Yachting Australia

Australia Starts Search For UD-18 Sailors

Yachting Australia is running a talent search across Australia for sailors looking to get involved in the newest Paralympic sailing class, the UD-18.

The UD-18, a two–person keelboat, will feature for the first time at the 2008 Paralympic Sailing Competition in Qingdao, China.

Details of the Two-Person Qualification System are available on the IFDS web site or by clicking here.

All interested athletes are welcome to register their interest with National Paralympic Coach/Coordinator Greg Omay (contact details below). Athletes should include a brief sailing CV and register their interest with Greg by the 31st May 2006.

The UD-18 should be available in Australia from mid 2006, details of the UD-18 are available from http://www.accessdinghy.org/

Yachting Australia is looking at providing a coaching development program for the identified athletes.

Expressions of Interest from Disabled Sailors for FESPIC Games

Expressions of Interest are being sought from Sailors with Disabilities to compete in the Far East & South Pacific (FESPIC) Games.

The 2006 FESPIC Games will be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 25 November to 1 December 2006. The focus of the event is competition for junior and emerging elite athletes and is one of the largest multi sport events for disabled athletes outside the Paralympic Games.

Sailing has been included for the first time at the FESPIC Games. Entry is open to all sailors with a disability* from Asia and Oceania.

The classes sailed will be the International 2.3 and Liberty. Each country may send up to 4 sailors, 1 team per class. In each class of boat, a team will consist of 1 x female and 1 x male disabled sailor. Eg

• 2 x International 2.3 dinghies - 1 x female and 1 x male sailor is a team—sailing solo.- 1 x female and 1 x male sailor is a team—sailing solo.
• 2 x Liberty boats - 1 x female and 1 x male sailor is a team—sailing solo.- 1 x female and 1 x male sailor is a team—sailing solo.

This format is to encourage more females into sailing.

Gilmour and Spithill Top ISAF Skipper Rankings

Spithill overcomes determined Peponnet in Brasil Sailing Cup

2005 ISAF Match Racing World Champion James Spithill (AUS) was a fitting winner for the ISAF Grade 1 Brasil Sailing Cup, the inaugural event of the newly minted World Match Racing Tour (formerly the Swedish Match Tour). Victory for the Luna Rossa man lifts him above Alinghi’s Ed Baird(USA) and Russell Coutts (NZL) to within just 261 points of World number one Peter Gilmour (AUS). Gilmour missed out on Brazil, due to visa problems, and consequently has seen Spithill gain almost 500 points on him and move into second place. However after a disappointing sixth place in Brazil, Baird, previously Gilmour’s closet challenger, has fallen back, dropping behind Coutts into fourth place.

Names To Look Out For

Whilst Aussies Gilmour and Spithill hog the top two spots, a number of young Australian stars of the future are on the rise this month, led by Hobie 16 ISAF Youth Worlds Champion Evan Walker (AUS), whose second place at the ISAF Grade 3 RNZYS Youth International Match Racing Championship in New Zealand helps him move up from 79 to 61. Meanwhile, after entering the top 100 last release, Torvar Mirsky (AUS) gallops up another 24 places to 76 after victory over Walker in New Zealand, as well as taking the runners up spot in the ISAF Grade 3 CentrePort International Match Racing Regatta a week earlier.

Other young Aussie stars Stuart Pollard and Keith Swinton are both new into the top 100 this release after impressive performances in New Zealand and at the ISAF Grade 3 Warren Jones Youth Regatta in Australia.

Aussies on the Up

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	International Sailing Federation

Supreme honour to Heroic Australian Sailor

Chris Nicholson

Chris Nicholson received the Musto Seamanship Award for his bravery and quick thinking in saving Movistar from sinking, at a glittering prize-giving ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night.

Nicholson, a watch captain on Volvo's Ocean Race Movistar, had to continually dive into icy water off Cape Horn in darkness and attach cables to the batteries so the emergency pumps would start, to save the boat from sinking.

