has played a significant role behind his success in sailing.

He has sailed numerous miles on the vintage class plywood ocean racer longing for the day that he was old enough to sail his first Brisbane-Gladstone race.

 The days of reading the families scrap books on the history of Wistari particularly the stories about her outright race wins including the triumph in 1976 when the wave riding sloop finished the 308 n/ml race with the corrected time of 26hours 1 minute 24 seconds are proud memories as Andrew Patrick becomes the third generation family sailor to race in her crew.

He will be teaming up with his father Scott to help him celebrate his 25th race on Wistari with Uncle Ross and four other top ocean racing sailors.

As expected there was an element of excitement when Andrew spoke about his maiden long distance race.

“It’s been a long wait but worth it and the forecast is ‘Wistari weather’ with fresh southerlies predicted”. He said.

Wistari the oldest boat in the fleet becomes a new generation flying machine in spinnaker sailing winds and Andrew expects to experience a spray drenched ride on her deck as she duels with the other race favourites Saltash 11 (Ian Wright), Grundig (Sean Langman), P&O Nedlloyd (Michael Spies) and Corum (Bill Wild) to claim her fifth win in the blue water classic

Day 2 Update from Aussies at Princess Sofia Trophy

Line Honours to Maverick II in Melbourne to Osaka Race

At 8am Peter and Simon Blake aboard Kontrol were 164 miles south east of Muroto Saki and is expected to finish tomorrow morning.

Jon Sayer and Joel Berg are now only 100 miles behind Kontrol, sailing Team FGI hard into third place and is looking good for a strong Racer C division win.

Interviews with the winning crew will have to wait until they are showered and had a hot meal and a few Kirren’s.

For the latest tracking information in English and now Japanese go to www.sail-world.com/osaka

Standings After Day 1 - Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma de Mallorca, Spain

With action in only some of the classes, little wind, and not much visibility, it was a day of mixed fortunes for the Australians in Palma de Mallorca, Spain.The classes who did manage to race, only completed one race. The Australian standings after this race were:

470 Men (66 entries)

3. Nathan Wilmot (AIS/NSWIS) & Malcolm Page (AIS/NSWIS) - 2 points
5. Mathew Belcher (QLD) & Dan Belcher (QLD) - 3 points

470 Women (37 entries)

14. Lisa Charlson & Friederike Ziegelmayer - 14 points
19. Jenny Armstrong (AIS/NSWIS) & Belinda Stowell (AIS/WAIS) - 19 points

Europe (120 entries)

9. Sarah Blanck (AIS/VIS) - 5 points
34. Jo Dikkenberg (NSWIS) - 17 points

Finn (62 entries)

12. Anthony Nossiter (NSWIS) - 13 points
34. Paul McKenzie (VIC) - 35 points

** Michael Lancey Reports on Day 1 from the Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma - 14th April 2003

National Olympic Squad member Michael Lancey reports back on the action (or is that inaction?) in the mistral class on day 1 of the Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Click here for full story.

** Day 1 Report from Craig Ferris, AYF National Coach - Princess Sofia Trophy, Palma - 14th April 2003

AYF National Coach Craig Ferris has sent back a report on the first day action in the Europe class at the Princess Sofia Trophy regatta in Palma, Spain. Click here for full story.

** Darren Bundock - Day 1 Report from Palma de Mallorca, Spain - 14th April 2003

The Tornado class was one of the classes where there was no racing on the first day of competition at the Princess Sofia Trophy in Palma. Read World Champion Darren Bundock's report. Click here for full story.

Sydney Skipper Casts Aside Sorrow to Bid for Yacht Race Win

The past 12 months have not been a very happy time for the experienced Sydney Ocean racing skipper Michael Spies.

Spies better known around the International yacht racing circuit as the co skipper of the Sydney to Hobart race record breaker Nokia has proved to be as tough as teak physically.

But the death of his long term friend Ashley Reed while contesting the 2002 Sydney to Mooloolaba race took toll of the weathered ocean sailor.

Skipper Spies and the late Ashley Reed had set their racing program on contesting the 2002 Brisbane Gladstone race with their sloop P&O Nedlloyd.

Unfortunately the untimely death of Reed forced Spies to withdrawn from the Gladstone Race last Easter but he is back this year and is looking forward to achieving a top result which will be dedicated to his late sailing mate.

P&O Nedlloyd has raced in all of the major East Coast classics including the Sydney to Hobart in late December and last weeks Sydney to Mooloolaba race and Spies believes the sloop has a strong chance if there is a mix of weather conditions to provide some sailing into head winds.

He is taking his chance but the odds of racing in his most favoured conditions appear remote with a possible strong wind warning spinnaker sailing South East breeze spiced with gusts above 25 knots forecast for the race start off the historical Sandgate Pier at 11 am on Good Friday.
 
Spies and the P&O Nedlloyd crew have slipped a few places on the ‘betting board’ and will fight an uphill battle to match the surfing speeds of the ‘Golden Oldies’ Saltash 11 raced by third generation Gladstone race sailors Ian and Bill Wright of Brisbane and the Gladstone sloop Wistari skippered by Scott Patrick

Both Saltash 11 and Wistari are smaller and lower handicap rated sloops and have the runs on the board winning a total of nine races between them in hard spinnaker sailing winds.

“They will have the edge on us in P&O Nedlloyd but anything can happen in a yacht race, hopefully some luck will smile on us to achieve a result that Ashley (Reed) would be proud of”. Spies said.

Osaka Race Leader Set to Enter Osaka Bay

Maverick II, the Overall and Open Racer leader at 5pm AET, 4pm Japan time was 14mm south of Kii suido, the passage between Awaji-Shima Island and mainland which provides the entrance to Osaka Bay.

Now 103 miles from the Osaka finish line, the New Zealand built sloop has sailed 4838 miles from Melbourne Australia.

Skipper Brian Petersen and crew John Bankart will have a difficult night negotiating the heavily trafficked Osaka Bay, the gateway to one of the busiest seaports in the world.

On the Day the War in Iraq started, the Melbourne to Osaka fleet started off Portsea Pier in Melbourne Australia and now 29 days later, the first of the fleet will cross the finish line.

Its been a difficult passage, punctuated with gales and storms on the edge of Australia’s Bass Strait, a glorious trade wind run up towards New guinea, then a difficult time through the doldrums of the Solomon seas, then a long beat north to Japan.

Second in the race is the Victorian entry Kontrol, now only 100 miles behind the leader with an ETA of late tomorrow night. Third overall is the 1999 race winner Jon Sayer in his new Sumo 101 design Team FGI 165 miles further back.

To view the enter fleet position which update hourly http://www.sail-world.com/osaka/index.cfm'SRSID=52

Sydney to Mooloolaba Final Results

Final Results

PHS

1st & 1st Overall     Strewth (CYCA) Geoff Hill
2nd Sea Jay (CYCA) Scot Wheelhouse
3rd The Cone of Silence (RPAYC) James & Jenny Neill

IMS

Div 2
1st & 1st Overall Cuckoos Nest  (Manly Yacht Club) Nigel Holman
2nd Occasional Coarse Language (CYCA)  Warwick Sherman
3rd  P & O Nedlloyd (CYCA)  David Beak & Michael Spies

Div 1
1st Quest (CYCA)   Bob Steel
2nd  Intercall Ausmaid  (CYCA)  Alan Quick
3rd  Ragamuffin (CYCA)  Syd Fischer

IRC

Div 3
1st & 1st Overall Tow Truck (LMYC)  Anthony Paterson
2nd – Krakatoa (CYCA)    Rod Skellet
3rd –  P & O Nedlloyd (CYCA)   David Beak & Michael Spies

Div 2
1st – Occasional Coarse Language   Warwick Sherman
2nd – Cuckoos Nest     Nigel Holman
3rd –  MRZ (MHYC)    Philip Rowe

Div 1
1st – Quest      Bob Steel
2nd – Grundig (CYCA)    Sean Langman
3rd –  Austmark (MHYC)    Gunther Schmidt-Lindner

Line Honours

Grundig – Sean Langman,  Elapsed time of 2 days 2 hours and 45 seconds

Star Class Olympic Sailing Campaign, Iain Murray and Andrew Palfrey

Written by Andrew Palfrey

We are in Palma, on the Island of Mallorca off the coast of Spain in the Mediterranean Sea. We are preparing for the Trofeo Princess Sofia, which is an Olympic Classes sailing event. There are 32 Star class yachts here, with most of the strong European teams competing here. The last ten days has been quite the adventure. Our fitness expert Mick Miller and I arrived into Kiel, Germany to pick up a car from our good friend and prominent Star sailor for Germany, Marc Pickel.

From there, it was a 1200km drive to the boatbuilders, just north of Milan in Italy. We arrived at Kiel on lunchtime on a Thursday, and I was keen to get to the builders factory at a reasonable time on the Friday, so we planned on driving into the night and then stopping for a brief sleep somewhere. That did not really pan out, as we encountered snow on our planned route over the Swiss alps in the middle of the night. I have never driven in snow before and the Swiss alps is a hell of a place to make your debut. Your attitude changes pretty quick from 'Oh, isn't this pretty' to 'Geez, we are sliding sideways off the road!!'. With unsuitable tyres, we had to retreat and find another route.

Our second route was better for a while, but again ended in tears close to St Moritz. Finally, we went back to the motorway for the 'buffalo girls' around the outside route and went through a 30km tunnel. The end result was an all night drive and a journey that took 20hrs instead of the planned 13hrs. On top of a 30 hour plane ride, it required many cups of coffee to get through it. Mick's snoring also helped me to stay awake. We arrived at the boatbuilders very tired, but managed to work on the boat until dinnertime, where we both managed to fall asleep at the table.

The new boat has been great so far. A very refined product, with very little to do. By contrast, our British training partner has launched a new boat from another builder and they have had long work lists each night. They have made a lot of changes to the standard boat and have had to work through a few teething problems. It must be said though, that they are in a different mode of their Olympic preparations. They are the current world championships and have already qualified for the games. They are currently in a testing phase, exploring for ways to move forward and looking outside of the box. We left the boatbuilders and lunchtime on the Saturday and had a more leisurely cruise along the Mediterranean coastline through Italy, France and Spain to Barcelona. Great experience!

From Barcelona, we boarded a ferry for the her overnight journey to the Island of Mallorca and the city of Palma. Iain and our sailing coach Gary Gietz arrived the same day via aeroplane. For the first five days in Palma, we sailed each day, training with the Poms, Iain Percy and Steve Mitchell, the French team of Xavier Rohart and Yannick Ade and the Irish team of Max Treacy and Anthony Shanks. It has been valuable. The new boat seems fast. I guess we will get more of an idea over the coming days. This regatta is quite a big deal over here in Spain. The King will be presenting the trophies after the event. I am very keen to meet the King, as I have never actually met anyone that has rhyming-slang named after them (King of Spain = Rain).

The Man with the Golden Voice

Derek Barnard from Penta Comstat paid the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba fleet a compliment when he acknowledged there were a number of contenders for the reintroduced Golden Voice Award.

"There were a handful of outstanding radio operators who spoke in a clear voice, were consistent with their reporting and always had a clear signal," said Derek this morning when he announced his final decision.

Seasoned ocean racing yachtsman Ian Treleaven, owner of the Volvo 60 Merit that finished third on line honours, was named the Golden Voice for this year's FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race.

Ian was thrilled to receive recognition for his efforts, admitting he "always tries to get it right for Derek", who, with his wife Jeanine, has assisted with communications for most East Australian coastal races since the 1970s.

"It is important we put a lot of effort into our radio position reporting," said Treleaven, who will miss the trophy presentation today at Mooloolaba Yacht Club having left early this morning to take the boat back to its home port of Sydney.

