ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne Day 4 - Nervy but excited competitors

by Lisa Ratcliff on 11 Dec 2014 At the ISAF Sailing World Cup Melbourne 2014 the local Fawkner Beacon weather observation is showing a 22 knot SSE breeze gusting up to 26 and a quick local shower has sent sailors, particularly the young Opti competitors, still in the boat park scurrying for cover.'

Nervy but excited competitors and photographers are rubbing their hands. Rattling rigging rather than yesterday’s fluttering flags can be heard around Sandringham Yacht Club on day four.

It’s the penultimate day of the qualification series for the Olympic classes and joining the world cup competition on a white-capped Port Phillip from midday are the remaining invited classes, meaning the full complement of 500 boats across six courses is going to add plenty of colour and action to an otherwise cool, grey day.

'It’s going to be a pretty exciting day,' PRO Ross Wilson told his teams at this morning’s briefing. 'Yesterday showed that good things come to those who wait with a fantastic afternoon of racing,' he added.

In the Olympic, Paralympic and Kiteboarding competition the following classes will be racing today - Men’s and Women’s 470, Finn, Laser, Women’s Laser Radial, 49er, 49erFX, Men’s RS:X, Women’s RS:X, Nacra 17, Skud 18, 2.4mR, Men’s and Women’s Kiteboard.

In the Sail Melbourne Invited classes regatta the following fleets will be racing - Laser 4.7, Men’s Laser Radial, Open 49erFX, Bic Techno, Liberty, Viper, International OK, International 505, International 420, 29ers, Minnow, International Cadet and Optimist.

On the Sandringham Yacht Club deck at 10am today the IFDS Disabled Sailing Combined World Championships, to be hosted by the Royal Victorian Yacht Club in November 26 – December 3, 2015, was officially launched by 2011 Australian of the Year Simon McKeon OAM prior to Australia’s Paralympic sailors who are aiming for the Rio Games in 2016 heading out for their midday start.

'In a year’s time I’m looking forward to great athletes getting out there at the top of the bay using the abilities they have,' said McKeon.

Bureau of Meteorology forecast is for south to south-easterly winds 20-25 Event website