Yachting Australia

Australian Youth Match Racing Championship NOR now available

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	Notice of Race

Sport Services Coordinator - Regulations Position Available

The Sport Services Coordinator - Regulations role is a support position for the Sport Services Manager assisting in the effective administration of programs designed to ensure Yachting Australia's members are able to improve their skills and increase their involvement in the sport at their chosen level.

Communications and Public Relations Officer position available at Perth 2011

Perth 2011

Initially reporting directly to the Director Commercial Operations, the successful applicant will have strong media contacts, a proven history in communications on a national or international level and associated media liaison experience. Public relations forms part of the role and experience in this area is desirable.

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	Perth 2011

Perth 2011 seeking Sales Manager

Perth 2011

Reporting directly to the Director of Commercial Operations, the Sales Manager will be responsible for the acquisition of sponsors, corporate partners and suppliers for the Event.

They will be responsible for negotiating commercial terms and engaging ‘best of breed’ commercial partners to add value to this Sailing World Championship Event.

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	Perth 2011

Golden day for Aussie girls in Germany

Katie Spithill and crew racing in Kiel, Germany

The Women’s Match Racing semi-finals saw Spithill taking on the French crew while Nicky Souter went up against the Dutch. Spithill wasted no time getting into the final, knocking out the French with three straight wins, while Souter eliminated the Dutch three victories to one.
 
Nicky Souter and her crew of Jess Eastwell and Olivia Price got off to a great start in the final, taking a two race to nil lead in the best of five series. But not to be outdone Katie Spithill, Nicole Douglass and Nina Curtis fought back to level the series at two-all before winning the final race to clinch the series.
 
Women’s Match Racing coach Dayne Sharp said that all four Australian crews gained a lot of experience racing in round six of the ISAF Sailing World Cup and the all-Australian final showed that the squad is progressing well.
 
“I am very pleased with the results,” said Sharp. “We achieved our aim of an All-Australian final and both crews fought hard. Our experience in Elliott 6’s has definitely paid off here, despite the differences between the boats we’ve used before and the new models being used at this regatta and for the Olympic Games.”

From Kiel the Women’s Match Racing Squad travels to Sweden to compete in the Women’s Match Racing tour event, the Swedish Match Cup, in preparation for the ISAF Women’s World Match Racing Championship, also in Sweden, in late July, early August.

The only other Aussies to race today were West Australians Stacey Omay & Chelsea Hall in the women’s 470 medal race. Omay & Hall went into the race in seventh place, knowing they had to perform well to move up the ladder.
 
The pair started solidly before moving from fourth place to take the lead halfway through the race. Omay & Hall showed good composure to maintain their lead as the next group of five boats was not far behind and included those crews that the Australians needed to beat.
 
The Australians pushed on and crossed the line first, with the medal race victory seeing them move up to fourth overall, their best ever placing at Kiel Week.

West Australian Institute of Sport coach, Belinda Stowell, who was in Kiel to work with the girls, was very pleased with the result.
 
“The maturity and composure showed by the girls to gain and then maintain the lead was outstanding,” said Stowell. “It was one of the areas we focused on before the race and I am very happy that they were able to put it into practice and get the result they deserve.”

Strong results for Australian women in Kiel

Katie Spithill and crew racing in Kiel, Germany

The highlight for the Australian Sailing Development Squad was the performances of the Women’s Match Racing crews. Australia’s two quarter-final teams skippered by Katie Spithill and Nicky Souter finished the day ranked first and second respectively. 

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	Regatta Results

Light winds dictate racing on day three in Kiel

Australians Euan McNicol and Sam Newton competing in Kiel

The Women’s Match Racing fleet completed their repechage to decide the final two crews to go through to the quarter finals. Australia had three crews in the repechage with Lucinda Whitty, Kat Stroinovsky and Samantha Boyd in Group A. While the crews of Katie Spithill, Nicole Douglass and Nina Curtis and Amanda Scrivenor, Ray Martin and Stacey Jackson were in group B.

Despite the light winds the race committee was able to get the flights completed, slowly, throughout the day. Lucinda Whitty and crew ended up in a three way tie for first place and on a count back she finished third, missing out on the quarters.

Katie Spithill had a solid day and finished first in her group, proceeding to the quarters tomorrow where she joins Nicky Souter and crew as one of eight teams.

