Big line up for Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta
by Di Pearson 27 Feb 2006 08:37 GMT
Entries continue to flow in for the inaugural Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta to be sailed over next weekend, 4-5 March, with over 200 confirmed entries received to-date.
Onlookers will be treated to a spectacular sight when this massive event, conceived and managed by Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC), gets underway.
On the evening of day one, Middle Harbour YC will host what will undoubtedly be one of the biggest Beach Party’s sponsored by St Arnou on the Harbour front, as competitors, officials and invited guests kick up their heels following racing.
Joerg Hofmann, Audi's MD will also outline the company's future in competitive sailing in Australia at an Official Announcement at 5pm in the "Audi Marquee". Competitors and invited guests attending the Official Event Beach Party will have the opportunity to share in the release of this exciting news.
Audi is providing the major prize for the regatta - an Audi A4 Avant. In the "Race for an Audi" the lucky recipient will come from the pool of overall class winners with further details on how and when remaining a mystery. There is more involved – and there is an excited buzz amongst the various participants.
“Audi providing a car is something quite different – unique,” said John Hurley, Regatta Sailing Director from MHYC.
“The Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta is being held in conjunction with Sydney Harbour Week and we appreciate the efforts of the participating clubs and their members. They have foregone their normal pointscore races to help us make the Regatta a spectacular event."
“We also appreciate the wonderful response from our own members – we are delighted. The Club is looking forward to giving participants some great short-course racing. We have not tried this format before. It is sure to be a challenge with shipping, ferries and others also on the Harbour,” he said.
The two day event includes yachts from the principal classes; IRC Maxi, IRC PHS, Sports 30, JOG, Etchells, Yngling, Dragon, J24, Sydney 32 and 38 One Designs and, Cavalier 28’s. Apart from those, there are Adams 10’s and some beautiful timber classic yachts, all steeped in history, including Bill Gale’s Ranger (SASC), MHYC Rear Commodore John Sturrock (Eudoria) and Brian Wilson’s Eos (MYC).
Racing is due to get underway from 11.00am on both days on six separate courses and due to the sheer enormity of the event, MHYC will be assisted by seven other major Sydney clubs; Sydney Amateur SC, Royal Prince Edward YC, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Royal Prince Alfred YC, Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, RANSA and Manly YC.
Sports 30, PHS divisions, Classic Yachts and the Cavalier 28 class will contest short harbour courses using YA marks in the vicinity of their normal club races, while the remainder will sail windward/leeward courses.
The Deckhardware Sydney 38 OD Australian Championship will be contested as part of the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta, with an additional day of racing on the 6 March, sailed on windward/leeward courses on either of the Manly or Macquarie Circles and should conditions demand, racing may be brought into the Harbour.
Commenting on the regatta, MHYC Commodore Ian Box said: “We have created an event – a weekend regatta, which is the first of its type in years. Our Club used to host a similar style regatta many decades ago. It was that history which we wanted to rekindle; there is no other event like it on the Harbour.”
“With help from the assisting clubs, this event will be iconic to Sydney and a spectacle that has not been seen for some time; all these classes racing at one time,” Commodore Box said of the Regatta that will be held annually and is sure to become internationally recognised.
Famous names and some of Sydney’s top racing boats abound. In the IRC class, watch out for MHYC entries, Nigel Holman’s new Sydney 39CR, Cuckoos Nest, John Walker’s Peterson 36, Impeccable, Ian Oatley/Stuart Gilbert’s Farr 36 Inner Circle and Toybox, Commodore Ian Box’s X-Yacht 44.
Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel/Pugh 60 Loki, Michael Spies’ Beneteau 44.7 Sirromet Lifestyle Wine, Leslie Green’s Swan 45 Ginger and Howard de Torres’ Jeppersen 40 Nips-N-Tux will represent the CYCA, whilst RPAYC is sending Bill Ebsary’s new Beneteau 44.7, Le Billet and Jeff Carter’s Farr 9.4, Farrout Edake.
Two of the best interstate racers around are also taking part; Robert Hanna’s DK46 Shogun from the Royal Geelong YC and the best overall placed conventional yacht in the recent Hobart race, Bill Wild’s Welbourn 42, Wedgetail, from Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron.
Gordon Ingate, champion sailor of America’s Cup fame, is sailing his Dragon Whim, two-time Olympian Nicky Bethwaite will head the Yngling charge, which also features veteran paternal twins, Pat and Joyce Warn. Peter Alexander should rate well in the Etchells, which also features Louisa Geddes, the lone female skipper in this tough class - all are representing RSYS.
For speed, you can’t go past Peter Sorensen with his ‘fastest in the world’ Julian Bethwaite designed Vivace (MHYC), but competition will come from Stuart Bancroft’s Mumm 30, London Calling (BSC) and Garry Corstorphan’s Young One-Off, Youngstar (CYCA).
The Sydney 32 OD fleet will be exciting as Dave and Zorana Bull’s Jester (MHYC) will take on fellow club members Ray Stone (Razors Edge) and the Martin and Anna Cross owned If! (RPAYC) amongst others.
In the J24 class, MHYC’s Doug McGain (Code Violation), heads the field as top placed Aussie at the recent 2006 Worlds, but opposition will come from Alister Morison’s newly purchased Bruschetta (MHYC), winner of the 2006 Worlds for a Brazilian crew and well known sailing journalist Bob Ross (Stamped Urgent, CYCA). And these are just some of the classes and names signed on for the Regatta!
The Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta also features the Deckhardware Sydney 38 One Design Australian Championship. Some of the best yachties around are contesting.
Veteran Victorian ocean racing and one design champion Lou Abrahams (Challenge, SYC) and Sydney champion Stephen Kulmar (Shining Sea, RPAYC) lead the charge from Victorian Bruce Taylor (Chutzpah, RYCV), Martin and Lisa Hill (Estate Master, MHYC) and many others, including a USA entry, Eye Candy, chartered by Peter Krueger from Nevada.
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