Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta – Entries open, 2 weeks to go

by Mel Steiner on 6 Feb 2015 Yes, only two and a bit weeks to go before the 2015 Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta – the biggest mixed fleet regatta on Lake Macquarie and the only 24 hour overnight round the cans race in Australia. The regatta which incorporates the Classic One Lap Dash, the 12 Hour Challenge and the 24 Hour Endurance, will commence on Saturday February 21 with the 24 Hour Race finishing on Sunday February 22, and of course, don’t forget the pre race fund raising dinner on Friday February 20 at the RMYC Toronto. Tickets for the dinner ($50 each) which includes a two course meal, are now available at the RMYC Toronto – simply collect and pay for your tickets at the club bar. As you know, three boats from Lake Macquarie all did very well in the recent Sydney Hobart, and it is fitting that our guests at this year’s fund raising dinner, be representatives from the crews of those boats. Our guests will be interviewed by Helen O’Neil – well known sports reporter for the ABC in Newcastle. Remember there are only 90 tickets for sale at the Charity Dinner.

Regatta entries are now open and filling – simply go to the RMYC Toronto website and follow the Heaven Can Wait links for all the latest news and race entry details. Get your entries for the regatta in now and start raising funds through Everydayhero, for this very worthwhile charity – the Hunter Branch of NSW Cancer Council and specifically their Domestic Support Program that provides domestic assistance to both terminal and recovering cancer patients. Our fund raising target is $50,000 (last year we raised $39,000) and don’t forget, there is a trophy for the boat that raises the most money in support of the charity.

As I mentioned in my last reminder, this year, the Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta will be a part of LAKEFEST – a new annual aquatic festival that brings together sailing and other aquatic events in one week of action on Lake Macquarie. Lakefest will include the RMYC Toronto Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta, The Lake Macquarie Yacht Club RTC 2 day Non Spinnaker Regatta, The Wangi Amateur Sailing Club Open Friday Twilight, The Variety (Children’s Charity) Splash, the Toronto Rotary Sunrise Paddlefest and the Belmont 16’s Kids Dinghy Treasure Hunt. There will be lots of action on Lake Macquarie in the week of February 20 – 27, so make sure you are a part of it. Go to the Lakefest website or contact any of the organising clubs for more detail and event entry. In this update, I include links to information on Paddlefest to be held on February 22, the Kids Pirate Fun Day to be held on February 21, the 2 Day RTC Non Spinnaker Regatta to be held on February 24-25 and the Open Friday Twilight Race to be held on February 27.