Australia’s Women’s Match Racing coach Dayne Sharp has been kept busy on the water working with the four Australian Sailing Development Squad crews.

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	Regatta Results

2009 Audi IRC Australian Championships sets sail for the Gold Coast

Alegria

Heading the 2009 Audi IRC Australian Championship going into the third event are Alegria (1.333 pts), Wot Now (3.152 pts), Ruth Magic (4.000 pts) and Loki (4.727 pts). With the points this close, the results of the 24th annual Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race are likely to have a significant impact. 

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	Further information on the Audi IRC Australian Championship
	Information on the Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race
	Audi Sailing Sport
	RORC Rating Office IRC

Long day on shore for most Australian crews at Kiel Week

Katie Spithill and crew racing in Kiel, Germany

Racing was postponed this morning for all classes except the Women's Match Racing, with the initial review of conditions occurring at 11.30am. At 11.30am the race committee announced the postponement would remain until at least 2.30pm, and then at 3pm racing was cancelled for the day for all classes except the Women's Match Racing.

The Women's Match Racing Group C round robin went out early, but the conditions were extremely difficult with wind shifting constantly and very light. Despite the conditions the race committee did manage to complete all of the flights. The Australian girls had a tough day, with Katie Spithill, Nicole Douglass and Nina Curtis finishing 5th in their round robin and Amanda Scrivenor, Ray Martin & Stacey Jackson finishing sixth.

Tomorrow's racing will see the repechage of the Women's Match Racing completed, with three of the four Australian crews racing for the two available quarter final positions. There will be two groups and the top crew from each group will proceed to the quarter finals. While the groups are yet to be determined, the Australian Sailing Development Squad are hoping that all three Australian crews will not be in the same group, increasing the chances of getting two crews through to the quarters to join Nicky Souter and crew who qualified on day one.

It is expected that the race committee will try to get in three races for each of the other fleets, though the forecast is not looking too good, with winds predicted to be only 5-8 knots.
 

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	Regatta Information

Racing gets underway for Australian crews in Germany

Lucinda Whitty and her ASDS crew in action in Kiel, Germany

Difficult conditions including thunderstorms followed by a lack of wind saw limited racing in all Olympic class fleets.

The Australian Sailing Development Squad's Women Match Racing crews had their first taste of the new Elliott 6 metres with the four Australian teams competing in a strong 21 crew fleet.

Nicky Souter, Jess Eastwell and Olivia Price had a great day on the water, sailing in six flights for five victories and now skip the next round to move straight through to the quarter finals.

"We were quite pleased with how we sailed today," said Souter. "The acceleration of the boats was surprising but our experience in the older Elliotts in Australia certainly helped out, these boats feel very light so we need to work on our trimming to take full advantage of the boats acceleration."

The Women's Match Racing entries were split into three groups with Lucinda Whitty's crew finishing the day fourth in group B while in group C Katie Spithill's and Amanda Scrivenor's crews didn't get any racing in due to the light wind. 

In the 470 men's fleet Sam Kivel and Will Ryan were the leading Australian crew and sit in 15th place after a 12th and seventh in the day's two races. Shane Hughes and Felix Paterson are in 27th and Alexander and Patrick Conway are in 39th.

The ASDS women's 470 crew of Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall had a good day with a sixth and 12th placing before the third race was abandoned, leaving them in eighth overall.

Current Youth World Champion Gabrielle King got her 2009 European campaign underway in great fashion, sitting in fifth place in the Laser Radial fleet with an eighth and third, including beating 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Gold medalist Anna Tunnicliffe in the day's first race.

In the Laser fleet Ashley Brunning had a mixed day with a 32nd and fifth leaving him in 45th overall, ahead of Tom Burton in 63rd and Ryan Hannan in 105th.

Will and Sam Phillips were Australia's leading 49er crew with the 12th placing including a second in race two, with Euan McNicol and Sam Newton in 21st, David O'Connor and Robert Bell in 27th and Robert Gibbs and James Garnaut in 33rd. 

The difficult conditions saw the Finn and Star fleets only complete one race each.

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	Regatta Information

Australian crews prepare for racing in Germany

Women's Match Racing takes centre stage in Kiel with 21 teams set to hit the water in a fleet of brand new Elliott 6 metres and four ASDS crews are in the mix.