While technology has advanced to allow constant positioning of the fleet via Yacht Tracker and a dedicated web site - the precision of it resulting in phone calls to boats from families and friends asking why their boat speed is dropping minute by minute - the fleets still radio their position twice-daily to Penta Comstat.

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511

2003 FKP Sydney to Mooloolaba Unofficial Race Results

While it started with promise of a race record run, it was not to be.

The dual line honours winner, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club’s Grundig was just too fast off the wind for Brindabella and the Volvo 60’s. She threatened the record but conditions softened and she finished well outside the 1994 time..

But the smallest boat in the fleet, the Mumm 30 Tow Truck, who mid-race though she was 50 footer, had the best of both worlds. A fast/medium boat race, it turned out to be as the big boats sailed through the breeze into calm in the early hours of Friday morning while the mid-fleet held breeze, then the wind dropped today leaving the smaller boats struggling. The Sydney 38 Cuckoo’s Nest sailed an excellent tactical race to win on IMS handicap.

Results below are independently calculated by Sail-World.com and rely on provided data. They are subject to protests and course corrections and handicap verification.

The official results will be announced Sunday 11am by the Race Officials. at the Prize Giving at Mooloolaba Yacht Club.

IMS Overall Cuckoo’s Nest, Occasional Course Language, Quest
IMS Division A Quest, Intercall Ausmaid, Ragamuffin
IMS Division B Cuckoo’s Nest, Occasional Course Language, P&O Ned Lloyd

IRC Overall Tow Truck, Krakatoa, Occasional Course Language
IRC Division 1 Quest, Grundig, Ausmark
IRC Division 2 Occasional Course Language, MRZ
IRC Division 3 Tow Truck, Krakatoa, P&O Ned Lloyd

PHS Strewth, Sea Jay, The Cone of Silence

Still at sea

AFR Midnight Rambler finished at 15:06:30

Pippin 2 miles NNW Cape Moreton 26 miles to finish Toy Box 5 miles WNW of Cape Moreton 23.8 miles to finish Ucan’ttakeitwithu 9 miles NNW of Point Look-out 44 miles to finish Red Rock Communication 4 miles NNW of Point Lookout 49 miles to finish Impeccable 14 miles SSW of Point lookout 66 miles to the finish

Express 22 miles SSW of Point Look-out 74 miles from finish. ETA 5am Sunday morning.

For all the interviews and stories www.sail-world.com/mooloolaba2003

For full sked data and position charts http://www.sail-world.com/mooloolaba2003/index.cfm'SRSID=53

Grundig ETA of 2:30pm; Willi Willi hits Brindabella

1105hours:

George Snow's maxi yacht Brindabella has just been hitby a Willi Willi off Point Lookout that knocked the 75-footer flat.

Crewman Geoff Cropley reported by telephone just minutes ago that a Willi Willi lasting around 25 seconds and with a wind strength of about 25 knots hit them unexpectedly.

"We were on starboard gybe when it hit us on the port side and laid us flat," said Cropley.

He reported the crew and boat were OK and also advised that Ian Treleaven's Merit has dropped back a couple of miles.

FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race leader Grundig has just radioed in at Cape Moreton with an estimated finish time of 2.30pm this afternoon.

Light breezes and showers have hampered the final leg of the 469 nautical mile race, which began in Sydney Harbour two days ago.

Visit the official web site for up-to-date progress of the fleet:www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba

Kontrol Continues to Close on Maverick II in the Melbourne to Osaka Race

Here is the latest report from Kiwi skipper Brian Petersen

‘Yesterday mornings lovely breeze slowly died away to nothing, leaving us becalmed for a couple of hours. Just on dusk a light NW set in, quickly built to 25 knots and veered to the NE, allowing us to sail course.

Stayed like that all night so have had a wet, fast and very bumpy ride. Still blowing 20 true, very confused seas running. Looking like a Monday finish, hopefully.’

The second Open racer and second boat overall Kontrol is continuing to close the leader. She’s now 556 miles north of the Northern Mariana Island of Saipan. Three days ago she was 220 miles behind Maverick II, now the lead has been cut to 145 miles. However she’s running out of runway and Maverick II will need to break something to lose this race.

Kontrol is stretching away from 1999 race winner Jon Sayers and work mate Joel Berg on Team FGI, the Sayer designed 10.1m Sumo 101 sport boat. She is holding Club Marine Wizard and Lulu, 425 miles north of Guam. X-Dream and Plantronics are just over the horizon from each other 245 miles north of Guam. Funnel Web, Beyond Outrageous and TMQ are north of West Fayu atoll in Micronesia and are now feeling the effects of a tropical cyclone forming north of New Ireland.

Sibby Mcfayden from Funnel Web is reporting 10 metres seas and building.

Not much fun for the Funnel Web crew who, having left their matches behind, have been eating cold food for the last 26 days.

That’s not great for appetites but Sibby and Ivan have another problem. Water in the food lockers has meant they’ve had to throw away a lot of their food and they are on hard rations after 26 days at sea.

Salaku, Boots and Naniwa a day’s sail north of the Equator are likely to be affected by the same weather system.

Fine Tolerance, some 400 miles further west in the Bismarck Sea will be less affected.

To see the latest position updates from the Argos tracking system http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

Click for further information on: 2003 Tasaki Osaka Cup Melbourne/Osaka Double - Handed Yacht Race

Grundig Takes Lines Honours

Sean Langman added yet another line honours win to his growing tally when his 66-footer Grundig took the gun in the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race at 15:00:45 this afternoon for its second consecutive win in this race.

Langman, a former 18-foot skiff champion who operates a Sydney boatyard, chose his crew wisely for this race, including his trump card, the three-time 49er skiff world champion, three-time 505 champion and Sydney Olympian Chris Nicholson.

Grundig has taken line honours in every major race north from Sydney in the past three years and finished second over the line in the 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart Race in a late charge that nearly stole the thunder of the eventual line honours winner Alfa Romeo.

The silver-hulled bullet with the shark’s mouth painted on the bow is often referred to as a ‘maxi mauler’ because of its ability to beat much bigger boats to the finish line.

George Snow’s Brindabella is the next yacht due to finish off Alexandra Headland with an estimated finish time of 5.30pm this afternoon.

Official web site for up-to-date progress of the fleet:www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511

Melbourne to Osaka News

New Zealand’s Maverick II is now three days from Osaka in the 2003 Melbourne to Osaka race. She is now 500 miles north of Saipan in the Northern Mariana’s, still 190 miles ahead of Kontrol, who is closing slowly on the leader.

In third place is 1999 race winner Jon Sayers on his 11 metre unballasted racer team FGI, is now easing away from Club Marine Wizard and Lulu, two 20 miles north of Guam.

The Danish built X-Dream is 16 miles ahead of Plantronics Duo pro as these clear Guam. Matrix continues to lead Funnel Web, Beyond Outrageous and TMQ marine and Louise. 

The full satellite positions are available now at http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

Phil Hogg’s Fine Tolerance has now reached the Bismarck Sea but its not proven to be a tactically positive track, however its certainly great cruising grounds.

Just a footnote, the wrecked Mad Max that hit the reef near Russell Island has been slowly drifting northwards. She is now six miles from where the crew was helicopter onto the Japanese research vessel.

Breeze and Race Record Fades in FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race

The breeze that saw one of the most spectacular spinnaker starts on Sydney Harbour on Wednesday, then drove the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race fleet up the New South Wales coast at record pace has fizzed and taken the race record with it.

Overnight a rainstorm hit the fleet and the breeze stayed light and this morning, race leader Grundig is inching forward while those yachts some 70 miles back off Cape Byron are sailing in a new 15-knot sou'wester.

With 56 nautical miles to go, Sean Langman, skipper of the radical 66-footer is feeling a sense of anti-climax after the cracking pace he enjoyed for the first 24 hours but is still looking forward to taking line honours for the second consecutive year, unless George Snow's Brindabella can close the 25-mile gap.

If the stronger sou'wester reaches Brindabella, currently sailing 48 miles south of Cape Moreton it will quicken the 80-footer's pace and could make for a closer finish off Alexandra Headland at lunchtime today.

Merit (Ian Treleaven) is less than three nautical miles astern of Brindabella, sailing in a 10-knot sou'east breeze and 13 miles ahead of the fourth placed Magnavox 2UE (Peter Sorensen).

Handicap placings have shuffled overnight with David Taylor's Farr 37 Pippin leading on IMS at this morning's 7.05am position report ahead of Chris Bowling's Redrock Communications and the Beneteau 40.7 P&O Nedlloyd (David Beak/Michael Spies).

Anthony Paterson's Tow Truck, a Mumm 30 from Lake Macquarie has decided she likes the company of the 50-footers and is ahead of Ragamuffin (Syd Fischer) in 11th place and still the current IRC overall handicap leader.

The Rum Consortium's Witchdoctor,  a Sydney-based Davidson 42 with a colourful racing history including multiple Sydney Hobart races is the new PHS handicap leader with Michael Belakhov's Sydney 36 Sea-Change in second and Scot Wheelhouse's Sea Jay in third.

John Woodruff's The Dreamtime that went to Coffs Harbour for engine repairs is yet to advise the Race Committee whether they will continue to race.

A high pressure system moving eastwards is bringing the lighter conditions that will frustrate the back markers with the yachts furthest back not expected to finish the 469 nautical mile passage until late Saturday or early Sunday.

Once Grundig crosses the finish line, a diver will attempt to repair or remove the propeller door they have been dragging since the first morning, before the boat heads to Brisbane, unable to enter the shallow Mooloolaba seaway.

Official race web site: www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511

Can Sean Langman Take the Treble

As the MBD66, Grundig, powers up the coast towards her destination of Mooloolaba, her owner, Sean Langman, has three things in mind.

To break the long-held 1994 race record for the 469 nautical mile FKP Sydney-Mooloolaba Race, and to take line honours, which in turn will satisfy his third objective of being the first person to put a trophy into the brand new premises of the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club, which he represents.

Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club Commodore, George Keegan, explained, ‘Sixty sailors banded together 10 years ago and
started the Club.  We didn’t have a club house or a marina, but four years ago Newcastle Harbour Corp. gave us the opportunity to develop a Greenfield site.’

‘So far we have 88 berths in our 200 berth marina, and land to build a clubhouse in next 12 months. There is a commercial facility with six shops and shipyard. Sean Langman’s business, Noakes Rigging, is now operating that, he added.’

Commodore Keegan went on to say, ‘Grundig sailed in the Sydney-Hobart flying NCYC burgee and came second and now she is leading the Mooloolaba race, and we are looking forward to buying a trophy cabinet, he said.

At midday today, Langman said from the boat, ‘We might break the record, but we sure won’t smash it.   If anyone on the NSW central coast finds a big red kite, with Grundig on it, could they mail it to Noakes Shipyard in Newcastle, it blew out last night.’

To break the perennial Brindabella’s race record of 44 hrs 1 min and 43 secs, Grundig needs to finish the race by 9.01.43am tomorrow (Friday), a possibility at this stage, but the reality is it is in the lap of the Gods, with winds easing overnight and Grundig suffering setbacks with breakages.

Grundig has led the CYCA conducted race from the start, and this afternoon is off Evans Head, 157 nautical miles from the finish line off Mooloolaba.   For the past couple of hours she has averaged 8.4 knots boatspeed, which is .1 behind what was required, and will now have to average 8.7 to beat the record.

Minor placings have George Snow’s Brindabella, in 2nd place, 15 nautical miles behind Grundig, with the two Volvo 60’s, Ian Treleaven’s Volvo 60, Merit, a further six miles eastern, with the Peter Sorensen/Julie Hodder Magnavox 2UE a further two miles back, then came Matt Allen’s Farr 52, Ichi Ban and Martin James’ Farr 65, Infinity III.