Each time he made contact with the battery terminals a 24-volt shock went through his body. But he persisted and got the pumps operating when the 21-metre yacht was just centimetres from being overwhelmed.

While Nicholson was desperately trying to start the pumps, other members of the 10-man crew were on deck readying the life rafts to "abandon ship" status.

An emergency radio call also went out to other race yachts in the area calling for them to stand-by in case they were needed for a rescue effort. It was 3am and a 35-knot gale was blowing.

A fairing around the keel ripped away and a torrent of water burst into the hull through the large hole. Nicholson, who trained as an electrician in Hunter Valley coalmines before becoming a professional racing sailor, said he was in his bunk when he heard the frantic call, "We're sinking! Everyone up".

"When I jumped out of my bunk into waist-deep water I knew that we had to get the pumps going immediately," Nicholson said. "But with the electrics already flooded there was no way they were going to start.

"I then realised there was only one thing to do - wire the pumps directly to the battery terminals so they would start and not stop running. The batteries were underwater in watertight bags, so each time I dived to find the terminals and try to secure the cables to them I was saying to myself, 'Oh dear, I know what's coming here, a bloody great whack'.

"There were a few arcs and sparks and plenty of bad words from me each time I copped a boot."

Nicholson said that when he succeeded in getting the pumps started the water level in the cabin was only 50cm from where the yacht would have had to be abandoned.

Once the water was lowered to a safe level Movistar was sailed to Ushuaia, in Argentina, where it was repaired before continuing on to Rio and the finish of the 6700nm leg from Wellington.

Other Links
	Volvo Ocean Race Website

Special Regulations Amendment, Changes to SSSC Revalidation requirements

Amendment 3 to the Yachting Australia Special Regulations has been posted on the Yachting Australia website under Special Regulations. 

2006 Winter Youth Regatta - Queensland

McConaghy takes out 11 Metre Nationals

Double world 11 Metre One Design champion, Steve McConaghy, has taken out the National Championship sailed at the 2006 Palm Beach Regatta at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club over the weekend.

McConaghy’s bid for a third consecutive world championship in the class is well on the way to becoming a reality after he and crew of Stuart Broom, J24 champion Doug McGain, Simon Jackson and Lou Calendar sailed Tempnet to four wins from five races to take the title comfortably from Peter Cook’s Obsession and Tony Doyle’s Pacesetter; all representing the host club.

Originally to be a six-race one drop series, light airs on the Palm Beach Circle yesterday meant a late start and one race abandoned.

“The conditions were pretty nice; 10-13 knot nor-easters – perfect really,” said McConaghy, going on to say, “it just kicked in a bit late on Sunday, but when it came, it was great.”

Sailing on windward/leeward courses, the crew were only troubled in Race 3, when a jib sheet shackle came undone.  They were pipped to the finish line by Bob Fowler’s Ozad in that race by 13 seconds, in the series where all races counted.  “We sailed a good faultless regatta – apart from that one gear failure,” McConaghy said.

“We were very happy with our result,” said McConaghy who plans to sail at the 11 Metre Worlds in Denmark from 17-23 July this year.   Looking at getting Quantum involved in his triple worlds bid, McConaghy is also on the lookout for a sponsor.

Remarkably, the Clareville sailor has not raced an 11 Metre since the Worlds last year, bringing the boat out of mothballs for these Nationals.  Using two-year old sails and a new crew, he won each start and sailed higher and faster than his seven adversaries, finishing a comfortable 30 seconds to 1 minute in the four races won.

The Northern Beaches sailor has a busy year ahead with Ray Roberts’ program, including the Sydney-Gold Coast Race, Borneo Cup and Koh Samui Regatta aboard the DK46 Quantum Racing and the Farr 40 Worlds in Newport, Rhode Island in September.

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	Full results

2006 Pan Pacific Masters Games

The Pan Pacific Masters Games is a multi sport event held every biennial year on Queensland’s magnificent Gold Coast.