Led by skippers Katie Spithill, Nicky Souter, Lucinda Whitty and Amanda Scrivenor, the 12 Australian athletes are keen to get a taste of the boats that will make their Olympic debut at the 2012 London Olympic Games.

"The girls went for a sail for the first time in Kiel on Friday and it went very well," said Australia's Women's Match Racing coach Dayne Sharpe. "They're pleased with the new Elliott's and are looking forward to racing here."

"We recently had a two week strength and conditioning camp at the AIS facility in Varese, Italy, and it was a good lead in and the squad is in high spirits," he said.

There are three ASDS sailors in the Laser class with Ashley Brunning and Tom Burton continuing their European season after competing at the Delta Lloyd Regatta in Holland and will be joined in Germany by Ryan Hannan.

Two-time ISAF Youth Sailing World Champion Gabrielle King begins her 2009 international campaign in Kiel, before heading to the Laser Radial World Championship in Japan.

The 470 men's class will have three Australian crews, all of which recently competed in the 470 Class European Championships on Lake Traunsee in Austria. Sam Kivell and Will Ryan, Shane Hughes and Felix Patterson and Alexander and Patrick Conway will be flying the Australian flag.

In the women's 470 fleet West Australian sailors Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall will be gaining more valuable time on the water before their World Championships in Denmark in August.

There will be a number of Australian 49er crews on the water, with Kiel the last chance to get in some competition before the upcoming 49er World Championships on Lake Garda in Italy. ASDS crews Will and Sam Phillips, Euan McNicol and Sam Newton and David O'Connor and Rob Bell will be joined by fellow Australian's James Garnaut and Robbie Gibbs.

The Star class includes Paul McKenzie and Philip Toth and ASDS sailors Andrew Landenberger and Simon Reffold while Tim Castles will be sailing in the Finn class.

Sailing in Kiel gets underway on June 20 with medal races to be held on June 24.
 

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	Regatta Website

Nomination and selection guidelines for OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Sailing Team released

Gabrielle King - Youth World Champion 2008

Australia has a long and proud history at the ISAF World Youth Sailing Championships and the nomination and selection guidelines are designed to ensure that the strongest team possible will be representing Australia in Istanbul, Turkey, in July 2010.

The 2010 ISAF World Youth Sailing Championship will feature eight classes of racing; Laser Radial’s for both boys and girls, 420’s for boys and girls, 29er open class (subject to ISAF approval), RS:X for boys and girls and multihull open class in a Sirena SL16.

Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones said that the being a part of the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Youth Sailing Team was an important stepping-stone for young sailors hoping to excel at the elite level.

“The ISAF World Youth Sailing Championships is the largest and most professional regatta for competitors under 19 years of age,” said Mr Jones. “It provides young sailors with the opportunity to compete against the best in world and experience a major international competition.”

“Australian sailors have always performed exceptionally well with a number of athletes continuing on to the Australian Sailing Team, current members Nathan Outteridge, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson all won Gold at the ISAF World Youth Sailing Championship in recent years,” he said.

To be eligible for nomination and selection an athlete must meet a number of criteria, including; be a national of Australia or in the process of becoming a national of Australia at the time that the nomination is made, be a current member of a yacht/sailing club affiliated with a State of Territory Yachting Association and be a current Yachting Australia Silver or Youth Member.

Athletes must also no attain their 19th birthday by 31 December 2010, comply with ISAF Regulation 19.2 – Eligibility code, and ISAF Regulation 21 – ISAF Anti-Doping Policy, and comply with the gender requirements of an Event of the 2010 ISAF World Youth Championship.

Yachting Australia will use a number of nomination regattas to select the team, including; 2010 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship for all classes to be held at Largs Bay Sailing Club in South Australia from 6-10 January 2010, plus the 2010 Australian Laser Radial Class Championship for both boys and girls single handed dinghy, and 2010 Australian 420 Class Championship for both boys and girls double handed dinghy.

The boys and girls boardsailing event at the 2010 OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship will be held on a Bic Techno 293 while the Multihull open will be contested on a Hobie 16 with spinnaker.

Yachting Australia will conduct a nomination point score for the events and the results will form the basis for nomination and selection of team members for the 2010 ISAF World Youth Sailing Championship.

The nomination point score may also be used to select a Youth Development Squad with members potentially invited to various training camps.

