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Yachting Australia Corporate Partner
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Yachting Australia
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News Archive
March, 2011
NORs released for two upcoming National Championships Yachting Australia has released the Notice of Race for two upcoming national championships to be held in 2011. The 2011 Australian Schools Teams Racing Championship and 2011 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship Notice's of Race can be found on the Yachting Australia website. The 2011 Australian Schools Teams Racing Championship will be held at the South of Perth yacht Club in Western Australia from July 7-10.
The Championship is open to secondary school teams from State and Territory Associations of Yachting Australia with competitors required to be under 19 years of age on 31 December 2011.
The 2011 Australian Youth Match Racing Championship will be held at Royal Freshwater Bay Yacht Club in Western Australua from September 6-11.
Yachting Australia invites up to 10 teams to enter the event with all sailors required to be under 21 years or age on December 31 2011.
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Information released for 2011 Summer Universaide in China Weir Wins World University Bronze Yachting Australia has released information for sailors wishing to compete at the 2011 Summer Universaide, to be held in Shenzhen, China, from 11-23 August. To be considered for selection, all athletes within the nominated crew must have fulfilled the following conditions by 30 March 2011. Those athletes who have met the below conditions may submit an expression of interest to Yachting Australia prior to 8 April 2011. Athletes must be a current member of Yachting Australia and have demonstrated national and international level performances in the past 12 months in their respective class.
Racing will take place in the 470 with men, women or mixed crews, Laser Standard men, Laser Radial women and RS:X for men and women, with each country able to enter two boats in each category.
The event will also include a Team Racing event, in the 470 class where one team is made up of two boats, the Laser Radial where a team is made up of three boats and the Techno 293 windsurfer where a team consists of two boards.
Application forms can be found on the Yachting Australia website by clicking here and include Athlete Expression of Interest form and Certificate of Academic Eligibility.
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Club Race Officer Course to be held at Middle Harbour Yacht Club in April Yachting Australia will be hosting a National Officiating Program Club Race Officers seminar at the beginning of April at Middle Harbour Yacht Club in Sydney. Date: Sunday 3rd April 2011 Time: 9am - 5pm
Location: Middle Harbour Yacht Club, Parriwi Road, Mosman, NSW
Cost: $60.00 per person
Seminar presenters: David Flakelar and Charles Maclurcan – Yachting Australia State Race Officer officials
Maximum attendance 20 people – so be quick and register now.
Attendees will receive the Club Race Officer accreditation at the conclusion of the seminar.
Topics covered include:
· Roles & responsibilities of race committee, race officer and key personnel
· Race committee – boats and equipment
· Wind direction, strength and laying sailing courses
· Using GPS
· Start lines, start signals and starting sequence
· Finishing tasks
· Post race tasks – scoring, handicapping, protests.
For more information contact Susan Veal at Yachting Australia on (02) 8424 7441 or register via the web link listed below found on the Yachting Australia National Calendar:
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Australian Sailing Team seeking Senior Performance Analyst/ Biomechanist The Australian Sailing Team, in conjunction with the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport, are looking for a Senior Performance Analyst/ Biomechanist to work with the team in the lead up to the 2012 London Olympic Games. The individual will work with the Australian Sailing Team in the daily training environment, leading the development, implementation and application of world-leading performance analysis, biomechanics and research through systematic collection, analysis and application of data to improve and support national athlete performance outcomes. The successful applicant will be qualified in biomechanics or a related field, such as engineering, naval architecture, computer science or sport science, preferably have a PhD and extensive experience in the collection, analysis and reporting of biomechanical data in sport or related area. Knowledge of competitive sailing would be a significant advantage.
This role requires the successful applicant to work in close partnership with Yachting Australia but will also have broader responsibilities across the Movement Science discipline with the Australian Institute of Sport.
The position will be based at Middle Harbour Yacht Club at the Australian Sailing Team’s National Training Centre and will run through until at least 31 December 2012.
For selection documentation visit www.ausport.gov.au/jobs, or via the Australian Sports Commission’s recruitment officer on (02) 6214 1328.
For enquiries after reading the job description contact Nick Brown on (02) 6214 1721.
Applications for the position close on Friday, 1 April 2011
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Andrew Plympton resigns as President of Yachting Australia Andrew Plympton has stood down as President of Yachting Australia, following a seven year tenure during which the organisation continued to flourish under his leadership. Plympton chaired his final board meeting in Sydney with Yachting Australia board member David Gotze replacing him as President. “On behalf of Yachting Australia, and the entire Australian sailing community, I’d like to thank Andrew for his dedication and outstanding efforts as President for the past seven years,” said Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones.