Incredibly, the tiny Mumm 30, Tow Truck, owned and skippered by Lake Macquarie’s Anthony Paterson, is sitting 7th on line and leading IRC Division 3.

Further down the course at 3.00pm this afternoon, David Pescud and his Sailors With Disabilities crew on the Lyons 52, Aspect, are travelling at 8 knots and were just north of Coffs Harbour.

‘The wind was fast and furious last night, but it died in the arse this morning, which is typical for this race, and we are currently in 13 knots of southerly enjoying our spinnaker ride,’ Pescud said from the boat this afternoon.

‘We went offshore a bit, then came back in close to the coast today, and are heading offshore again shortly.  We’ve got Quest just astern and Fitness First Sting is off our bow,’ he added.

Asked if he was happy with their position in the race, Pescud, to the loud joked ‘We’d be on fire if I had a couple of decent helmsmen and crew, but to keep me quiet, the cook has just brought me up some scones fresh from the oven – there’s flour and water all over the floor now.’

Chinese Laundries; Race Record Could Be Close

This afternoon crews in the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race were taking advantage of the lighter conditions to dry out after their wild overnight ride.

"Everything we own is drying out on deck," said Tow Truck crewman Brett Filby this afternoon, following a night where the Mumm 30 from Lake Macquarie was often submerged and the seven crew on deck waist deep in water.

"We spent the night soaking wet and freezing; no-one slept a wink as we were hitting boat speeds of up to 18 knots," he added, as they pushed northwards in a 10-knot sou'wester this afternoon.

Amazingly, Tow Truck is still in eighth place on line honours, sailing in amongst the 50-footers, and was the IRC handicap leader at this afternoon's position report.

Race leader Grundig (Sean Langman) is still on track to crack the record, despite dragging a propeller door from her hull,  with 155 nautical miles to go to the finish.

The Sydney-based MBD 66 has a revised finish time of 4.00am tomorrow morning, April 11, five hours inside the record set in 1994 by Brindabella.

Sixteen miles separates Grundig and George Snow's Brindabella with Ian Treleaven's Merit and Peter Sorensen's Magnavox 2UE in third and fourth place.

Intercall Ausmaid (Alan Quick) is the new IMS handicap overall leader ahead of Matt Allen's Ichi Ban and Nigel Holman's Cuckoos Nest while Scot Wheelhouse's Sea Jay has led on PHS handicap since the race start from Sydney Harbour yesterday afternoon.

Wayne Kirkpatrick, CEO of Hamilton Island and skipper of Queensland boat Run to Paradise, one of three sunshine state entries, said this afternoon he is pleased with his position amongst the fleet, "given we started an hour and a half after the rest of the fleet."

Run to Paradise blew out a mainsail prior to the start yesterday and tested the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's response time in halting the truck carrying his spare to Queensland and having it returned carrying his precious spare sail.

There have been no further retirements today but at the position report, Ian Box reported Toy Box had sailed into Crowdy Heads this morning for repairs but was underway again.

Official web site: www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511

Final Results for Australian's at Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week

49er

26. Ben Tardrew/Marcus Tardrew
30. Mark Turnbull/Nick Partridge

Finn

13. Paul McKenzie

In race five, Darren Bundock and his temporary crew Glen Ashby led the entire race, only to discover at the presentation they had been black flagged (early start). This saw Bundock and Ashby lose their number one spot, to finish 2nd to Spain's Fernando Echavarri/Anton Paz 

2. Darren Bundock(AIS/NSWIS)/Glen Ashby

Other Links
	More Information

Final Results for Tornado Sailors in Barcelona

Weather conditions today were ideal and what we had been looking for all week.

At the start of race 4 the wind had increased to 15 knots from the sea breeze direction and it was perfect.

Olympic Gold Medallist Roman Hagara and Hans Peter Steinacher lead the entire race to win from the French team of Revil/Guillemette.
 
We had a great start to be 2nd at the first mark and held on to 2nd until the final down wind only to have a massive knot in the spinnaker halyard and slip to 5th at the finish.

Race 5 we lead the entire race only to discover at the presentation we had been blacked flaged (early start). Mitch Booth won the race from the Spanish team of Echavarri/Pazrcn.

Even though we were disqualified from the last race and religated to 2nd position overall we were extremely please with our performance.

Final results - 62 Entries, 20 Nations
www.bosw.org
1.ESP Echavarri/Pazrcn 4,9,3,10,2(18)
2.AUS Bundock/Ashby 8,6,1,5,BFD(20)
3.FRA Revil/Guillemette 2,14,10,2,6(20)
4.NED Booth/Howden 12,8,12,3,1(24)
5.GER Landenberger/Polgar 9,7,2,8,14(26)

Grundig leads Brindabella in the 2003 Sydney to Mooloolaba

Grundig at the Heads

Sean Langman’s Murray Burns Dovell 66 Grundig tonight  leads George Snow’s Brindabella by three miles as they race  north at record speed in the 467 miles Sydney to Mooloolaba race.

With tail winds of 25-35 knots over the last few hours, the two boat have averaged 14 knots since the Sydney Harbour start today and if the weather system cooperates they can be expected to smash the race record.

Behind them the two Volvo 60’s 2UE Magnavox and Merit are racing hard against each other with an 18-gallon keg of beer at stake.

As Merit skipper Ian Trelevan said a few minutes ago  ‘Strong conditions, we’ve been seeing 35’s. These boats just love the breeze. We had an ordinary start but we’ve managed to get back up the fleet’

Outside of these two boats is the flying Farr 52 Ichi Ban. Skipper Matt Allen commented

‘After the stress of the pre-Hobart problems when we lost our rudder and struggled to get to the line, today has been a joy.’ 

Michael Cranich’s Open 60 Broomstick suffered damage during a gybe and is heading to Port Stephens.

2002 Hamilton & Lord Howe IMS winner Fitness First Sting is well placed with the Sydney 60 Eureka II, while the re-masted Interval Ausmaid and Ausmark are sailing together just ahead of the legendary Bob Sled, long time holder of the Brisbane to Gladstone race record, before it was snatched away by Grundig.

Next behind them is 2002 Sydney to Hobart winner Quest close to the rhumb line.

Rob Reynold’s Tara is sailing like the Lyons 43 Atara; she was, ahead of the Lyons 49 Strewth and Rod Skellett’s down wind flier Krakatoa enjoying the running conditions.

While James McNeill’s 31 footer The Cone of Silence surfed out of the Harbour in third place she has fallen back in the fleet, still she’s with much bigger boats and still doing well.

John Woodruff’s Pacific 50 The Dreamtime is now climbing back through the fleet after a delayed start.

In the Sydney 32 One design Class Steve Proud and Will Hutchins’s Swish is 2 miles ahead of Cuckoo’s Nest with Obsession third. With her cruising main now replacing her torn race main, the Hamilton Island Team aboard Run to Paradise are tail gunners tonight, after starting an hour behind the fleet, but they have broken into a Run and are catching the other boats.

The full race sked with detailed charts and division positions will be available shortly at www.sail-world.com/mooloolaba2003

Yachts Still on Track for Race Record

The FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba fleet has been forced inshore overnight by a south-easterly breeze and a strong running southerly current, with many yachts this morning passing coastal townships close enough to be seen from the shore.

The fresh breezes stayed in overnight but moderated this morning to 15 knots before building back up to 20 knots.

This has slowed the fleet's pace somewhat but based on this morning's 7.05am position report, a new race record is still on the cards with race leader Grundig power reaching overnight to stretch its lead to 18 miles and likely to break the nine-year record by 10 hours with an 11.00pm finish tonight.

"We had a couple of problems overnight," said Langman this morning. "We lost a spinnaker and all the sheets overboard and we are dragging the stainless steel door from our propeller system that peeled back with the pressure of the water racing below us."

"Dragging this door has made steering difficult and we wiped out a couple of times overnight," he said.

Grundig has also bettered the record time of 19 hours for the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour stretch of water set in January this year by Bob Oatley's Wild Oats in the annual Pittwater to Coffs Harbour Race.

Ian Treleaven's Volvo 60 Merit is also revelling in the downwind conditions some 18 miles behind the race leader and just ahead of George Snow's Brindabella and Peter Sorensen's Magnavox 2UE.

The tiny Mumm 30 Tow Truck (Anthony Paterson) from Lake Macquarie is sailing amongst the bigger end of town in eighth place on line honours and was the IRC handicap overall leader at this morning's sked.

Matt Allen's Farr 52 Ichi Ban was still the IMS overall leader and Scot Wheelhouse's Sea Jay has held onto PHS.

The best-placed Queensland boat is Bob Robertson's Eureka II in 6th place on line honours.

The fleet was spread between Coffs Harbour and south of Port Macquarie this morning.

Greg Newton's Antipodes retired this morning to take an injured crewmember, Greg Williams, to Port Stephens for treatment. He is suffering rope burn and a suspected broken hand.

Tony Williams (Balmain Experience) advised at this morning's sked they had also retired due to a blown mainsail, leaving 39 yachts still racing north.

Official race web site: www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511

Leaders Less Than Four Days From Finish- Melbourne to Osaka

Brian Petersen, the Kiwi’s skipper of Melbourne to Osaka leader Maverick II reports that his 14 metre Elliott race is now 411 miles north east of Saipan and is now less than 1000 miles from Osaka.

”We have less than a 1000 miles to the finish to go, seems just around the corner but is still an Auckland - Fiji Race distance wise.

We have had near perfect conditions today. Light ENE breeze of about 10 knots, smooth seas, full main and eased #1 Genoa with the autopilot doing most of the steering. The last two days have been breezier and with the same apparent wind angle, much wetter and bumpier. So we feel we have deserved a day like today.

Looking ahead the weather fax tells us that the wind should move to the east more, and then eventually around to the south as a high pressure system moves over Japan. So hopefully as we get further north we can pop up a gennaker.

We are hoping to get into Osaka before the next low pressure system moves across. Late Sunday or Monday morning is the current ETA.

We sailed over a 10500 metre deep hole in the ocean floor, south of Guam on Monday, however I later found an even deeper hole of 10900 metres on the chart about 120 miles west of Guam, so have yet to sail in the deepest part of the world's ocean!

We are seeing more shipping now and several aircraft at night so must be getting closer to a busy part of the world. Very little sea-life out here, just the occasional bird and a few flying fish.

John cooked some pasta for lunch today. For starters we had Ryvita crackers (expiry date about June 2020!) topped with salmon in lemon juice and sun dried tomatoes and drizzled with a choice of honey mustard or Caesar salad dressing!

Pasta again for tea tonight, to use up the rest of the long-life milk before it goes off. Back to dog food again tomorrow night.

Tonight’s sked will be interesting. We expect the boats behind will have narrowed the gap a bit, in view of the light conditions we are in.’”

Kontrol is now 190 miles north of Guam, but contrary to Brian’s expectation she had not narrowed the gap, she is still 220 miles behind the leader. Team FGI is holding third just north of Guam, with Lulu further east in fourth place ahead of Club Marine Wizard. 

Live Race Positions
www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html 
Official Event Website
www.osakacup.com
Related Articles
www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=4257 
 

Brisbane Yachtswomen Set for a Fast Passage to Gladstone

Brisbane yachtswoman Kellie Mathews is preparing to accept a spray drenching experience during the Easter Holiday weekend to add another important entry in her personal log of ocean yacht races.

The Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race sailor who will stow her sea bag on board line honours favourite Grundig for her 11th race is one of three women who already has the personal distinction of  winning the premier Queensland ocean sailing classic in record time.