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	Policy Document

Australian Sailing Team gears up for London with SLAM

The new agreement is a major step forward for Australia’s leading Olympic class sailors and encompasses the Australian Sailing Team, Australian Paralympic Sailing Team, Australian Sailing Development Squad, OAMPS Australian Youth Sailing Team, coaches and staff.

The multi-million dollar deal will be driven by SLAM Australia and New Zealand with backing and support by SLAM S.p.A Head Office in Genoa, Italy. The Australian Sailing Team will join SLAM’s current high profile teams including Russell Coutts and the BMW Oracle America’s Cup Racing Team.

SLAM Australia and New Zealand’s managing director Anthony Young says that the Australian Sailing Team’s reputation and strong performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games made the team attractive to the company.

“The Australian Sailing Team has become a name synonymous with success in Olympic class sailing and the team’s results in recent years made them an ideal choice for SLAM to go forward with,” said Mr Young.

“We see the next four years as an important time of growth for SLAM both in Australia and around the world and believe that our involvement with the Australia Sailing Team will be integral to that growth,” he said.

The agreement will see SLAM become the Exclusive Clothing Supplier and Major Co-Sponsor of the Australian Sailing Team with branding to appear on the hull and sails of Australian Sailing Team boats, along with logos on team uniforms and an online presence.

SLAM is developing a new range of world class dinghy technical clothing with athletes from the Australian Sailing Team to be integral to the development and testing of the new products.

Yachting Australia High Performance Director Peter Conde says that the deal with SLAM will play a key role in the team’s preparation for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

“The Australian Sailing Team is thrilled to begin what we are sure is going to be a highly successful, long term relationship in the lead up to the London Olympics,” said Mr Conde.“In these economic times the agreement with SLAM, who join current major supporters Audi and Hamilton Island, lends weight to our view that sailing provides sponsors with terrific value opportunities in a relatively clean environment.”

For the first time, a range of SLAM designed merchandising apparel and accessories will allow fans of the Australian Sailing Team to show their support of the team, with profits from the sale of each item assisting the Gold Medal drive in London 2012.
 

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	SLAM

Belcher and Page fifth at 470 European Championships

Belcher and Page at 470 Europeans

Constantly changing conditions meant that only one race was run in the final two days of competition with Belcher and Page jumping the start before fighting back to finish 29th and just one point adrift of the Italian crew of Gabrio Zandona and Edoardo Mancinelli in fourth overall.

With a final race needing to be contested to enable a valid series, the race committee had the crews on the water for a 7am start with eventual regatta winners Harada Ryunosuke and Yoshida Yugo from Japan first to cross the finish line.

Australian skipper Mathew Belcher said that himself and Page were able to take a lot out of their limited time on the water in just their second European regatta together.

"The pressure and direction of our final race was quite stable, taking everything into consideration from this week," said Belcher. "But unfortunately we jumped the start and had to go back. We managed to get back to 29th position, and with this race as our drop of the series slipped back to fifth place."

"It was pleasing that after only limited time together we were fighting for contention throughout the regatta," he said. "Obviously it would have been nice to capitalise on the opportunity to medal but we are happy with our performance in these conditions this week. It was the first time we've sailed in wind like this together so it's hard to expect more."

"This regatta has been an invaluable learning experience for us, we're now looking forward to getting prepared for the World Championships in Denmark in August and some well earned rest," said Belcher.

Belcher now returns home to Australia for University exams while Page heads to Sardinia to compete in the Farr40 World Championships.

Fellow Australians Sam Kivell and Will Ryan finished the regatta in 38th, ahead of Shane Hughes and Felix Patterson in 52nd and Alexander and Patrick Conway in 75th.

The Australian Sailing Development Squad crew of Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall finished 27th in the strong women's fleet.
 

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	Australian Sailing Team

Belcher and Page challenge for medals in 470 Europeans

Belcher and Page in Austria

Sailed in tricky conditions on Lake Traunsee Belcher and Page sit on 46 points after seven races, just six behind the third placed German crew of Lucas Zellmer and Heiko Seelig with three races left to run.

Belcher and Page have consistently been at the pointy end of the 82 boat fleet with a first placing in race two and a second in race five.

"The racing here is crazy," said Page. "The wind shifts are huge and the pressure differences even bigger."

"I suppose this is expected when you are surrounded by 1000 metre high mountains, and I do mean plural mountains," he said. "Lake Traunsee is incredibly beautiful but a very difficult sailing venue."