“Through Andrew’s leadership and commitment we have seen Yachting Australia continue to grow in all areas. Much of this growth can be directly attributed to his influence,” he said. “I’d also like to take the opportunity to welcome David Gotze to the position of President and I look forward to working closely with him in the coming years”
Plympton came to the role immediately following the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and had an unashamed focus on success in high performance sailing. He set about commissioning a new plan that recognised Australia’s potential and set out the factors for success, resulting in the establishment of the Australian Sailing Team. Yachting Australia is a very different organisation today due to the Presidency of Andrew Plympton.
Sailing is not the only sport in that has benefitted from the involvement of Andrew Plympton. He was President of St Kilda Football Club for eight years and still has a strong interest in the code.
Plympton will continue to be involved in sport at the highest level after he steps down as President. In 2009 he was elected to the Executive Board of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and in January this year was appointed to the Board of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), the federal government body responsible for leading and supporting sport in this country. He is the only individual currently serving as a Board member for both organisations.
“I have always had a passion for sailing and have enjoyed being able to be involved in the sport in Australia as President of Yachting Australia for the past seven years,” said Plympton. “I believe that the sport is now in a stronger position than ever before and I look forward to being involved for many more years to come.”
With the departure of Andrew Plympton, Yachting Australia welcomes a new President, Melbourne based David Gotze.
Gotze also brings to the position a lifelong passion for sailing, having been involved in a number of areas of the sport for many years, including being a board member of Yachting Australia since 2008. Gotze is the founder and Group Managing Director of management and technology consulting firm Indec Consulting.
“I look forward to the challenges which lay ahead for Yachting Australia as the sport continues to undergo numerous changes at an accelerated rate,” said Gotze. “As President I’ll bring to the role my personal experience and expertise which I believe I can use to help the organisation grow and thrive in the years to come.”
“I particularly look forward to working closely with the Yachting Australia Board of Directors and staff as we work hard for the betterment of the sailing in Australia,” he said.
Before taking on the role of Yachting Australia President, David Gotze was Commodore of Royal Brighton Yacht Club from 1999 to 2003, a member of the Executive of Yachting Victoria from 2003 to 2008 and Vice President from 2004 to 2006. Gotze was then President of Yachting Victoria from 2007 until 2008.
On the water Gotze has had success in a number of classes, as well as in some of the sport’s highest profile events, the Melbourne to Hobart and the Rolex Sydney to Hobart. He also owned the Volvo 60, Indec Merit, and more recently campaigned Enigma in the 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship.
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Sport Services Coordinator – Regulations - Maternity Leave ContractYachting Australia seeks to appoint a Sport Services Coordinator – Regulations to cover a 12-month maternity leave contract commencing no later than 1 June 2011. The Sport Services Coordinator - Regulations role is a key support position for the Sport Services Manager. The position assists in the effective administration of key areas such as the Racing Rules of Sailing, Special Regulations, class associations, dinghy and offshore racing and Officiating. The applicant should have strong written and verbal communication skills, Microsoft office products experience, skills with web based tools and a technical knowledge in the sport of sailing. The position is full time for a 12-month maternity leave contract and is based in the Yachting Australia office at St Leonards. Applications should contain no more than a two page covering letter addressing the key competencies, and a short Curriculum Vitae, submitted electronically to the General Manager, Yachting Australia via email address alastair.snell@yachting.org.au Enquiries regarding this position should be directed to the Sport Services Manager, Glen Stanaway on (02) 8424 7408. Applications must be submitted by COB Friday 8 April 2011 | ||||||
Belcher and Page continue dominance of 470 class in Australia The Australian Sailing Team's Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page have won the 2011 470 Australian Championship, with a dominant display at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron. Belcher and Page, the reigning 470 World Champions and current world number one crew won eight out of the 10 races against the top 12 470 crews in Australia.
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Belcher and Page aim to stay at the top of 470 class at Australian ChampionshipThe Australian Sailing Team’s 470 men’s crew of Mathew Belcher and Malcolm Page will be looking to continue their dominance of the class on Australian waters when the 2011 470 Australian Championship begins at the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron today. Belcher and Page have been unstoppable in the class in Australia since 2002, winning the past two Australian Championships together while Page won a further six with Nathan Wilmot and Belcher won one with Nick Behrens. The pair will have to shake off some cobwebs on day one, having been out of the boat since finishing second at round two of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Miami at the end of January.