Mathews selected by Grundig skipper Sean Langman for a number of important roles including working ‘in the pit’ where all the action is enjoyed the thrill of sailing the fastest ever Gladstone Race when she teamed with Kathy Langman and Courier-Mail reporter Madonna Cameron in the 2001 race to sail the 308 n/mls from Brisbane to Gladstone in the remarkable time of 21 hours 44 minutes 39 seconds.

Memories of that race could be cast into a new time zone with Mathews and the rest of the Grundig crew riding an unparalleled wave of success which started with an outstanding second place in the Rolex Sydney-Hobart race and was continuing today as she led the Forrester Kurts Properties Sydney to Mooloolaba race well above record breaking pace.
 
Mathews was not aboard the ‘Pocket Rocket’ as she surfed before the Southerly gales and leaving a white water wake as she sped along the north New South Wales coast earlier today but she understands the power and the team work that powers Grundig to sensational speed when the breeze gusts over her deck.

“It’s truly an awesome experience to do speeds in excess of 20 knots in a big boat , there is heaps of noise and lots of spray and the unparalleled feeling of power”. She said.

Grundig well recognized as Australia’s fastest monohull yacht primarily raced to attack records is in a strong position to become the first yacht since Tony Fischer’s Helsal in 1976 to break the Sydney-Mooloolaba and Brisbane-Gladstone records in the same year.

She won both race line honours titles and the Brisbane Gladstone COURIER-MAIL CUP last year but an unstable coastal weather pattern prevented the sloop from winning with record times.

The forecast of racing in sail testing trade winds similar to those which are powering the Sydney-Mooloolaba race leaders to record breaking times remains promising for the 308 n/ml Brisbane to Gladstone race starting at 11 am on Good Friday morning.

If they lock into place then Kellie Mathews and the Grundig crew will re-write their Brisbane to Gladstone record.

They have every reason to be confident - just bring on the breeze and lets make it happen-, embraces the type of enthusiasm that has made Grundig Australia’s most exciting ocean racing yacht.      

Heavy conditions start to take their toll

Broomstick in Action

Ray Wallace's Custom 66 Broomstick is the second retirement in the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race as the heavy conditions start to take their toll on the fleet.

Just prior to this evening's 8.00pm sked report, a bottom fitting on the yacht's bow sprit broke, pulling the pulpit upwards and causing enough damage for the crew to decide they couldn't continue racing safely.

"The conditions were pretty heavy but we had actually backed off when it happened," said boat manager Brian Smith tonight. "There was no real reason for it breaking, just too much load over time."

The crew were understandably disappointed as they arrived at Port Stephens.

Given the southerly conditions, the boat is likely to remain in port for a few days before returning to Sydney.

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511

Golden Oldies Sentimental Favourites for Gladstone Race

There is an enormous sense of crew pride when the prevailing wind fills the sails on the small Brisbane sloop Saltash 11 and the equally famed Gladstone yacht Wistari as they set race strategy to sail for honours in the 308 n-ml Brisbane to Gladstone race.

Collectively these two plywood sloops considered by modern design standards to be obsolete, are despite their age hull shape and size, are ranked among the top contenders to win the 55 year old THE COURIER-MAIL CUP when the starting signal is fired for this years race at 11 am on Good Friday morning.

Wistari built to a strict ‘shoe-string’ budget by the late Gladstone jeweller Noel Patrick made her Gladstone race debut in 1965 while Saltash 11 a 1961 design from the drawing board of Englishman Jack Holt contested her first race to Gladstone in 1985.

Both sloops noted for their spinnaker sailing speed in fresh South East Trade Winds are two of the three most successful in the history of the coastal classic.

Wistari became the home town hero of Gladstone’s sporting pride when the crafty Noel Patrick and crew scored outright wins in the 1971, 1976, 1977 and 1982 races setting a remarkable 26 hour 1minute 24 second corrected handicap time during the 1976 race.

She held the fastest handicap calculated record for 17 years before the wave surfing Saltash 11 co-owned by third generation Gladstone Race sailors Ian and Bill Wright power sailed her to the more impressive corrected time 21 hours 15 minutes 54 seconds to win in 1993.

Saltash 11 winner of five races in 1986, 1992, 1993, 1999 and 2001 is the only Gladstone race winner in history to have won under three different handicap systems IOR, IMS and IRC.

These proud racing records rank the Golden Oldies Saltash 11 and Wistari with a strong chance to upstage the modern designs when the competitively strong fleet including the 2002 launched Farr 52 Ichi Ban, the Jon Sayer designed Belle and the recently re-rigged Mumm 30 Corum tension their sails in the tactical challenge against last years race winner and record holder Grundig skippered by Sean Langman.

The result at the end of 308 n/mls of tactical ocean racing will be determined by the wind direction and velocity to allow the more favoured handicap contenders to express their advantages to cover the first 42 n/mls to clear Moreton Bay before mastering 250 n/mls of open ocean sailing on the Coral Sea and the final 16 n/mls up Gladstone Harbour to the finish off Auckland Creek.

Both Saltash 11 and Wistari will be in the thick of the action with their ability to wave ride in South East winds while the more modern yachts including Ichi Ban, Belle, Corum, Valley Tram, P&O Nedlloyd and the recently modified Dancing Lady are better suited to maintain their handicap rated speed over the complete range of winds.

Last years winner Grundig holder of the race record with the sensational average speed of 14.16 knots will be hard pressed to successfully defend her title against this year’s fleet but then again anything can happen in a 308 n/ml yacht race and her crew has shown they can out sail their penalty plus rating.  
      

30-footer third out of Sydney Harbour in the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race

The giant shark mouth painted on the bow of Grundig leapt out of the water and the annual FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race was under way.

A 20-knot southwesterly breeze provided a fantastic start, one of the most exciting Sydney Harbour starts ever, as the fleet tore down the harbour hoisting spinnakers as they went.

Sean Langman's skiff-like Grundig pulled away from the fleet with ease, quickly building boat speed,  with  Ray Wallace's Broomstick close astern.

Then a red streak appeared from the spray and the tiny Super 30 The Cone of Silence (James Neill) surfed into third place, a position he held all the way to South Head.

The 80-foot Brindabella, owned by George Snow and the record holder in this event, left the harbour in fourth place but soon made a meal of the cheeky 30-footer.

Queensland entry Bobsled (Bob Robertson) tore its spinnaker in two as it reached South Head. "It's a sail maker's dream race," was the comment aboard the hospitality boat.

Late starters in the 43-boat fleet included John Woodruff's The Dreamtime and Wayne Kirkpatrick's Sydney 38 Run to Paradise, which tore its mainsail prior to the start in the fresh breeze.

Wayne's spare main was already heading out of Sydney aboard a truck bound for Mooloolaba but within minutes of the damage being reported, the truck driver was contacted and requested to turn around.

An hour after the 1.00pm start, two crewmembers from Run to Paradise were seen running down the CYCA marina carrying the spare main before the boat set off once more as a late starter.

To follow the yachts north, go to the Official web site: www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba  and click on Yacht Tracker.

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511 or lisaratcliff@bigpond.com

Spinnaker start for FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race

There were smiles aplenty as skippers left this morning's final weather briefing for the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race with a revised forecast of south-westerly winds that should see a 1.00pm spinnaker start on Sydney Harbour today and a crack at the race record.

A southerly front swept through Sydney this morning and is moving up the New South Wales coast, bringing following winds of between 20-30 knots to the racetrack that are expected to last through to the weekend. The Bureau of Meteorology advised that a strong wind warning is in place.

George Snow, the current race record holder with a time of 44 hours 01 minute and 43 seconds was this morning recounting his record run in 1994 in an average 18 knot easterly breeze.

"We rarely get a southerly all the way," said George referring to this morning's forecast, "but a race record is definitely possible if it holds."

Given the conditions and its water ballast capabilities, Sean Langman's radical 66-foot skiff Grundig is a strong race favourite for line honours.

"We are carrying 25% less weight than for the Hobart Race and we will certainly be giving the record a shake," said Sean after the briefing. Grundig was last year's line honours winner.

The youngest crewmember competing today is Clay Mullens, who commenced his offshore racing career with last year's Sydney to Gold Coast Race and has completed hundreds of cruising miles aboard his father's Farr 49 Fitness First Sting, a former Hobart overall winner.

Clay has two reasons to grin today - a spinnaker start and three days off school to be part of a highly experienced crew that includes Ian 'Fresh' Burns from Murray Burns Dovell and round the world sailor Genevieve White.

Family and friends can follow the 44 boat fleet via Yacht Tracker, a satellite tracking system that will provide real time positions via the official race web site. The fleet will also radio their positions at the first sked tonight at 8.00pm and then twice-daily - 7.05am and 8.05pm - starting tomorrow.

Official race web site: www.cyca.com.au/mooloolaba

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511 or lisaratcliff@bigpond.com

Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week Update

Barcelona, Spain: The forecast this morning announced E wind that would turn to SE (110º-150º). 6 knots increasing about 12 knots. Smooth sea to slight sea. Low clouds.  At 11,50 hrs, Race Committee officials out in the racing areas have reported NE winds, 5 knots.

The first warning signal in Bravo area (470 men/women, Laser and Europe) is scheduled at 13.00 hrs and at 14.00 hrs in the other racing areas.

With 3 races sailed, the 470 men will start sailing today the Final Series. Europe, Laser and 49er continue the Qualifying series.

Top three by class at press time:
470 Men (3 races sailed)
1. Yoself Yogev / Amir Shahaf, ISR, 5 points
2. Andrew Brown / Jamie Hunt, NZL, 7
3. Benjamin Bonnaud / Romain Bonnaud, FRA, 9

470 Women (3 races sailed)
1. Nike Kornicki / Vered Bouskila, ISR, 7 points
2. Natalia Via Dufresne / Sandra Azon, ESP, 13
3. Therese Torgersson / Vendela Zachrisson, SWE, 14

49er (2 races sailed)
1. Marc Audineau / Christidis Stethane, FRA, 6 points
2. Tim Wadlow / Pete Spaulding, USA, 6
3. Santiago Lopez-Vazquez / Javier De La Plaza, ESP, 8

Europe (no race results reported at press time)

Finn (3 races sailed)
1. Rafael Trujillo, ESP, 3 points
2. Sebastian Godefroid, BEL, 8
3. Pascal Rambeau, FRA, 10

Laser (1 race sailed)
1. Andreas Geritzer, AUT, 1 point
1 (two fleets). Robbie McMillan, NZL, 1
3. Michael Blackburn, AUS, 2
3. Francisco Lobato, POR, 2

Mistral Men (no race results reported at press time)

Mistral Women (no race results reported at press time)

Star (4 races sailed)
1. Frederik Loof / Anders Ekstrom, SWE, 7 points
2. Roberto Bermudez / Marcos Iglesias, ESP, 9
3. Javier Aguado Blanco / Miguel Santa Ursula, ESP, 9

Tornado (3 races sailed)
1. Darren Bundock / Glen Ashby, AUS, 15 points
2. Fernando Echavarri / Anton Paz, ESP, 16
3. Andrew Landenberger / Johannes Polgar, GER, 18

Yngling (4 races sailed)
1. Shirley Robertson / Inga Leask / Sarah Ayton, GBR, 8 points
2. Monica Azon / Laia Tutzo / Julie Garcia, ESP, 15
3. Anne le Helley / Emmanuelle Duby / Elodie Leaffre, FRA, 18

For more information visit http://www.bosw.org

Results from the International 2.4 Metre National Championships

Michael Leydon won his third successive International 2.4 Metre National championship in Canberra on 5 and 6 April 2003. With strong competition from Australian Paralympic representatives, and new boats sailed by Australian Paralympic coach Lachlan Gilbert and class boat-builder Stuart Shimeld, the achievement was made more significant by the weather.