The pair is progressing well in just their second European regatta together since pairing up earlier this year.

"We are enjoying any moment that we are not we are not postponed on shore and are making sure we use the time together to sail and race against the strong competition," said Page.

The Australian crew is still well within striking distance of first place, just nine points behind Croatian's Sime Fantela and Igor Marenic and the Japanese pair of Harada Ryunosuke and Yoshida Yugo who are tied on 37 points.

"Tomorrow we head into the final, wind dependent, three races and the opportunities are there in front, and the challengers are waiting behind," said Page.

"Nothing is guaranteed in this place, we just hope to get in as many races as possible tomorrow and throw the dice with the other competitors," he said.

The two are joined in the men's fleet by fellow Australians Sam Kivell and Will Ryan who sit in 36th, ahead of Shane Hughes and Felix Patterson in 54th and Alexander and Patrick Conway in 75th.

In the women's fleet Australian Sailing Development Squad members Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall sit in 26th place after five races.

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	Australian Sailing Team

Queen’s Birthday Honours for Graeme Owens

Born in Perth in 1937, married to Gilliam and living in Claremont, he retired early from business in 1990 as a Construction Cost Consultant to pursue an interest in all things yachting.
 
In this limited space it would be an injustice to attempt to summarise the significant resume of this quietly unassuming sportsman however, trust me, when I say ‘significant’, I really DO mean  ‘significantly awesome’ !
 
Graeme’s resume of international, national and state umpiring and judging, appointments to International juries and committees, protest hearings & mediation, lecturer, examiner and recognized publicist of marine educational material, awards achievements and qualifications  is l-o-n-g and varied.
 
It should be stressed here that although the organizers of overseas events and training seminars willingly provide air tickets and accommodation, no payment is accepted. All the time given to the sport is gratis. Graeme once summed it up simply “If I accepted money my interests would become my business. Then I would lose my interest.”
 
A member of Royal Perth Yacht Club where he served on the many committees in various positions, Graeme was instrumental in forming the Endeavour 24 and the Quarter Ton Class Associations and won the Endeavour 24 Championships in 1972 & 1975.
 
He served the Yachting Association of Western Australia (now Yachting WA) on the Management, Racing Rules, Protests and Appeals Committees, and as a delegate, instructor, mediator and a lecturer. In 1991 he was awarded the prestigious Ron Tough Yachting Foundation Gold Medal for outstanding contribution to the sport of sailing.
 
At some stage most illustrious yachting administrators have their interest drawn to the America’s Cup, yet few have had the deep involvement of Australia’s Graeme Owens.

Commencing in the early 1980s with rules assistance to the Australia II syndicate, he went on to serve on the America's Cup Committee from 1984 to 1987 in the roles of Race Administrator and Protests Chairman. Prior to the challenge he provided rules lectures and assistance to all the defence syndicates.  In 1988 his extensive experience and expertise was sought by the San Diego Yacht Club, America’s Cup holder. From 1990 to 1992 he was appointed to the Cup Challengers’ Committee with the Rules and Documentation portfolio. He contributed much time, even moving temporarily to California, to the preparation of the international challenging syndicates, race management personnel training and race planning in addition to serving as the Chairman of the Judges for the 1992 America’s Cup Louis Vuitton races.  In 1995 Graeme reduced his contribution to the Cup preparation but did spend some time with the Australian challengers in Queensland prior to their departure.
 
Appointed by the Australian Yachting Federation (AYF) as an Australian National Judge in 1983, by the International Yacht Racing Union (IYRU) as an International Judge in 1986 and an International Umpire in 1990, Graeme was a sought after lecturer and guru in all matters relating to the sport of sailing. His considerable published material was read, circulated and acclaimed world wide. He has been invited to present at world seminars in countries varying from the Americas to Yugoslavia and India. He also prepared the ISAF written examination used to test intending international umpires.
 
Encouraged and assisted by ISAF Graeme with a group of seven other judges, developed the internationally accepted system of on-water umpiring for match racing. He was the principal author of the ISAF publication Match Racing and Umpires Manual and along with two other judges wrote the Match Racing Appendix to the rule book.
 
In 1989 he was the Australian delegate to the first World Umpiring Seminar held in Lymington, UK in 1989.
 