“To be honest it feels exciting to be getting back in the boat,” said Page. “It feels like it’s brand new and being out training for the last two days has been really nice.”
The 2011 470 Australian Championship is on home waters for Belcher, as he’s been a member of the Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron for the past 20 years.
“While I haven’t had the chance to race in Brisbane for the past two years it is my home club and they’re given us a lot of support over the years,” said Belcher. “It’s great to be back racing here and hopefully we can give something back over the week.”
While Belcher and Page have been out of the 470 for the past five weeks they haven’t been idle, with Page contesting the 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in Sydney and most recently the pair won the SB3 class at the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta last weekend.
“It was nice to change classes and be faced with a bit of a challenge,” said Belcher. “There were four of us sailing the SB3 and we had a great weekend out on the harbour, winning all six races.”
This week’s regatta is an important one for the reigning World Champions and world number one crew, not only is it the most significant Australian regatta for the 470 class but it provides an opportunity to spend time in the boat and racing before they head off to Europe in the coming weeks.
The 2011 470 Australian Championship will be contested by 12 crews, including Australian Sailing Squad members Sam Kivell and Will Ryan.
Kivell and Ryan also made the trip to Miami where they finished 10th at the North American 470 Championship and 14th at the ISAF Sailing World Cup round a week later. The pair also had success at the end of 2010, winning Bronze at Sail Melbourne in December.
The 2011 470 Australian Championship runs from today through till March 12.
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Minister gets a taste of sailing with the Australian Women’s Match Racing Team The Australian Women's Match Racing Team had a training partner of a different kind join them at Middle Harbour Yacht Club recently, with Federal Sport Minister Mark Arbib hitting the water for a session with the team. Senator Arbib spent the afternoon crewing and helming one of the Australian Women’s Match Racing Team’s Elliott 6s in a number of races on Sydney harbour. Senator Arbib joined Nicky Souter, Nina Curtis and Olivia Price in a session up against Katie Spithill, Jessica Eastwell and Lucinda Whitty,
Sailing with the Australian Women’s Match Racing team Senator Arbib said the experience gave him the chance to see first-hand how the team’s preparations are going for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
“The Australian Government recently committed an extra $250,000 to support the Australian Sailing Team’s preparations for the 2012 London Olympic Games,” Senator Arbib said.
“This funding is part of our ‘Green and Gold’ project that has injected an extra $2.5 million in Australia’s top Olympic sports and athletes, including our sailors.”
The targeted ‘Green and Gold’ funding will be used to enhance the sailing team’s chances of success, providing greater access to support services, quality training and high level competition.
Coming on top of additional high performance funding committed to Australia’s sailing program in 2010/11, Australian Sailing Team High Performance Director Peter Conde welcomed the Government’s commitment to Australia’s Olympic sailors.
“This new government funding will allow us to better support our athletes and coaches with the facilities, equipment and support services they need to be at their best in 2012,” Conde said.
“It was great to have Senator Arbib on the water with our athletes and to also have the chance to tour the site of our new National Training Centre here at Middle Harbour Yacht Club which is currently under construction.”
Senator Arbib said last week’s European Training Centre launch was further evidence of the Government’s commitment to achieving sustained success on the international stage.
“The Australian Government is committed to giving Australian athletes every opportunity to achieve sustained international success, turning a potential fourth, fifth and sixth placing into a medal at the London games.”
The Australian Women’s Match Racing Team are currently training in Sydney before heading to round three of the ISAF Sailing World Cup in Spain in early April.
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Hooligan retains lead in Audi IRC Australian Championship Marcus Blackmore's Hooligan has retained its lead in Class A of the Audi IRC Australian Championship, with Stephen Ainsworth's Loki sitting in second place and Michael Hiatt's Living Doll now third overall. Four races were sailed off Sydney heads today as part of the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta, which serves as round two in the four event Championship Series.
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Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta day one Day one of the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta had gusts of up to 20 knots from the south putting wind in the sails of the 27 boats competing in round two of the Audi IRC Australian Championship. In Class A, series leader Hooligan won the opening two races and leads the way from 2010 Audi IRC Australian Championship winner Loki, with New Zealand yacht Georgia third and Shogun in fourth. Hooligan, skippered by Marcus Blackmore has a three point lead over Stephen Ainsworth's Loki with Georgia two points further behind. In Class B, Robert Reynolds’ Exile also picked up two wins to finish the day ahead of Christopher Opielok’s Rockall III and Martin Cross’ Risk, who were tied on points. Darryl Hodgkinson and Victoire is fourth.