The event conducted by the YMCA Sailing Club of Canberra was a frustrating affair with only patches of wind available on either day for racing. Varying performances of the top ranked sailors in the 13-boat fleet reflected the difficult conditions with race leads regularly changing with each patch of pressure. The race officer Andrew Collins is to be commended for completing six of the scheduled eight races with the best available wind.

Race 1 saw Michael McLean snatching a win after race leaders Stuart Shimeld and eventual winner Michael Leydon misread the sailing instructions and started another lap. With Lachlan Gilbert regularly wining the starts and Michael McLean showing good boat speed the racing on day 1 remained close.  Stuart Shimeld won Race 2 and Michael Leydon won Race 3 to end the day on a positive note.

Day 2 saw a continuation of the patchy conditions but the winner established clear breaks in each race.  Michael McLean led around the course to dominate Race 4. Peter Thompson raced off the start line with clear air and picked the shifts perfectly to dominate Race 5. Race 6 saw Michael Leydon pick up pressure on the left and jump from the fleet after a start that initially favoured Peter Thompson.  The win wrapped up the series for Michael Leydon with a convincing score of 9 points.

The handicap series was won by Zoltan Pegan in Kookaburra from Wal Wardle in Little Turrich with Kim Williams in Canberra III third.

All competitors now move their attention to Sail Sydney over Easter and the promise of competition in more rewarding conditions – but with the lessons of Canberra analysed.

Results:
1. Gunboat (Michael Leydon, ACT), (12)-3-1-2-2-1, 9;
2. Gretel II (Michael McLean, Vic), 1-(9)-3-1-4-7, 16,
3. Stanley Crocodile (Lachlan Gilbert, NSW), 3-2-2-4-6-(dnf), 17;
4. Jekael (Peter Russell, ACT), 6-(7)-7-3-3-5, 24,
5. Canberra IV (Peter Thompson, ACT, (8)-8-5-8-1-3, 25

Day One Report from Barcelona Olympic Sailing Week

Barcelona, Spain: Yesterday saw the beginning of the ISAF Grade 2 and 3,ninth Barcelona Olympic Week and light winds dogged day one, with only half the classes being able to get a race underway.

Only the 49er, Star, Yngling, Laser and Europe fleets held racing yesterday and in the Star Class, it was Robert Bermudez de Castro and Marcos Churches (ESP) who took the gun from veterans Frederik Loof and Anders Ekstrom.

In the women's keelboat, the Yngling, Spanish World Champions, and ranked at the top of the ISAF World Sailing Rankings, Monica Azon was beaten into second place by Ekaterina Skoudina (RUS), who is ranked in eighteenth place. As a relatively new class in the Olympic Circuit, the Yngling rankings have yet to settle and large changes are experienced on each ranking release.

Santiago Lopex-Vasquez and Javier de la Plaza (ESP) ISAF ranked third, sit second in the 49er fleet after the first race yesterday, beaten by the American pair of Tim Wadlow and Pete Spaulding, who are eighteenth in the
rankings.

Of the singlehanders, only one of the Europe flights could compete, and the race was won by Solenn Brain (FRA) from Carolijn Brouwer (NED). Both flights sailed in the Laser Class and the top three from each are below.

Racing continues today and concludes on Wednesday 9 April. -- ISAF, http://sailing.org

49er
1. Tim Wadlow/Pete Spaulding (USA), 4-2, 6
2. Santi López-Vázquez/Javier de la Plaza (ESP), 5-3, 8
3. Peter Backe/Andreas Benytsson (SWE), 8-1, 9

Star
1. Roberto Bermúdez de Castro/Marcos Iglesias (ESP), 1
2. Frederik Lööf/Anders Ekström (SWE), 2
3. Javier Aguado/Miguel Santa Úrsula (ESP), 3

Yngling
1. Ekaterina Skoudina/Tatiana Lartseva/Ekaterina Kovalen (RUS), 1
2. Mònica Azón/Laia Tutzó/Julie García (ESP), 2
3. Tatiana Veselova/Elena Kusmina/Vlada Ukraintse (RUS), 3

Europa
1. Solenn Brain (FRA), 1
2. Carolijn Brouwer (NED), 2
3. Krysia Phol (USA), 3

Laser
Group A
1. Robbie McMillan (NZL), 1
2. Francisco Lobato (POR), 2
3. Luis Martínez Doreste (ESP), 3

Group B
1. Andreas Geritzer (AUT), 1
2. Michael Blackburn (AUS), 2
3. Bert Schandevyl (BEL), 3

Event site: http://www.bosw.org

Yacht Tracker for Mooloolaba Race website

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Yacht Tracker satellite tracking system will provide real time positions of the fleet on a new dedicated website for the 2003 FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Yacht Race, which starts from Sydney Harbour tomorrow,  9 April.

The CYCA has established the new website - click here - following the successful use of the innovative Yacht Tracker satellite system on the official website for the 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. It will go live tomorrow.

Yacht Tracker will provide real time positions of each yacht throughout the race, updating every 10 minutes.

The first standings should be on the website two or three hours after the start at 1pm tomorrow,  the first time that the Sydney to Mooloolaba Race has had an official  website and yachting tracking system. The CYCA is planning a special site for its other race to Queensland waters, the Sydney to Gold Coast Race in late July this year.

The CYCA has equipped each boat in the 43-boat Sydney to Mooloolaba Race fleet with an Inmarsat D+ transmitter which automatically updates the yacht's latitude and longitude and transmits it via satellite to an earth station.

From there,  the data is transmitted to the website, showing in text and graphics each yacht's position in the fleet,  its place relative to other boats, and the speed currently being achieved, as well as the direction the boat is sailing.

Website viewers will be able to look at the overall state of the fleet or zoom into a group of boats, as well as accessing the current status of an individual boat.

In addition to the constant real time position reports via Yacht Tracker, positions received from the fleet will be immediately converted by a highly sophisticated spreadsheet into a report on the website that shows each yacht's position in the fleet, distance to the finish line, as well as its progressive corrected time position under the IMS, IRC and PHS handicap categories. 

Thus, once every 10 minutes viewers will be able to determine the handicap and line honours position of every boat in the fleet.
      
The web will include continuous news releases, a full list of competing yachts, background features, photographs, as well as weather forecasts and, as the yachts finish,  their finishing times and provisional overall and division handicap positions.

Further information: Lisa Ratcliff 0418 428 511 or via email.

Wet & Windy is the Forecast for the Mooloolaba Race

The fleet starting the FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race tomorrow at 1.00pm from Sydney Harbour has been advised by the Bureau of Meteorology to pack their wet weather gear.

At last night's official race briefing for the 469 nautical mile race that has attracted a fleet of 44 yachts, including three Queensland entries and many first timers in this event, skippers and navigators were told to expect a wet race from the start on Wednesday through to the weekend.

The Bureau is expecting fresh north-easterly breezes up the racetrack, with a low currently developing over the Hunter Valley possibly exerting some influence over this forecast later in the week.

A forecast south-easterly change due on Saturday is welcome news for the smaller boats as a quick run to the finish line should put some of them in contention for handicap placings.

"It's going to be a damp race," said Bureau forecaster Milton Steer last night. "It would have been lovely to have started a couple of days ago," he pondered.

Julie Hodder, navigator on the Volvo 60 Magnavox 2UE, was smug about her position on board the boat that will keep her largely dry for duration of the 'rock hopping' race up the New South Wales east coast to Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

"My navigation table is looking good," she said last night. "Apart from the rain, I'm pleased with the forecast because going to windward is better for the big boats - we can play follow the leader."

Julie Hodder and Olympic sailor Jamie Wilmot will form part of the 14-strong crew aboard Magnavox 2UE for its first FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race.

Both recently returned from Malaysia where they finished at the top of the Racing Class division of the inaugural Royal Langkawi International Regatta, crewing with Australian owner Peter Ahern aboard his Pacific 50 Yo!

Other international sailors competing tomorrow include round-the-world sailors Tom Braidwood, Genevieve White and Anthony Merrington, America's Cup sailor and designer, Ian Burns, and Team New Zealand sailmaker Jeremy Smith, crewman on Matt Allen's Farr 52 Ichi Ban.

The quality of crew parallels the fleet quality with many new boat owners preparing to test their endurance in a long offshore race, and many champions of the sport vying for silverware in the long-running eight race pointscore series that finishes with this race.

Amongst the new boats is James Neill's The Cone of Silence, the brand new Sydney 38, Run to Paradise, John Stuckey's Sunfast 37, UCAN'TTAKEITWITHU, Ed Psaltis and Bob Thomas' Northshore 369, AFR Midnight Rambler, and Ichi Ban, which was launched just prior to the 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Regulars in this event that are well-placed to finish with a Bluewater or Long Ocean Pointscore Series trophy include Hobart overall winner Quest (Bob Steel), Sting (Terry Mullens), Ragamuffin (Syd Fischer), Pippin (David Taylor) and Chris Bowling's Redrock Communications.
 
The quest for line honours will be hard-fought between George Snow's Brindabella, the record holder in this event, and the 60 footers including Grundig (Sean Langman), last year's line honours winner, and the two Volvo 60s Magnavox 2UE and Merit  (Ian Treleaven). Brindabella's race record is 44 hours 01 minute and 43 seconds set in 1994.

Given the strong upwind conditions forecast, a race record is highly unlikely this year.

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia aims to bolster the enthusiasm for radio position reporting by the competitors in this year's FKP Limited Sydney to Mooloolaba Race with the help of a revived award.

The Club recently announced that it would reintroduce the Golden Voice award, to be judged by Derek and Jeanine Barnard from Penta Comstat based on the performance of the operator and the performance of radio equipment during the twice-daily position reports.

Mooloolaba Yacht Club is expecting the first arrivals late Friday evening or early Saturday and they are preparing to turn on the hospitality the crews look forward to each year.

The most recent withdrawal from the race is Geoff Smith's Kictatinalong, putting the fleet size at 44 for the start tomorrow. Geoff intends to cruise north in company with the fleet.

A final weather briefing will be held at the CYCA tomorrow morning at 8.30am.

FKP Limited, one of Queensland's leading listed property development companies, is once again the naming rights sponsor.

Click here for Official Race Web Site

Further information contact Lisa Ratcliff on 0418 428 511 or via email

McLean Takes 2nd Place in New Boat, Gretel II

2000 Paralympian Michael McLean finished 2nd at the Australian International 2.4 metre Championships in Canberra this weekend (5-6 April, 2003). McLean was overjoyed at his best ever result in a national championship.

Michael Leydon came in first place, to take his third successive Australian International 2.4 metre Championship, however McLean in his new boat “Gretel II”, was the first disabled sailor overall.

The win for McLean was the first time he had comprehensively beaten his main opponent, 2000 Paralympian Peter Thompson. His efforts also managed to get him ‘across the line’ in front of third placed Lachlan Gilbert, National Coach for the Paralympic program.

The championships were the last regatta to determine the 2003 National Paralympic Squad for 2.4’s.

McLean wishes to thank John Mooney, Gavin Dagley and Kathy McLean for the hard work they put in to make Gretel II a winning boat and Jamie Thomson from Thomson Sails for setting up the rig.

Final Results:
1. Gunboat (Michael Leydon, ACT), (12)-3-1-2-2-1, 9;
2. Gretel II (Michael McLean, Vic), 1-(9)-3-1-4-7, 16,
3. Stanley Crocodile (Lachlan Gilbert, NSW), 3-2-2-4-6-(dnf), 17;
4. Jekael (Peter Russell, ACT), 6-(7)-7-3-3-5, 24,
5. Canberra IV (Peter Thompson, ACT, (8)-8-5-8-1-3, 25

Other Links
	More Information

Running the Rhumblines

New deep draft walk on walk off berths at Abel Point Marina will play a big role in attracting a number of Australia’s high performance yachts to compete in the International Hog’s Breath Race Week at Airlie Beach in August.