Graeme’s numerous appointments to prominent international events started in 1979 when he was judge for the Parmelia Race (Plymouth to Fremantle) a position he undertook until 1987. This was followed by the Australia Cup Match Racing in 1982 & 83, the French Coupe du Monde in 1985 and an ongoing list of world events which rolled out each year thereafter drawing him away from Australian waters for considerable periods. If it wasn’t the America’s Cup, it was the Kenwood Cup in Hawaii or the Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race, the IYRU World Championships, South East Asia Games, Californian Congressional Cup, the
Philippines President’s Cup etc, etc. This set the trend for annual demand which found Graeme not only umpiring and judging, but lecturing and examining around the world yet he always returned home to Australia for the demands of Christmas championship season.
 
Olympic involvement didn’t escape him. In 1997-2000 Graeme was the Rules and Protest coach to the Australian Sailing Team’s Olympic squad and was selected by the Australian Olympic Committee as the Rules and Protest Advisor and a member of the Olympic Team in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
 
On the 8th June 2009 Graeme was deservedly recognized with another award in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and adds the Order of Australia medal to his credit as follows:
 
• Presented the title “Senior US Judge” by the United States Sailing Association.
• Awarded the title of “Honorary judge” by the Canadian Yachting Association.
• Twice awarded a scroll by the International Yacht Racing Union ‘in recognition of your support”.
• The International Sailing Federation’s Certificate of Long Service “created to formally recognise those individuals who have dedicated their time and
 skills to the benefit of our sport through their contribution as race officials over a number of years.”
• 1991 Ron Tough Yachting Foundation Gold medal for “an outstanding contribution to the sport of yachting”.
• 1996 May Campbell Service to Sport Award, Yachting awarded in the West Australian Sports Champion Awards
• 1997 May Campbell Service to Sport Award, Yachting awarded in the West Australian Sports Champion Awards
• 1998 Nortel Australian Yachting Award by the Australian Yachting Federation ‘in recognition for services to yachting”.
• 2000 The Australian Sport Medal – awarded by the Governor General of Australia for “Australian sporting achievement”.
• 2001 The Horace Rumble Medal - awarded by Royal Perth Yacht Club “in recognition to a member who was considered to have provided “exceptional service”.
• 2002 The Asian Games Federation Diploma and Medal -  awarded by the Asian Games Federation in recognition of services as Chief Sailing Judge at two Asian Games and two South-East Asia Games.
• 2003 The International Sailing Federation’s Silver Medal - awarded by ISAF “In recognition of your outstanding voluntary contribution to the sport of sailing over many years
• 2008 Yachting Australia's Lifetime Achievement Award
• 2009 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition for “For service to the sport of sailing”.
 
Whether it was the Liberty Cup in New York, World Match Racing Championships in UK, Champion of Champions in Hong Kong, IYRU Nations Cup in Greece, the Kenwood Cup in Hawaii, the Nippon Cup in Japan or the S80 State Championships in Perth, Graeme can be relied upon to give of his best and always with good grace – the quintessential gentleman and sportsman, an example to all.

Australian Youth Championships Expressions of Interest

Australians recognised for services to sailing

Graeme Owens

Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones said that all three had given substantially to the sport in their own areas and were richly deserving of the honours bestowed upon them.

“Sailing continues to thrive in Australia due to the continued support and efforts of individuals such as Graeme, Peter and Alexander,” said Jones.

“On behalf of the yachting community I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank them for their ongoing involvement in the sport of sailing,” he said.

Perth’s Graeme Owen’s was recognised with Yachting Australia’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 and continues to be heavily involved in the sport.

As an international judge from the Royal Perth Yacht Club, Owens has dedicated himself to ensuring racing is run correctly and to the highest standards. He has been a member and Chairman of numerous committees over the past 50 years.

Owens is a prolific author and wrote the original ISAF Call Book for Umpiring as well as the Umpiring and Match Racing Manual, he has also educated others within all these areas of the sport.

Professor Peter Joubert, distinguished academic and noted authority on fluid mechanics and the only ‘amateur’ yacht designer to have designed an overall winner of the Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, was made an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Queen’s Birthday Honours, after receiving an OAM in 1996 for his contributions to road and yacht safety.

He competed in 27 Sydney to Hobarts, mostly skippering yachts of his own design which he named after Australian birds, including the Currawong 31 and Brolga 35. More than a hundred yachts have been built to his designs.

Alexander Milledge, from Melbourne, was recognised not only for his services to sailing, but also to the motorcycling industry.
 