From 4 – 12 November 2006 an anticipated 10,000 participants from all over the world will compete in more than 40 sports at 35 venues across the Gold Coast.

Competition Dates:

• Class 1; Saturday 4 - Monday 6 November

• Class 2; Saturday 4 - Sunday 5 November

• Class 3; Friday 10 - Sunday 12 November

Boat Class Information:

• CLASS ONE: All classes of Off-the-Beach Dinghies, which comply with their Class or Association Rules and have a stated Yachting Victoria Yardstick less than or equal at 126.50. There will be class sub divisions for Laser Radial, Sabre, 125er and any other Class that had eight or more entries.

• CLASS TWO: Access 2.3, Access303 and Access Liberty boats, both single handed and two up configurations, manual and servo assisted, that comply with their Class Rules.

• CLASS THREE: All classes of Off-the-Beach Multihulls, which comply with their Class or Association Rules and have a stated Yachting Victoria Yardstick less than or equal to 94.5. There will be class sub divisions for Nacra 16sq, Hobie 16 and any other Class that has eight or more entries

Venue Details:

• Southport Yacht Club Hollywell Sailing Squadron; 1 Marina Cres, Hollywell

Other Links
	Pan Pacific Masters Games Website

Erin Cameron wins Queen of the Harbour

Erin Cameron aboard the Joe Turner skippered Noakes Youth

Nearly 30 years after her mother won the Queen of the Harbour title in the 18ft skiff class on Sydney Harbour, 23 year old Erin Cameron has taken the same title sailing aboard the Joe Turner steered Noakes Youth on Sydney Harbour yesterday.

In a handicap start in light airs on the Harbour, the Noakes crew got off the line well and were never seriously threatened throughout the race which has been an annual feature at the Double 18 Footers League for some decades.

Cameron was happy with her win.  “The race was fun and it’s funny to win a race my Mum won all those years ago,” she said after the race last night whilst celebrating her win.  A competitive sailor, her genes and participation in sports boats held her in good stead throughout the day.  Cameron was happier still when Turner handed her the tiller coming down the last run of the race and she steered the boat across the finish line.

Her father Doug, who was out watching his daughter race, successfully sailed in the 12ft and 18ft skiff classes during the seventies and eighties.  It was in the late seventies that Cameron’s mother Janece won her title aboard Franklin’s Caravans, sailed by James Rofe and Doug. 

A regular crew member aboard Sean Langman’s AAPT yachts, Erin recently competed in her first Sydney-Hobart race with Langman.  She also sailed the Farr 40 Worlds last year and regularly competes on the circuit.

Australian Youth Olympic Festival 2007 - MYA Representative Team Nomination Guidelines

The MYA representative team nomination guidelines have been forwarded to all MYAs today. If you are interested in nominating for this event you will need to contact your MYA office to register.

Sailing will for the first time be included in the Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF), which takes place in Sydney from 17 to 21 January 2007.

The AYOF is held biennially by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC). After three very successful events in 2001, 2003 and 2005 the AOC have committed to another AYOF in 2007. The main aim of the AYOF is to develop our Olympic stars of the future, and to provide aspiring Olympians with an idea of what the Olympics are all about.

The AYOF Sailing will be a Team Racing Event, the aim being for racing to take place in Farm Cove, just off the Opera House. Background on the AYOF can be found at the AYOF Homepage.

There will be 7 State representative teams and up to five international teams competing in the event in 2007. To date Great Britain and New Zealand have accepted the invitation to compete.

Mobility Cup Regatta in Canada

The Mobility Cup is Canada's annual international regatta for sailors with a disability. This year's event is held in Vancouver, BC, Sept. 11 - 15, 2006.

It is a "regatta of possibility" in which personal and social barriers are challenged in an atmosphere of friendly competition. The event is open to anyone, regardless of the severity of their disability or extent of sailing experience.