The excellent yacht mooring facility has enhanced the prospects of the popular ‘Tropical Shirt’ regatta on the warm waters of the Whitsundays to attract the star performers of the ocean racing circuit including Sean Langman’s record breaking Grundig and the former Volvo Race winner EF Language now racing as Magnavox.

Previously deep keel sloops like last years Hog’s Breath Race Week champion Colin O’Neill’s Aftershock and the impressive Hollywood Boulevard (Ray Roberts) were forced to use swing moorings in Pioneer Bay.

Fortunately the marina extensions which now offer the facilities to cater for big boats also has added berths to cater for the expected growth rate in entries for Hog’s Breath Race Week.

Use of the facility plus the ideal racing conditions on Pioneer Bay now provide promotional clout for Whitsunday Sailing Club to host major keel yacht championships including the Australian IRC, Farr 40 and Mumm 30 One Design titles.

The opportunities are endless allowing Hog’s Breath Race Week to be the platform for any number of classes including the exciting fleet of Sports Boats and a regatta for off the beach fleets including the fast lane Hobie Tiger and Nacra catamaran classes.

Another important feature will be the friendly post race party atmosphere centered around a ‘Carnival under Canvas’ situated on the hard stand space adjoining the marina.

This will allow the community and the sailors to enjoy the ‘user friendly’ facilities in what promises to become the sailors social event of the year.

Hog’s Breath Race Week officials have every reason to be confident of achieving a record fleet with the Notice of Race fore the ‘Friendly Tropical Shirt Regatta’ attracting interest from yacht owners representing clubs from New Zealand, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and all Australian states.

IOC Approves Logo for 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing

Young, dynamic - bringing together the historical and cultural heritage, as well as the future of China", these were the words used by IOC President Jacques Rogge on Friday to describe the logo of the Games of the XXIX Olympiad in Beijing in 2008.
The logo was officially approved by the IOC following a presentation made by a BOCOG delegation led by Mr Jiang Xiaoyu, BOCOG Vice-President, in the presence of Mr Hein Verbruggen, Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the 2008 Games.
The official unveiling of the emblem will take place in Beijing on 25 May. Details of the event will follow shortly.

The competition for the logo was launched last July in Beijing at the Olympic Design Conference. Some 2,000 entries were registered. The choice of the logo was made by a jury composed of Chinese and international design experts.

Related Websites

• 2008 OIympic Games http://www.beijing2008.org
• International Olympic Committee Website http://www.olympic.org
• ISAF Olympic pages http://www.sailing.org/olympics

Creating a Level Playing Field for RRS 42, Propulsion

For some time ISAF has been very concerned about the varied interpretations and enforcement of RRS 42 (Propulsion). There were a number of submissions to the 2002 ISAF Annual Conference to address various aspects of the rule; the rule itself, class rules, sailing instructions and RRS 42 judges. At the Conference in Cyprus, ISAF Council appointed a working party with representation from the classes, officials and rules committees to identify a way forward.

The working party has recommended that the first step is to level the playing field based on the current rule. This will be achieved by a number of ISAF RRS 42 interpretations to be applied worldwide and then to educate judges, sailors and coaches. The first set of interpretations are being finalised following the ISAF International Judges Conference held in Southampton on 21 - 23 March 2003.  In due course these will be supported by video demonstration, clearly identifying permitted and prohibited actions.

It is planned that an ISAF RRS 42 Interpretations Booklet will be published in on 14 April 2003, which will be sent electronically to all MNAs, Classes, Judges and Umpires, in addition to being posted on the ISAF web site.  It will also be available on request, to any sailor with an ISAF sailor ID.  The interpretations will come into force on 26 April 2003, but any other event may adopt the interpretations before then, provided the judges brief the competitors.

This is a major initiative by ISAF to ensure a level, fair playing field for all competitors in the sport of sailing.  More work will follow this first step and further progress will be announced as it unfolds.

Related Articles

• ISAF International Judges Conference, Emphasis on Education, 24 March 2003 http://www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=4160
• ISAF International Judges Conference, Setting a Level Playing Field, 6 March 2003 http://www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=4147

Related Webpages

• ISAF Racing Rules Section http://www.sailing.org/rrs2001

Shower Under the Stars Makes Life a Breeze with Team FGI Crew

Moonsoon rain provided an excellent chance for the Team FGI crew to freshen up after a sweaty passage to clear the equatorial doldrums as they maintained third place overall in the 5000 n/ml Melbourne to Osaka yacht race.

Team FGI the Sumo 101 and the smallest boat in the fleet has no shower facility on board and her crew welcomed the chance to strip off and have a bath and wash their sailing gear that reeked with body odor.
 
At the time Team FGI was sailing in light North East winds and gave her position to be 130 n-ml west of Fayu Island faced with another 1634 n/mls before reaching the end to the physically gruelling race in Osaka.

However the spirits were high as Jon Sayer and his younger crew mate Joel Berg described how nice it was to feel human again during their daily radio report to Team FGI supporters in Brisbane.

Sayer took the opportunity to tell Joel’s parents Noeleen and Geoff Berg that their youngest son had become an accomplished ‘Chef’ cooking up an Irish Stew and noodles thanks to the prepared recipe from a tin and a packet.

“Seriously it’s really good grits”. He said.

Least of all Joel Berg had no intention to become a perfectionist in the galley when he accepted the crew position to race with Sayer a dual Melbourne to Osaka race winner with Flying Fish and Sayernara.

He was on a mission to complete a valuable learning curve in his personal career and he was achieving that when Team FGI racing with conventional keel ballast continued to chase the larger water ballasted race leaders New Zealand’s Maverick 11 and the Victorian sloop Kontrol.

On positions tracked before dawn this morning Maverick 11 was 1291 n/mls from the finish leading Kontrol by 221 n-mls while Team FGI held third place to lead her class on both line and handicap honours another 122 n/mls astern.

Based on present speed averages and the promise of ideal sailing weather ahead Sayer and Berg have high hopes to step onto the dock in Osaka and order their first cold beer in 32 days after they complete the course on April 17th.  

Melbourne to Osaka leader closes on Guam

Peter and Simon Blake aboard Kontrol has failed to make an impression on the leader in the passage through the Doldrums and is now 212 miles back, in the Caroline Island group. They closed up as close as 31 miles, south of the Equator and had hoped to make a move north of the Equator. However the weather did not provide the opportunities they needed.

Jon Sayer’s sports boat on steroids Team FGI is a clear third ahead of Club Marine Wizard, Lulu, X-Dream and Planatronics Duo Pro.

The following group is catching Matrix, now 80 miles ahead of Beyond Outrageous.

Funnel Web is moving forward at last. She is now in ninth place

TQM Marine is 70 miles to the east, abeam of Beyond Outrageous, while Louise is 221 miles NNE of Lihir Island.

Boots has just rounded the cliffs of New Ireland and the crew can see the Hans Meyer ranges, towering taller than Australia’s Mount Kosciusko to the west.

Salaku is another 40 miles to the east. Naniwa is 160 miles north north east of Laughlan Island closing on the Bougainville shore, while Fine Tolerance is north west of the Trobiand Group making slow progress towards Finschhafen on the New Guinea coast. To see all the news and interviews www.sail-world.com/osaka

To see the fleet, via the Argos satellite tracking system http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

Click for further information on:2003 Tasaki Osaka Cup Melbourne/Osaka Double - Handed Yacht Race

End of an Era for the Legendary Ketch Laurabada

Queensland’s premier blue water yacht race will be robbed of some nostalgic history when the 2003 fleet faces up to the start on Brisbane’s Moreton Bay at 11am on Good Friday morning.

Sadly the famed 15m ketch Laurabada which completed a record of 50 consecutive Brisbane to Gladstone races last year has been officially retired.

The traditional timber crafted yacht built over a period of six years by inaugural Gladstone race sailor Ivan ‘Skipper’ Holm has established a history which will remain unchallenged.

She will be retired gracefully to cruising on Moreton Bay however no dedicated ‘Old Salt’ will be surprised if she tugs at her mooring lines on Good Friday morning.

No other yacht in the history of ocean racing can equal the feat of 50 ocean passage races over a course beyond 300 n/mls.

However she deserves the opportunity to carry the second and third generations of the famed Holm family into a relaxed cruising life style.

Sure there will be the memories when her new master Ivan Holm Jnr wakes up on Good Friday morning realizing there will be no need to record the events of another Gladstone race in Laurabada’s racing log.

All of the ‘Old Salts’ who were once part of her crew and now since retired agree that Laurabada is far more than a Gladstone Yacht Race history maker, she is a World history maker.

As expected Laurabada was always sailed with a special pride and passion but never won the Gladstone Race on outright handicap.

But she has the distinction of recording the closest line honours victory with her 41 second win over Peter Docker’s Sydney sloop Syonara in 1967.

Now the grand old ketch built to sail beyond the lifetime of her builder the late Ivan ‘Skipper’ Holm can gracefully sail on with her crew of family and friends knowing they have the responsibility to care for one of Australia’s most famed old yachts.

Team FGI ‘Cruising’ at 11 Knots after Crossing the Equator

The Jon Sayer designer Sumo 101 marathon ocean racing sloop Team FGI has firmed her grip on third place in the grueling 5,000 n/ml Melbourne to Osaka yacht race.

Her crew of two Brisbane sailors Jon Sayer and Joel Berg noted for their personal skills to press to the limit reported the yacht was reveling in the north-north-east breeze to log 11 knots during a radio report to their Queensland base yesterday.

The water ballasted 14m sloops Maverick 11 and Kontrol were on track to seal the major line honours places with the position of Maverick 11 plotted with 1748 rhumbline miles to sail compared with  Kontrol (1939) and the conventional keel ballasted Team FGI (1998).
   
Team FGI the smallest yacht in the fleet is on track to pass Guam some time on Tuesday with Good Friday April 18th logged as her expected arrival time in Osaka.

Meanwhile Joel Berg who first launched his sailing career in a ‘snub nose’ 8ft Sabot on the secluded Hamilton Reach of the Brisbane River has proved to be a first class ocean racing sailor in one of the Worlds most searching tests of technique and stamina.

Sure he has meet some very demanding challenges and scary experiences during the past 21 days on non-stop sailing since the race started off Melbourne’s Portsea Pier on March 16.

Berg recalled one of his heart stopping moments in yesterdays report as Team FGI cruised along in the warm waters north of the Equator.

“We were locked in an aggressive weather system off the Victorian coast when the wind recording instrument ‘bounced’ to 50 knots and stirred up the foam crested Tasman Sea ‘growlers’.”

“Jon screamed out to hold on just before one of these monsters estimated to be 8 meters with a wild wind wave on top dumped on the deck”.

That was scary stuff but Berg and Sayer have survived to be now over half way towards realizing their goal of proving the Sumo 101 as a versatile and very competitive ocean racer.

Berg obviously noticed some back ground noise when he spoke to his older brother Tim and some of his surfing mates during Friday’s radio report.

“It’s a bit rough hearing you guys crack open a cold tinnie when all the beer I’ve ever drunk is pouring out of every pore”. He said.

The good news for both Joel Berg and Jon Sayer is that their favourite Hahn and XXXX beers are available in Osaka but the bad news is the opportunity to cool their fist with a frosted tin of beer is still 12 days of sailing away.

Hogs Breath Race Week - Airlie Beach, Qld

Competitors at the 14th annual Hogs Breath Race Week, held at Airlie Beach, Queensland will be enjoying new facilities this year.