Perth 2011 unveils new master brand

The new Perth 2011 brand was designed to represent the substance and prestige of an Olympic qualifying event, the physical and intellectual challenge that is international sailing, the excitement of an event that will be four times the size of the 1987 America’s Cup defence held in Fremantle while, at the same time, remaining uniquely Western  Australian.

Perth 2011’s goal is to make the cyan blue triangle synonymous with the lead up events prior to the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships, which will be held in Fremantle, Western Australia from Saturday 3 December to Sunday 18 December 2011.

Guests at today’s launch heard from Perth 2011 Chairman The Hon. Ian Campbell, Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley and Western Australian Olympic Gold Medallists in the women’s 470 class Belinda Stowell, Elise Rechichi and Tessa Parkinson.

The Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships will be the primary qualifying event for the 2012 London Olympic Games for the 10 competing sailing disciplines.

As the primary qualifying event, the world’s best sailors will converge on Perth in a bid to secure a place for their nation in the 2012 London Olympic Games and the coveted World Championship in their chosen sailing discipline.

An anticipated 5,000 visitors, including 1,500 sailors, from 80 nations are set to arrive in Western Australia for one of the largest international sporting events in Western Australian history.

The competing disciplines are;

• Laser – Men
• Laser Radial – Women
• Star – Open
• RS:X – Men
• RS:X – Women
• Finn – Open
• 470 – Men
• 470 – Women
• 49er – Open
• Women’s Match Race

Fremantle will “come alive” during December 2011 when the eyes of the sailing world fix their sights on Western Australia’s historic port city. A genuine festival atmosphere will sweep through the city as the world’s best sailors battle for World Championship and future Olympic glory just metres off the water’s edge along the Fremantle coastline.

Tourism Western Australia Chief Executive Officer Richard Muirhead said Perth 2011’s bid success was a result of a major commitment from the State Government to bring world class events to Western Australia.

“I am confident that this event, combined with the natural beauty of our aquatic environment, will provide us with a great opportunity to showcase our State on the global stage,” Mr Muirhead said. 

The Emerging Nations Programme (ENP) will be the first initiative Perth 2011 co-ordinate ahead of the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

The first camp, to be held from 22 July to 3 August 2009, will be the first of six camps and an additional test event to be held in the waters off Fremantle between July 2009 and the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

The Emerging Nations Programme will see up to 40 nations that were not represented at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in any sailing discipline invited to Perth for a series of intensive training courses designed to improve their chances of earning a place in the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships and 2012 Olympic Games in London.

The Emerging Nations Programme will focus on Laser and RS:X Windsurfers for both men and women. Being one person classes that have global representation, they were identified by the ISAF Events Committee as the best route to bring more nations to the Olympics - one of the key objectives ahead of Perth 2011 and the 2012 London Olympics.

Perth 2011 Event Director John Longley said the Emerging Nations Programme was conceived as an additional benefit that Perth 2011 offered the International Sailing Federation as a part of its bid to secure the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

“After the announcement of Perth’s successful bid, ISAF, Perth 2011 and Yachting Australia worked to establish the modus operandi for this project,” Mr Longley said of the ENP. 

“The overriding objectives are to encourage and assist developing and emerging sailing nations to participate in the Olympic Sailing Competition and to increase the number of participating nations and their competitors at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.”

On 4 November 2007 it was announced that Western Australia had been the successful bidder and would host the 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. In announcing the decision to award the next event to Western Australia, the International Sailing Federation noted sailing conditions and venue facilities as top priorities in selecting the host city. They also highlighted Perth and Fremantle's strength in these areas, with the famous winds affectionately known as the 'Fremantle Doctor' providing ideal sailing conditions and a high level of existing sailing infrastructure.

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	Perth 2011

Comments sought on draft amendments to the Yachting Australia Special Regulations

2009-2012 Blue Book

The 2009 Yachting Australia Special Regulations come into effect from 1 July 2009. Yachting Australia has recently noted amendments to the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations and has received submissions regarding the Yachting Australia Special Regulations.

Interested parties wishing to see the draft amendments may click on the links further below. To see the text as currently published please refer to the Yachting Australia Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012 (the Blue Book).