This year's Mobility Cup is being hosted by the Disabled Sailing Association of BC and the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club. Racing will be in Martin 16s, held in two classes. There will be practice sessions for Gold Fleet sailors, with classroom and on-the-water training for Silver Fleet participants. Boat charters will be available.

All necessary information, including the Notice of Race and registration details, is available online at www.mobilitycup.org. Anyone requiring further details should email: matthew@disabilityfoundation.org or phone + 111 604-688-6464 ext. 101.

Yachting Awards Nomination Closing date now 31 March 2006

Following various requests from MYAs and other affiliated organisations Yachting Australia has extended the closing date for the 2006 Australian Yachting Awards nominations. 

Nominations now close on 31 March 2006.  For full details click here.

Yachting Australia & Bellevue IT Win Ausport Award

Yachting Australia with the support of Bellevue IT won the National Sport Organisation Community Sport Award at the 2006 Ausport Awards in Melbourne.

The Award recognised Yachting Australia for its use of a series of web-based tools which assist member organisations and clubs to enhance their operations.  The IT tools are designed around one central database system that makes the same information available at all levels of the sport.  The cost-effective administration tools support both the membership and communications functions for the sport and have reduced the double handling of information. 

The system was developed for Yachting Australia by Melbourne based company Bellevue IT.  Bellevue IT Managing Director Paul Pascoe received the Award on Yachting Australia's behalf.

The Ausport Awards is an initiative of the Australian Sports Commisison and recognise and reward good practice in the Australian sports system.  For further information click here.

Australian Youth World Championship Team Sailboard members announced

Sailboarders Alisha Kawalla and James Levy, both of NSW, have this week been nominated to the Australian Youth Team to compete in this years ISAF Youth World Sailing Championships. The event will be conducted in Weymouth UK from the 12 to 21 July 2006. They join the team of 8 other youth sailors.

This is the third consecutive year that Wollongong-based Kawalla has achieved selection to the National Youth Team. In 2005 she traveled with the youth team to Korea achieving a 14th in the Women’s Mistral competition. For James Levy of Concord in Sydney, this will be his first experience at this level of sailing competition. Both sailboarders will compete on the new Neil Pryde RSX 8.5m which is the new equipment that has also been selected for the sailboard competitors in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Also joining the team in Coaching roles are previous Olympic competitors, Belinda Stowell and Kristen Kosmala. Stowell is the head coach of the WAIS sailing program based in Perth. Two of her 420 class sailors, Belinda Kerl and Chelsea Hall, have been selected to the Youth Team this year. Belinda’s primary role will be in supporting the Laser and Laser Radial discipline team members. Kosmala is the manager of the NSW Youth Program. Six of her NSW youth athletes have been selected as members of this year's National Youth Team. She will be responsible for supporting the Hobie crew and Sailboarders in their preparation for the Youth Worlds.

The 2006 Australian Youth Team is as follows:

Single Handed Dinghy Boys (Laser)

Jye Murray (biography)

Single Handed Dinghy Girls (Laser Radial)

Gabrielle King (biography)

Double Handed Dinghy Boys (420)

Samuel Kivell and Max Taylor (biography)

Double Handed Dinghy Girls (420)

Belinda Kerl and Chelsea Hall (biography)

Multihull (Hobie 16)

Jason Waterhouse and Jeremy Roberts (biography)

Sailboard Boys (RS:X)

James Levy (biography)

Sailboard Girls (RS:X)

Alisha Kawalla (biography)

Coaching Staff

420/Team Leader

Ian 'Bunny Warren' (biography)

Hobie 16/Boards

Kristen Kosmala (biography)

Laser/Laser Radial

Belinda Stowell (biography)

2007 ISAF World Youth Championship Selection

The following is provided as information to assist the youth sailing community who are planning their 2006/07 campaigns.

ISAF has recently advised that the 2007 ISAF World Youth Sailing Championship (WYSC) will be conducted in Canada. The equipment used that year for the double-handed dinghy will be the 29er.

