Grand Prix Series proposed for 2017 Festival of Sails

2016 FOS - Passage Race Secret Mens Business Saltwater Images

2016 FOS - RGYC marina during the Festival © Saltwater Images

The Grand Prix fleet would kick off the 174th edition of the Australia’s largest and oldest yachting regatta. After two days of high calibre competition on Geelong’s Corio Bay, the flotilla would join up with the larger Festival fleet for a leg of the historic passage race back to Geelong on Australia Day, Thursday January 26, and series continuation.

In 2018 the Australian Yachting Championship will play out on Port Phillip, and RGYC feel hosting a Grand Prix Series in the build-up is the perfect way to showcase the Victorian waters and give recognition to owners who invest in order to compete at the upper level of the seaboard circuit. A proposed hospitality component is likely to include concierge pick-up and black-tie function where Grand Prix Series owners can mingle.

Festival of Sails spokesperson and RGYC Vice Commodore Peter Alexander said, “We hope this invitation-only event will bring together the cream of Australian IRC yachts on some of the best racing waters. It’s a great opportunity to showcase the bay and for interstate skippers to test the conditions prior to the national championship at Sandringham in 2018.”

2015 FOS - Shogun V © Teri Dodds

Geelong sailor Rob Hanna, past owner of the successful TP52 Shogun V now being campaigned by Sydney skipper Matt Allen and called Ichi Ban, is fulfilling an ambassadorial role with his home club and making contact with fellow skippers to gauge their interest.

“I think it’s great that the Festival of Sails organisers have considered the concept and I hope it is a huge success,” Hanna said from overseas. “Geelong is a great place to sail and the facilities are very good. I wish them every success; the concept deserves our full support.”

Invitations are being distributed by the club and expressions of interest for the Grand Prix Series sought. For more information contact the club’s sailing manager Mike Williams on 0437 689 928 or email mikew@rgyc.com.au

In other Festival news, the 2017 on-water program has been shuffled around to suit the Australia Day public holiday, when the bulk of the fleet commence their three-day pointscore, and will finish on the Saturday, January 28, for all divisions. Previously respective series were completed over two days, splitting the end of regatta celebrations in half and giving some crews less time to head home for the busy start of the new school year the following week. This new timetable frees up the Sunday for packing up boats and travelling, which is particularly handy for interstate and overseas crew.

2014 FOS fleet © Steb Fisher

The traditional passage race from Williamstown to Geelong on Thursday January 26 is the perfect Australia Day commemoration, a sailors’ voyage that finishes at a coastal city for the 200 plus cruising boats of all sizes as well as classic boats and multihulls. Grand Prix Series entrants will add their own dynamics to the mix when their distance race meets up with the passage race fleet for a dazzling combined finish back at Geelong.

Racing continues Friday and Saturday on Corio Bay for all divisions before closing in spectacular fashion late Saturday afternoon among the holiday weekend festivities that draw huge crowds to the waterfront to indulge in the carnival atmosphere and view the racing out on the rare north facing bay.

The Notice of Race for the 2017 Festival of Sails presented by Rex Gorell Land Rover will be published in August on the website and online entry opens at the same time.