Since the inception of this event in 1989, it has grown into one of Australia's most popular yachting regattas.

A major factor in the future growth of Hogs Breath Race Week is the new marina at Abel Point. This facility will be operational for this year's event and will cater for the entire Hogs Breath Race Week fleet. Marina fees are included in the modest entry fee. A feature of the new marina will be its capacity to accommodate yachts in the "Maxi" size range. The new marina will also provide a social hub, with Tooheys New erecting a huge marquee (complete with bar facilities) at the entrance to the marina.

This year's Hogs Breath Race Week will take place from August 8th to the 14th. There is a lay-day scheduled for Monday the 11th of August.

Widely known as the "Tropical Shirt Regatta", Hogs Breath Race Week will again offer sailors ideal sailing on Pioneer Bay and the best value hospitality in the Whitsunday's. The founder of Hogs Breath Race Week and Organising Committee Chairman, Don Algie commented, "As past competitors can attest to, Pioneer Bay provides fantastic conditions for racing and cruising. Added to this is the Airlie Beach township that provides all styles of accommodation, restaurants, bars, transportation and entertainment for crews and families".

Changes for this year's Hogs Breath Race Week include the addition of the Big Boat Division, for yachts over 60 feet long and the Premier Cruising division, catering for larger modern cruising yachts. There will be an emphasis on one-design racing, with Sydney 38 and Farr 40 and Trailerable Yacht one design fleets. Other racing divisions include IRC, PHS, Cruising (with and without spinnakers) and Sports Boats.

Host yacht club, the Whitsunday Sailing Club will again open its doors to visiting crews. Commodore George Canfield said "We again look forward to welcoming competitors to Airlie Beach for Race Week. It has grown into a major event in the town and we expect this year to be bigger than ever".

All information, including the Notice of Race and accommodation is provided on the event website at www.hogsbreathraceweek.com.au All entries are accepted on-line.

Nitin Mongia (IND) Makes History and Takes the Title

In a historic day for sailing in India, an Indian has become World Champion in the International OK Dinghy as Nitin Mongia won the Championship with a race to spare.
  
Ben Morrison from New Zealand won Race No. 6 to record his first win at the Championships and move into 2nd place overall.

A look at the weather this morning did not inspire too much confidence in the mind of the organisers. It was another clear, blazingly hot day with not a whisper of wind, as everyone on shore waited and watched the wind slowly filled in as if answering their prayers. Nitin Mongia was once again the first boat to launch, a habit he has stuck to throughout the regatta to good effect. All the other competitors then launched and sailed out for what was to prove to be a pivotal days racing.

RACE 6:

The wind was at 245 degrees and about 5-6 knots when after a brief delay, Cdr. Homi Motivala the Principal Race Officer went into his starting sequence. The fleet seemed evenly spread out on a square start line when the start gun went off, the boats on the right side of the line seemed to have the better of the start while Nitin and the other boats from the left side of the line had a hard time getting up to speed.

Nick Craig (GBR) and Ben Morrison (NZL) surged into the early lead and stayed on the right hand side. Nitin who has always had a great understanding of the wind throughout this event stayed on the left hand side of the course and took advantage of a lot of pressure on that side to surge back into the lead and round the windward mark 1st followed by Rob Coutts and Nick Craig (GBR). Gautama Dutta of India rounded 4th followed by Ram Kumar Singh also of India.

Nick Craig then sailed out from under Rob Coutts on the first reach to round the Gybe Mark 2nd followed by Rob Coutts and Ramkumar. On the second reach down to the lee mark, Nick Craig tried to sail to windward of Nitin and started a luffing match that allowed Rob Coutts to round the Lee Mark 1st followed by and then Nitin in 3rd Place.

On the next beat upwind to the Windward Mark Ben Morrison (NZL), who had been quietly working his way up through the fleet, made his move to the right side of the course and rounded the windward Mark in 4th place. Rob Coutts rounded in 1st, Nick Craig (GBR) in 2nd and the outstanding Ram Kumar Singh of India in 3rd place. Nitin who by his own admission was taking it easy up the beat dropped to 5th.

On the long run back to the lee mark, Ben Morrison (NZL) took best advantage of the waves and sailed out from under Nick to round the mark 2nd behind Rob Coutts in 1st. Nick rounded a close 3rd and Nitin rounded in 4th place. Up the final beat Ben took advantage of some tactical indecision from Rob Coutts to sail through and win Race 6 followed by Rob Coutts. Nitin who had quietly made it back through Nick came 3rd to confirm his maiden World Championship followed by the disappointed Nick Craig.

As Nitin came off the water he was greeted by his coach Lt. Cdr. Mahesh Ramchandran, Maj.Gen. Rajendra Singh AVSM, VSM Vice President OK Dinghy Association of India, Lt.Gen. R. K. Mehta PVSM, AVSM, VSM Chairman of the Organising Committee

Nitin Mongia a native of Mumbai and Silver Medalist at the Asian Games 2002 in the OK Dinghy Class hails from Mumbai and was introduced to sailing by his father, Commodore Surinder Mongia (Rtd) Arjuna Awardee and the current Vice President of the Yachting Association of India. His elder brother Aashim is also an Arjuna Awardee and won the Bronze Medal at the 2002 Asian Games in the Enterprise Class.. Nitin is also in the midst of campaigning a Star Class boat along with Lt. Cdr Mahesh Ramachandran with an eye on the Olympics in 2004.

The other outstanding Indian sailor of the day was undoubtedly Ram Kumar Singh of India a native of Pune who despite sailing with an Indian made GRP boat and sub standard equipment stayed in the top 5 throughout the day with a best position of 3rd before dropping down the fleet to finish 10th.

OVERALL RESULTS AFTER 6 RACES:

Pos	Nation/Sail No	Helm	R1	R2	R3	R4	R5	R6	Pts
1	IND1	Nitin Mongia	1	1	1	1	1	3	5
2	NZL511	Ben Morrison	3	4	4	4	2	1	14
3	GBR2110	Nick Craig	2	2	3	5	4	4	15
4	NZL515	Rob Coutts	6	7	13	6	5	2	26
5	NZL512	Greg Willcox	7	6	2	10	6	7	28
6	NZL509	Joe Porebski	5	3	6	9	12	5	28
7	GER711	Rudiger Prinz	4	12	10	2	7	6	29
8	NZL517	Paul Rhodes	OCS	9	5	3	3	9	29
9	GER99	Hans Elkjer	9	8	7	7	10	OCS	41
10	GER696	James MacAlistair	8	5	9	13	14	11	46

Event website

www.indiasailing.org/okworlds2003

Related Articles

www.sailing.org/Article_content.asp?ArticleID=4220

Money time in the 2003 Melbourne to Osaka race

Maverick II is tracking towards West Fayu Island and then on towards Guam but conditions are softening again.

South of New Ireland five days ago, Kiwi’s Brian Petersen saw Maverick II’s 200 mile shrink to 31 miles as she sat in the Doldrums for 40 hours.

This morning she had flashed to a 150 mile lead but again she is slowing. Kontrol has made up 60 miles today.

This is the critical part of the race; if Maverick II can escape again with any kind of lead, barring breakages she will be first into Osaka.

If Peter and Simon Blake are going to take their Don Jones designed, Mal Hart built Kontrol is to take the lead, she probably has 2 days to do it.

In third place is Team FGI 48 miles behind her. Racer B Lulu is holding onto fourth place ahead of Club Marine Wizard, Plantronics Duo Pro and X-Dream

To watch the race unfold check regularly the Argos tracking updates at

http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

Click for further information on:
2003 Tasaki Osaka Cup Melbourne/Osaka Double - Handed Yacht Race

2.4mR National Championships in Canberra

The YMCA Sailing Club in Canberra will host the National Championships of the Olympic 2.4mR Keelboat Class this weekend (5th and 6th of April).

Competitors are expected to travel from New South Wales and Victoria to compete against the band of local hotshots that include Australia’s Sydney 2000 Paralympic Sailing Representative Peter Thompson.

The 2.4mR keelboats look like mini America’s Cup boats only 12ft long. In fact they are designed using the same ‘R Metre Rule’ that Australia II was though the class has restrictions prohibiting its famous winged keel. "It is a thoroughbred racer that has the complexity of a sophisticated keelboat, and the fingertip feeling of a dinghy."

The boats are sailed by one person who sits down in the boat facing forward with only their head above deck level not unlike a Formula 1 driver. Steered with the feet for able bodied sailors, the myriad of sail and trim controls are easily within arms reach. Since the sailing is not physically demanding, racing is done in one open class with men, women, young, old, abled and disabled sailors racing together.

The boats and sailors will rig and sail from the YMCA Sailing Club in Yarralumla Bay on Saturday and Sunday. Racing will be in the west basin of Lake Burley Griffin from 11:25am on Saturday and 10:25 on Sunday.

The Sailing Club will have a stable, dry power boat on stand by for the media on both days - Ask Jeanette in the club Canteen.

This is the last big regatta for the Australian competitors who are heading to Eckernforde, Germany for the 2.4mR World Championships this August.

This will also be the first regatta that Club Commodore John Collins has sailed in since his yacht was vandalised outside the clubhouse in July last year.

Club Contacts: Andrew Collins (Publicity Officer) 0402 272 002 or acollins@dddd.com.au

Boat Information: www.sailingsource.com/24metre/

Sumo Sloop Arm Wrestles with Larger Rivals in Osaka Race

Mooloolaba registered marathon ocean racing sloop Team FGI crewed by Jon Sayer and Joel Berg continues to produce an outstanding performance in the 5,500 n/ml Melbourne to Osaka yacht race.

The proto-type Sumo 101 Ocean racing sports boat designed by Sayer and built with the latest high strength technology supplied by Fibre Glass International at Allyacht Spars Australia in Brisbane has proved to be a sensational performer in one of the worlds most physically demanding races.

Team FGI have collectively applied their own meaning to FGI with a super human display of Fortitude, Gusto and Innovation to crew the smallest yacht in the fleet into third place after 2,324 nautical miles of racing in winds that have been spiced with wild squalls and the curse of the Equatorial Doldrums.

This achievement energised by the two equally determined sailors Jon Sayer and Joel Berg has surprised a number of their racing rivals including those aboard the race leader Maverick 11 and second placed sloop Kontrol.

Both 14-metre sloops Maverick 11 and Kontrol are assisted with the speed producing advantages of waterline length and water ballast however in comparison to the relative performance of the 11 metre Team FGI they have not totally expressed this into miles over the ocean sea bed during the tough 17 days of racing so far.

Sure weather systems in the northern section of the Coral Sea followed by the hot an often frustrating decision making to maintain speed in the Equatorial Doldrums has contributed to the margins on distance covered.

However on the accurate positions reported by the satellite tracking system Team FGI because of class rules is not permitted to use water ballast had 2540 nautical miles to sail on the direct compass bearing for Osaka while the overall race leader Maverick 11 was 2303 nautical miles from the finish and 132 nautical miles ahead of Kontrol with another 15 nautical miles to Team FGI.

Skipper Jon Sayer who has previously won this super human marathon sailing challenge with Flying Fish and Sayernara
reporting by UHF radio yesterday said. “We are playing catch up and that was temporarily halted during Monday night when we got belted with loads of wind from a wild rain squall that knocked us on our beam ends.”

“Apart from adding to the excitement the yacht is performing above expectations”. He said.

Melbourne to Osaka fleet closes on the Equator

Race leader Maverick II is again blasting away from the fleet. She is now 152 miles north of Lihir Island. Currently 39 miles south of the Equator and now tracking towards Osaka.

Skipper Brian Petersen reported by satellite phone today 'we are on the move again! The last few days have been very much stop-go affairs. We should cross the Equator tonight, fifth time for me and fourth for my crew John, so no ceremony planned, except to add to the beer order when we arrive in Osaka.’