The Board of Yachting Australia addressed the issue of selection of the team for the 2007 Worlds at their meeting in February, prior to ISAF making this announcement. At that time and working on the information that was available, the Board determined that selection of the team for the 2007 Worlds would based on the following: If the 29er is chosen as the equipment for the boys and girls doubled-handed events at the 2007 ISAF World Youth Championship, the selection for the boys and girls crews will be based on the results of the 2007 Australian 29er National Championship and the 29er event at the 2007 Australian Youth Championship, both to be held in Tasmania.

Since that decision was made by the Board and ISAF made their announcement Yachting Australia has been advised by the 29er Class Association that the 2007 29er National Championship will now not be held in Tasmania in conjunction with the Australian Youth Championship (AYC), but at Belmont, NSW.

Recently where a Class National Championship has not been run in association with the AYC, the AYC alone has been used for selection. Accordingly the selection of the 29er crews, boys and girls, for the ISAF WYSC will now be based on the results of the 2007 AYC alone.

The Selection Policy for the 2007 ISAF World Youth Team will be published in May 2006.

(It should also be noted that ISAF have confirmed the venue for the 2008 ISAF Youth World Championship as Denmark. ISAF have also advised that the equipment in 2008 for the double-handed class has not been decided.)

Award Nominations Closing Soon

Arthur Hodge, 2005 Services to Yachting Awardee, with John Bertrand AM

Nominations for the 2006 Australian Yachting Awards close on 15 March.

The Australian Yachting Awards is the principal off-water event for Yachting Australia and recognise outstanding achievements by individuals and teams in a range of categories.  The Award categories are as follows:

• Male Sailor of the Year
• Female Sailor of the Year
• Youth Sailor of the Year
• Sailor of the Year with a Disability
• Services to Yachting Award
• Media Award

The Sailor of the Year awards recognise outstanding achievement in the sport during the period 1 April 2005 to 15 March 2006.  Services to Yachting and Media Awards may recognise contribution to yachting over a longer period.

Anyone may submit a nomination, provided the criteria and conditions are met. Click here for full details.

Finalists will be honoured and winners announced at a special gala function on Wednesday 12 July in Sydney. 

ISAF Women's Sailing microsite now available

Sailing can boast one of the proudest records of participation by women amongst the Olympic Sports. At the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, the eleven sailing events showed a massive 32% increase in participation by women athletes compared to Sydney 2000, a higher increase than any other sport which previously included women’s events in the programme. This increase saw sailing become the ninth most popular sport in terms of participating women athlete, with a 35% representation of women across the fleets in Athens 2004.

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Audi announces major new sailing sponsorships

Speaking at the inaugural Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta last weekend, managing director, Joerg Hofmann, officially announced that the company had signed long-term agreements with well-known events, Hamilton Island Race Week and Geelong Week.

"Our goal in Australia is to be the major partners of competitive sailing events," Mr Hofmann said.

"We have just signed a long-term agreement to be the main sponsor of Hamilton Island Race Week. Our involvement this year kicks off with Audi as official car partners and from 2007, we step up a level, launching Audi Race Week at Hamilton Island," he said.

Hamilton Island Farr 40 Australian Championship 2006

Richard Perini has won the title of Hamilton Island Farr 40 Australian Champion for the second year in a row onboard Evolution.  Perini was the 2005 Sailor of the Year at the Australian Yachting Awards.   

The crew onboard the winning boat Evolution are Hamish Pepper, Darren Jones, Jason Rowed, Peter Ryan, Trax Gordon, Chris Cook, Michael Dunstan, Nick Cleary and Tristan Eldershaw. The 13 boat fleet racing over the last three days has had representatives from New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand.

The winner of the Australian Farr 40 Circuit point score for 2005-2006 is Richard Perini with Ray Roberts taking second and third place going to Lang Walker.  Perini has now won the Australian Farr 40 Circuit for the last three consecutive years.

For further details visit the official website.

Harken Women's International Match Racing Regatta 2006

Other Links
	Notice of Race
	List of Competitors
	Schedule of Events