Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship entries closing

by Di Pearson on 15 Nov 2011 The close of entries for the 34th Sydney Short Ocean Racing Championship (SSORC) is midnight, Friday November 18. Entries are continuing to flow into Middle Harbour Yacht Club in Sydney, host of the annual event.

The Championshipwill be held over the weekend of 26 and 27 November, and prospective entrants are urged to go online quickly to enter at official website below, where the Notice of Race lists of entries received so far and other pertinent information is also available.

The SSORC is the opening summer season offshore regatta, and as such, has already attracted some of the country’s best racing yachts.

MHYC yachts, The Philosopher’s Club, Peter Sorensen’s Audi IRC champion and defending SSORC IRC Grand Prix division champion, Exile (Rob Reynolds) will take on the likes of reigning Blue Water Pointscore Series champion Loki (Stephen Ainsworth) and IRC Australian champion and the ‘regatta boat to beat’, Hooligan (Marcus Blackmore).

Already a fleet of quality yachts is entered for the grand prix IRC, ORCi and PHS series, while good interest has been shown for a potential independent Sydney 38 One Design division.

Potential star performers include Gordon Ketelbey’s Zen from MHYC, Geoff Bonus and Richard Williams’ Calibre from the CYCA, along with two RPAYC challengers, Martin Cross’ Risk and Bruce Ferguson’s Whisper.

A great deal of interest has also been shown for the Seven Islands Race too, an annual event to be held in conjunction with the SSORC on Saturday November 26 and open to all clubs. It will feature spinnaker and non-spinnaker divisions with the start and finish off MHYC. Entries in this event close at midnight on Thursday, 24 November.

The Seven Island’s Race is a tactical chase around some of Sydney Harbour’s most famous small islands. Entries received to-date include Steve Plante’s Beneteau 35, Twitcher and Brian Lee’s Adams 10, Contentious, both from the host club, along with the likes of CYCA entries, Greg Mason Barb Maunsell’s Davidson 37, Sinewave and Jon Short Miles Bastick’s Farr 34, MRX.

Julie Hodder, the Commodore of MHYC, expects a few more entries before the week is out. 'This is the first major regatta for the summer season and a great opportunity to shake out the cobwebs for the coming season and to get together at the end of racing and enjoy the hospitality that Middle Harbour Yacht Club has to offer,' she commented

Once racing is over, crews and supporters can come and kick back at MHYC. The organising committee has a fun weekend of music, dancing and partying on the beach in front of the Club, which has provided a great party venue for events over the years. The Sandbar will be open for breakfast on both days too.

Competitors have a new racing format to look forward too, with longer passage races added to the shorter race program, with racing to be conducted on three separate course areas. Leading race management specialist, Denis Thompson, is the Principal Race Officer for the SSORC, so competitors know they will enjoy good and fair racing.

With entries closing at midnight on Friday 18 November, prospective competitors have only days left to sign on, so enter online now