The amendments being considered are summarised as follows:

• 3.03 Hull construction and plan checking – Changes to plan checking bringing in to in to line with ISAF's changes which originate from Yachting Australia's ABS related investigations and submissions.
• 3.17.4 Combustible gas detection systems – removal of a redundant clause that may duplicate other gas controls and brings into line with ISAF.
• 5.01 Personal floatation devices - Correction of a logic error in applicable standards and buoyancy for PFDs.
• 5.02 Safety lines and harnesses - Correction of omitted information on applicable safety line standards.
• 5.05 Personal locator beacons - Correction of omitted categories of races applicable to PLBs.
• 3.01.7 Inspecting movable and variable ballast systems – removal of a redundant clause which is inconsistent with ISAF.
• B7.2 Resistance to Capsize – Changes to assessment of ISO category for yachts bringing in to in to line with ISAF's changes.
• Part 2 Variations – Insertion of omitted clause enabling variations to Special Regulations.

Yachting Australia encourages boat owners, organising authorities and state Member Yachting Associations or any other interested party to provide written comment on the draft amendments before Thursday 18 June 2009.

For more information about these draft amendments, or to provide comment please contact Glen Stanaway at Yachting Australia by emailing glen.stanaway@yachting.org.au.

Other Links
	Blue Book
	Draft Amendment 1 - Hull Construction Standards
	Draft Amendment 2 - Gas Systems
	Draft Amendment 3 - PFDs, Safety Harnesses and PLBs
	Draft Amendment 4 - Movable and variable Ballast
	Draft Amendment 5 - OTB Boats MYA Variations
	ISAF Offshore Special Regulations

VIS SAILING HEAD COACH - Position Available Melbourne Australia

Notice of Race - 2009 Australian Women's Match Racing Championship

2009 Australian Womens Match Racing Championship

30 August - 3 September, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, NSW

The Notice of Race for the 2009 AWMRC has now been released.

The Women's Match Racing Class has enjoyed a flourish of activity following it's inclusion in the 2012 London Olympic Games. 

International Match racing events, inclusion in the Sail World Cup Series and the formation of the Australian Sailing Development Squad (ASDS) has resulted in a exceptioanlly high level of competition within Australia. The CYCA will once again play host to the regatta, following on from the success of the Harken Match Race series in what is sure to be a highly competative on water battle.

Outteridge and Jensen win Gold for Australia in 49er class

Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen won Gold at the 2009 Delta Lloyd Regatta

In just their first regatta together Outteridge and Jensen showed the fleet that their long hours of training in Australia had paid off quickly getting up to speed and claiming six top three finishes in the regatta’s 12 races.

“We had a really good day out there today in the medal race,” said Outteridge. “We took in an 11 point lead and the goal today was to maintain a points lead and get the overall win.”

“We had a nice breeze of 12 knots and after a good start cruised around the course and finished second. Our goal was to come here and learn and hopefully make the medal race but to win I think we’re both happy with that.”

For Jensen it was his first ever medal race and he’s now looking forward to competing in the 49er World Championships in Italy in July.

“The medal race was fast and intense, the course is short which managed to keep all the boats together and Nathan and I didn’t make a mistake which was good,” he said.

Fellow 49er crew Darren Bundock and Ben Austin finished the regatta in 19th with Euan McNicol and Sam Newton one place behind in 20th and Clint and Ty Marshall in 38th.

Jessica Crisp flew the Australian Sailing Team flag in the RS:X women’s medal race, finishing sixth to move up to fifth overall.

“The start of the regatta wasn’t great but I went up each day which was good,” said Crisp. “It’s funny coming back to Europe again and competing against everyone, you think you’re going really well but you get here and see there’s still a bit of work to do before the World Championships in England later this year.”

In the women’s 470 class Stacey Omay and Chelsea Hall finished the regatta in 13th position while in the men’s class Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page came sixth, Sam Kivell and Will Ryan 21st, Shane Hughes and Felix Paterson 37th and Alexander and Patrick Conway 54th.

Tom Slingsby was Australia’s leading Laser sailor finishing in 13th, ahead of Ashley Brunning in 30th, Ben Gunther in 47th and Tom Burton in 48th.

Australia’s Women Match Racing crew of Lucinda Whitty, Amanda Scrivenor and Nina Curtis finished their first ISAF Sailing World Cup regatta in sixth and now head to Italy for a strength and conditioning camp with the rest of the Match Racing squad.

Other Links
	Australian Sailing Team
	Delta Lloyd Regatta