Overnight Kontrol, Team FGI, Club marine Wizard, Lulu, Planatronics Duo Pro and X-Dream will reach the half way point in this longitudinal passage and they should all cross the Equator tomorrow weather permitting.

Matrix is closing on the New Ireland coast, while Beyond Outrageous, TMQ Marine, Louise and Funnel Web are sliding north along the Bougainville coast.

Boots is abeam Laughlan Island with Salaku close behind.

Fine Tolerance is striking northwest behind Rossell Island heading for the New Guinea shoreline.

Naniwa at the back of the fleet is now 200 miles south east of Rossell Island.

To follow the boats

http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

For more news and interviews www.sail-world.com/osaka

The Short Cut to Osaka

In this 5,000-mile south north race from Portsea Pier, Melbourne to Osaka Japan, there is a buoy inside Port Phillip Bay that is a mark of the course. The fleet turns out of the heads east along the Australian coast and then sail in any direction towards Osaka.  Some boats have swung wide around the Solomon Islands, most sail between New Ireland and Bougainville, but a few take the short cut.

Phil Hogg’s Fine Tolerance is this morning 112 miles south south west of Rossell Island, taking a short cut through the Louisiades. She is set to sail up between New Britain and the PNG mainland. Phil signaled this possibility a few days ago as he sat languishing behind boats he’d like to beat, in this epic adventure.

In the 1999 race two Japanese women sailors, Tomoko Terakawa and Tokulo Niwa followed this route west of New Britain aboard Lucky Lady V. This was the same route taken by Niwa and her late husband in the 1995 race.

This gamble could allow Fine Tolerance to catch up to the fleet if the weather cooperates and if it doesn’t, well it will be an interesting cruise anyway.

At the front of the fleet Maverick II is still driving north. She is now 85 miles NNE of Lihir Island. Brian Petersen and John Bankart will be looking at weather charts and calculating gybe angles. However after their long time stalled in the Doldrums and now being only 90 miles south of the Equator, they may be feeling that staying in any breeze is better than changing course.

Peter and Simon Blake’s Kontrol has tip toed around the New Ireland East Cape, but as they are sailing in soft conditions, she has almost been caught by the chasing pack.

Team FGI is now third overall 25 miles back, Lulu is 21 miles wider and Club Marine Wizard is closer to the coastal cliffs.

Planatronics Duo Pro is now north west of Bougainville with X-Dream.

Matrix has broken well clear of the following group and is 101 miles south of New Ireland.

The two two-somes of TMW Marine and Beyond Outrageous and Funnel Web and Louise are two stepping south west of Bougainville this morning.

James Murchison and Jeff Thomas are resting aboard the Shirase, on route for Rabaul. They will fly from Rabaul to Port Moresby then home to Australia. James brother Doug commented from Sydney this morning; ‘They came off the vessel with the clothes they were wearing and hopefully their passports.’

Their vessel lies abandoned on the reefs near Rossel Island. The battery powered Argos tracking unit will continue to report until the vessel breaks up.

To see detailed interviews and newswww.sail-world.com/osaka

To view the Argos satellite position reports  http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

Blackburn off to Europe for Three Months Laser Sailing

Hi there, a quick update before I exit Australia for three months Laser sailing in Europe.

I am departing slightly later than scheduled because the big steel box I put my boat inside in Melbourne in January went sightseeing. However, I'm much looking forward to ironing out some more kinks in my racing among the stronger Euro fleets.

This trip will have an Olympic feel to it for sure as I visit a number of past Olympic cities - Paris, Barcelona, Kiel (sailing venue) and Amsterdam with the aim in mind of an official visit to the oldest and newest Olympic city next year (you guessed it - Athens).

The Aussie Laser sailors have Olympic nomination events in Hyeres (France) in April and Kiel (Germany) in June. Both are venues which are usually without great sailing conditions but have popular regattas nonetheless.

While I've done this sort of thing a few times before I like the fact that the wind and water conditions are always new and different from day to day and year to year. That keeps it exciting and encourages improvement.

Ok, enough about me, must get packing!

Thanks to Driveaway Holidays in Manly for assistance in leasing a Peugeot 307 wagon.

Regards, Michael

Links to each regatta and results as they come are in the Program pages on my website. http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/1MichaelBlackburn/tester.htm

Contain'er-selves!!! We are off to Europe!

We are off to Europe to battle it out with all our top competitors and we have had a great farewell present. Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club is our newest sponsor and we welcome them to the team! We will be involved in coaching and mentoring their junior sailors and hope to be able to help out the senior members too through appearances at club functions.

We have had a few hiccups with our preparations with our container going to the north of Germany instead of the south of France! This has resulted in delaying flights and trying to track it down so we can get it off the ship and safely into our hands - or behind our car at least! We now will have to drive to Italy, hope to get the container there on the 3rd, and then drive, and drive and drive.. To make the first regatta in Barcelona which begins on the 5th.

It will be a mission so our first regatta will purely be a warm up, getting used to cold temperatures and seeing where we fit into the fleet after our months of training here in Australia.

I hope that you will enjoy following our travels and will let you know when we have our boats! It will be a very good day.

We compete in three regattas, two in Spain and one in France (Hyeres) before returning home for a short month training. Our second trip will be the bigger of the two, including the Europeans and the Worlds.

Fair winds and until the next update,

Regards,

Belinda and Jenny
www.sailinggirls.com.au

Thanks to our supporters and sponsors: Sorrento Sailing Couta Coat Club LINE 7 and Musto RONSTAN Balgowlah Automotive Driveaway Holidays My bank: Westpac Oakley North Sails Japan AYF with Schenker and P&O shipping The governments: Australian Sports Commission/AIS, WAIS, NSWIS Sailing clubs: Royal Freshwater Bay YC and Middle Harbour YC

Reef wrecked crew helicoptered to safety. Melbourne to Osaka fleet approaches halfway

After spending last night, hard on a reef to the south west of Rossell Light, the crew from Mad Max were this morning helicoptered uninjured from their broken boat by the Japanese Antarctic Research vessel Shirase.

After spending 40 hours lolling around the Solomon Sea to the south of New Island, race leader and Open racer class leader Maverick II has at last found a storm cell to power her northwards. Overnight she will reach the half way point in this 5,000-mile race.

At midday today the Elliott 14 metre was 51 miles east of Lihir Island to the north of New Ireland with second placed Kontrol having slowed in the light conditions to west of Bougainville.

On Sunday morning Maverick II had been approaching record pace but that chance is now is gone. Right now the Kiwi skipper Brian Petersen is concentrating on winning. If she stalls again Kontrol could sail around her and take victory.

Club Marine Wizard Cruiser Class B leader was in third place overall ahead of Racer B leader Lulu with the Racer C leader, that sports boat on steroids Jon Sayer’s 10.1 metre Team FGI likely to sail through them in the next 24 hours.

Plantronics Duo Pro, better known, as Turbo by her local Hobson’s Bay Yacht Club was sixth, close to the Bougainville shore in company with X-Dream

These boats look to be trying to stay in breeze on the coast, to avoid the calm that brought the race leader to a halt on Sunday and Monday.

Matrix was eighth 123 miles north of Laughlan Island, while the Huey could throw a hat over the next group of four, TMQ Marine, Beyond Outrageous and Louise Cruiser C leader and Funnel Web 35 miles north of that same horse shaped Island.

Boots has rounded Rossell Island, having now been passed by the Shirase steaming north to Rabaul with the Mad Max crew.

Salaku at noon was abeam Rossell, while Fine Tolerance was having later morning muffins and coffee, 121 miles to the south..

The disappointed and temporarily defeated crew on No Fearr has retired from the race with a broken boom and turned back for Brisbane.

Tail-gunner Naniwa was 268 miles NE of Fredericks. The Swan 42 is 1511 miles from Melbourne and a thousand miles behind the leader.

For all the race stories, interviews and emails   www.sail-world.com/osaka

To look at the latest position sheet http://www.sail-world.com/tracking/52/OsakaCup_Satellite.html

Intercall Ausmaid the ocean racing thoroughbred returns to the offshore racing circuit.

Intercall Ausmaid, the Farr 47 that has made a place for herself in Australian Ocean racing records taking the overall winner place in both the 1996 and 2000 Sydney to Hobart Race, will be on the start line with this year's 46-boat fleet in the final race of the CYCA Blue Water Point score series, the FKP Ltd Sydney to Mooloolaba race on April 9^th.

New owner Alan Quick is looking forward to the 460-mile race that will see them racing in both the IRC and IMS divisions against Sting, Ragamuffin and the current Blue Water point score leader Quest.   With a crew that have raced in 32 Sydney Mooloolaba races between them, as well as the Volvo Ocean Race, Kenwood Cup, Fastnets and President Cup, including Tom Braidwood who crewed with SEB in the 2000 Volvo Ocean Race, Intercall Ausmaid will be hoping for a finish similar to those it has previously achieved in the Sydney to Hobart and Sydney to Mooloolaba race.

Intercall - Complete conferencing solutions, the current sponsor of Ausmaid, are looking forward to following the boat during the FKP Ltd Sydney Mooloolaba race and seeing how Ausmaid's return the ocean racing circuit will finish.  

Media Contact: Sam Crichton ph 0407 63 64 16 email samcrichton@smartchat.net.au

Mad Max Hit Reef and Abandoned, No Fearr breaks boom and pulls out

As reported on www.sail-world.com overnight, Mad Max owner skipper James Murchison and crew Jeff Thomas were sailing north towards Bougainville aboard their 12-metre ocean racer when they struck fringing coral reefs off Rossell Island on the south eastern tip of Papua New Guinea. They hit the reef at 2:45 am Monday morning. Hitting the reef on a rising tide the vessel was holed and started taking water.

Mad Max activated their Emergency Beacon (EPIRB) and AuSAR in Canberra managed to reach the crew by HF radio within a short time, after Taupo Radio in New Zealand heard their Distress transmissions.

At 3:15am this morning, the 11,600 tonne Japanese icebreaker Shirase, returning from an Antarctic research mission, advised they were 150 miles
south of the stricken vessel and were steaming at high speed to render assistance.

Earlier this morning, AuSAR (Australian Search And Rescue) spokesman Brian Willey advised that the Japanese vessel had reached the vicinity but were
unable to affect a rescue due to difficult sea conditions and failing light.

Shirase stood by the stricken vessel, hoping to be able to rescue the sailors at first light, with a rigid inflatable boat, as both sailors were uninjured and in no immediate danger.

James and Jeff were lifted by helicopter from Mad Max at 8:00am this morning and are now on board the Shirase heading for Rabaul with an ETA of midday tomorrow.  Their boat has been abandoned.

No Fearr has Retired

Unfortunately, after battling through spilt diesel tanks and electronic failure which forced them to stop at Eden and again at Coffs Harbour, Philip Coombs and Peter Walsh aboard Boat No 3, No Fearr advised their yacht representative at 6:00am this morning that they had broken their boom and were motoring to Brisbane.

Both Philip and Peter are well and safe, but unfortunately No Fearr has retired from the race.

Having broken and repaired their steering cable a couple of days ago, No Fearr has finally run out of puff and given up ? but not before Philip and Peter had given it everything they had.

In other news, Maverick II is currently leading the race for line honours from Kontrol and Club Marine Wizard.

For further information on the Tasaki Osaka Cup, please visit
www.osakacup.com or www.sail-world.com  Alternatively, if you have a media
or other inquiry, please contact:

Rhys Ryan
PR Works [Melbourne, Australia]
Telephone:  [61 3] 9289 9599
Cell phone:       [61 4] 04 527 873
rryan@prworks.com.au