Australian Yachting Championships coming to Sydney in 2017
by Jane Gordon, Australian Sailing 4 Dec 2016 20:05 GMT
23-26 March 2017
Australian Sailing's premier keelboat event heads to Sydney in 2017 with the Australian Yachting Championship to be held from March 23 to March 26.
The 2017 Australian Yachting Championship will be hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) who are very familiar with staging world class sailing events as they prepare for the 72nd edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.
Australian Sailing Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll said the CYCA are well equipped to deliver this prestigious national event saying, "The Australian Yachting Championship is our premier keelboat event and holds a prominent place on national and international sailing calendars.
"Hamilton Island have been wonderful hosts of the Championship for the past two years, treating competitors to an array of racing conditions in the warm Queensland waters. We expect the CYCA will deliver another exceptional event for competitors across the divisions, all vying for the coveted Australian Yachting Championship crown", Matt added.
The last time the Australian Yachting Championship was hosted in New South Wales was in 2014 at the Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club when Karl Kwok sailed Team Beau Geste to victory in Division 1. This was the start of the 'Kwok Trifecta' as he took out the Australian Yachting Championship title again in 2015 and 2016.
CYCA Commodore, John Markos said the Club is looking forward to hosting the Championships and watching how the fleet negotiate conditions outside Sydney Harbour.
"The CYCA is delighted to be hosting the 2017 Australian Yachting Championships and we look forward to welcoming many local and interstate competitors to our club for what promises to be a great competition," John said.
The Australian Yachting Championships is the premier national keelboat racing event that showcases racing for IRC, ORCi and PHS. In 2017, the Championships will consist of four days of racing off Sydney Heads comprising of two days of windward/leeward courses and two days of passage racing. Boats will be separated in up to three divisions based on size and ratings to ensure a level playing field.
www.australianyachtingchampionship.org.au