The Philosophers Club, skippered by Peter Sorensen, rounded out a perfect day for the three class leaders with two wins to lead Class C from Peregrine with Local Hero thid.
Racing resumes for all divisions tomorrow, Sunday 5 March. On Monday, the winning boats in each division will swap the harbour for Eastern Creek raceway where they’ll take to the wheel of an Audi RS 5 coupé and show their driving skills to win a new Audi A1.
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Close at the top of Youth Sailing Grand Prix ladder as racing heads to Adelaide After the opening two rounds of the new Youth Sailing Grand Prix the competition is tight at the top of all classes as racing heads to South Australia for round three. The Youth Sailing Grand Prix has been developed to help create Australia’s next group of world and Olympic champion sailors. Competition kicked off just after Christmas with class specific Australian Championships before the sailors hit the water at the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship.
The Youth Sailing Grand Prix is open to Australian sailors under 19 years of age and is designed to build a strong national competition that encourages youth participation, providing young sailors with the chance to race at a number of regattas around the country against strong opposition.
After the opening two rounds on the east coast racing now heads halfway across the country for the Adelaide International Regatta, a three day regatta from March 12 to 14.
West Australian Matthew Wearn leads the way in the Laser Radial boys class with a perfect two wins from two regattas. Wearn has a slender lead over Mitchell Kennedy from Queensland who finished one place behind in both regattas with Victorian Jeremy O’Connell third.
In the Laser Radial girls class Queensland’s Ashley Stoddart leads the way ahead of New South Wales sailor Alex South with a second Queenslander, Ella Evans, rounding out the top three.
In the Laser 4.7 boys class Benjamin Walkemeyer of Western Australia has won the opening two rounds to lead from New South Welshman Nicholas Connor with Tasmanian Kailis Johnson third.
Queenslander, and 2010 Youth Olympic Games representative, Madison Kennedy, leads the Laser 4.7 girls class with Sophie Chesterman of Tasmania second and Victorian Melissa Hitchen-Haw third.
The Bic Techno class has only had one round of racing so far, the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship and Eamon Robertshaw from Western Australian leads the boys class, with Sydney sailor Sam Treharne second and West Australian Alex Stephens third.
In the Bic Techno girls class Annalise Gilbert of New South Wales is first with Queenslander Lara O’Brien second.
The double handed classes are just as tight with only a handful of points separating the leaders in the Hobie 16, 420 and 29er classes.
In the Hobie 16 class New South Welshman Paul Darmanin and his South Australian crew Alecs Vucic lead after winning the opening two regattas, including taking out every single race at the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Australian Youth Championship. The pair are followed by two New South Wales crews with Lucas Price and Joshua Singh second and Bryce Haffner and Caleb White third.
Carrie Smith and Ella Clark, from Western Australia, lead the 420 girls class, with Queenslanders Elloise Brake and Jaime Ryan second and New South Wales sailors Milly Bennett and Jessica Russell third.
In the 420 boys class Queenslanders Angus Galloway and Alex Gough have gotten their Youth Sailing Grand Prix campaign off to a great start with two wins from two events to lead from Victorians Thomas Klemens and William Llewelyn with Tasmanians Alec Bailey and Henry Goodfellow third.
Queensland pair Josh Franklin and Lewis Brake have two wins in the 29er class to lead from two Victorian crews, James Sly and Thomas Dwyer, and George Davies and Jack Lloyd.
In the race for the State Trophy, Queensland has a slender five point lead over New South Wales with Western Australia nine points further back in third.
Yachting Australia is awarding prize money for the Youth Sailing Grand Prix, with up to $3,000 per winning crew, dependent on the class. This is designed to assist with the costs incurred campaigning with the winners required to use the funds to compete at further events.
Following the Adelaide International Regatta racing then heads to the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Victorian State Championships in April before the focus then shifts to Western Australia for the Mandurah Easter Regatta before moving to Queensland for the OAMPS Insurance Brokers Queensland Youth Week in July.
After a break racing resumes in October with the OAMPS Insurance Brokers New South Wales State Youth Championships before a final race to the line with Sail Sydney, the Hobart Showdown Regatta, Sail Melbourne and Sail Brisbane.
For more information on the Youth Series Grand Prix visit www.facebook.com/YouthSailingGP or follow the series on Twitter at www.twitter.com/YouthSailingGP. The policy document and point score for the series can be found on the Yachting Australia website.
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Australian Sailing Team Patron wins 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship Yachting Australia would like to congratulate Australian Sailing Team Patron Guido Belgiorno-Nettis on winning the 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship in Sydney. Belgiorno-Nettis and his Transfusion crew won a hard fought regatta which came right down to the final race with the Australian’s coming from behind to beat Italian entry, and reigning World Champion, Nerone. “On behalf of Yachting Australia and the Australian Sailing Team I’d like to congratulate Guido and his crew on a tremendous win last weekend,” said Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones.
“Guido and the Transfusion crew sailed a great regatta and his come from behind win was great to watch,” he said. “Guido is an important member of the Australian Sailing Team Patrons and I’m sure that he will be able to pass on valuable knowledge from the last week to our leading Olympic class sailors as they head towards the 2012 London Olympic Games.”
Transfusion became the first Australian entry to win the Farr 40 World Championship since it was last held in Sydney in 2005.
The Australian Sailing Team was well represented in the 2011 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship fleet with seven boats having a direct link to the team.
Martin and Lisa Hill were the second placed Australian team in fourth overall. The Hills, long-time patrons of the Australian Sailing Team, were joined onboard Estate Master by team members Malcolm Page, Nathan Outteridge and Tom Slingsby.
Marcus Blackmore finished seventh with his Farr 40 Hooligan, one place ahead of Lang Walker and Kokomo.
Australian Sailing Team Technical Coordinator Michael Dunstan was aboard Sputnik which finished the week in 13th, with Southern Star, part owned by John Calvert-Jones, in 14th.
David Gotze finished the week in 20th with his entry, Enigma.
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New website launched for Audi IRC Australian Championship Yachting Australia has launched a new website to bring the Audi IRC Australian Championship to life online. The new website, which is located at www.irc.yachting.org.au, contains information for competitors, fans and media alike on Australia’s only national championship for IRC rated yachts. Whether it’s news, photos, video or team biographies, the new Audi IRC Australian Championship site will house all the information needed to stay on top of the action both on and off the water.
Yachting Australia CEO Phil Jones said that the new site was designed to become the home, and hub, for the Audi IRC Australian Championship online.
“The Audi IRC Australian Championship continues to grow and the four Audi sponsored events which make up the championship this year are some of Australia’s highest profile regattas,” said Mr Jones.
“With this in mind Yachting Australia has developed a website to bring together the four events, while also creating an online home for the IRC rating in Australia,” he said. “We currently have the Audi Sailing Sport website, and the four individual event websites, and while they are all impressive websites which work well in isolation we felt that there was a need to bring all of the components together in one place.”
“The new Audi IRC Australian Championship website is designed to grow the presence of the series online, inform and entertain those who are already involved in the sport, and bring new fans to sailing,” said Mr Jones.
A key element of the new website is the teams section, where visitors can find a wealth of information on the crews competing in the Audi IRC Australian Championship.
The teams section will continue to grow over time, as new boats join the championship and the stories of those already racing develop. Boat owners and crews are encouraged to contact Amy Howie or Susan Veal at Yachting Australia to update their information as the championship progresses.
For 2011, the Audi IRC Australian Championship has undergone a number of changes, with the creation of three racing classes being the major difference from previous years. After just one round this has already resulted to close, exciting, racing across the classes and via the website sailing fans can keep track of which boats are at the head of the pack with a leaderboard on the front page.
“Sailing embodies the Audi Vorsprung durch Technik philosophy perfectly. Since the creation of the Audi IRC Australian Championship in 2006, the sport has enjoyed a greater profile, a larger fleet across all four Audi sponsored events and an increase in the level of competition”, said Uwe Hagen, managing director, Audi Australia.
Also available on the front page are video highlights of the championship, with clips from the official YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/AudiIRC, available for viewing through the site.
Visitors will be able to find information on the four events within the Audi IRC Australian Championship, Audi Victoria Week, Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta, Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race and Audi Hamilton Island Race Week, including event history and links.
The new website also highlights the photography of Audi IRC Australian Championship official photographer, Andrea Francolini. Francolini’s images are synonymous with the championship and new shots will be uploaded at the end of each event.
Live tracking, via the TracTrac system which will be used at a number of rounds, and results will also be available through the Audi IRC Australian Championship website.
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