Its all happening

Phuket King's Cup Regatta 2011 - Walawala 2 - the Australian built IRC racer that is raising eyebrows  Guy Nowell ©

What to do you get when you combine the world-renowned Ker Yacht Design, with Australia's Sydney Yachts, a team that have been building quality offshore boats for a long time.

Well, the result is the Sydney Yachts GTS 43 and recently, it's been raising some eyebrows, as it competes against some of the other hot new things out there in the marketplace.

The Zhik Etchells Pre-World's starts tomorrow in Pittwater then we move to the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron for the 2012 Etchells Worlds. An interesting 10 days ahead, before the Helly Hansen Sydney Harbour regatta, then only a little while to the Sail Port Stephens Regatta.

Have you got your entries in for those?

Triad team of David Giles, John Bertrand and Tom Slingsby - Zhik Etchells Nationals 2012  Tracey Johnstone ©

Lots more news ...

Sydney Yachts GTS 43 – Raising eyebrows on World stage Brendan Maxwell, What to do you get when you combine the world-renowned Ker Yacht Design, with Australia's Sydney Yachts, a team that have been building quality offshore boats for a long time. Well, the result is the Sydney Yachts GTS 43 and recently, it's been raising some eyebrows, as it competes against some of the other hot new things out there in the marketplace.... [more] Share this story

No excuses. Get an ACR-ResQLink PLB with GPS John Curnow, Since arriving on the scene, Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) have had a significant impact on the offshore sailor's kit and made the shore crew feel even more comfortable about waving the crew goodbye, as they embarked on yet another journey.... [more] Share this story

Etchells Nationals: Defending champion faces red hot fleet Tracey Johnstone, Defending Etchells national champion, John Bertrand, faces a tough four-day regatta in the Zhik Etchells Nationals with Worlds level racing expected. In among that fleet are a handful of very strong contenders. While several of them claim they will be using the event to test out sails and rig set-up prior to the Etchells Worlds, it's highly likely that testing will quickly take a back seat.... [more] Share this story

Milson Cup to decide Perseverance Trophy Peter Campbell, The Milson Cup has attracted more than 40 entries in two divisions competing under IRC and PHS handicaps, with the race over a 20 nautical mile ocean course off Sydney Heads, with the start and finish in the Harbour.... [more] Share this story

86th Bruny Island Ocean Race this weekend Peter Campbell, From the start the Bruny Island fleet will race down the river and circumnavigate the island. The principal race officer will set the direction on the morning of the race, according to weather forecasts.... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Naiad to build four Oracle Racing support boats Oracle Racing Media, Naiad is proud to announce that it has recently signed an Official Supplier agreement with ORACLE Racing, the champion America's Cup team based in San Francisco. Naiad has been appointed to design and build four support vessels for the Defender's AC45 and AC72 yachts.... [more] Share this story

Australian Women's Match Racing Team ceases campaign Craig Heydon, Nicky Souter, Katie Spithill and Jessica Eastwell have made the difficult decision to cease their Olympic campaign. From the team: 'we do not believe the new combination can develop its obvious potential sufficiently in the short time remaining, and therefore it is with considerable personal disappointment that we have decided it is fairer to everyone to conclude our campaign at this point.'... [more] Share this story

North U Tactics and Strategy Clinic at MHYC 29th February 7:30pm Dave O'Connor, After the success of last years North U seminars hosted at a number of differnet yacht clubs around the Sydney region including RSYS, SASC, RPAYC and MHYC, the crew from North Sails will once again be presenting their North U seminar starting off at Middle Harbour Yacht Club with a focus on Tactics and strategy on the 29th February, 2012, from 7.30pm.... [more] Share this story

Nine-year-old: 'We're gonna sink. We're gonna die,' but family rescued Lee Mylchreest, 'If one bad thing goes wrong, it just seems like it gets worse and worse and worse and that's what happened.' These were the words of rescued sailor Mitchell James, the Canadian skipper of the catamaran lost to the Pacific Ocean after he, his brother Bradley and nine-year-old nephew West were rescued over two hundred nautical miles off the coast of Honolulu.... [more] Share this story

End of season discounts offered for 2011 IRC Certificates Craig Heydon, Yachting Australia is offering a 50 per cent discount period for all 2011 end-of-season IRC certificates issued during 1 March and 31 May 2012. The offer will be extended to all Australian boat owners, and provides a substantial saving for those owners wishing to race in the closing months of the current IRC year.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race crews await health check results + Video Volvo Ocean Race, The Volvo Ocean Race fleet are having aerospace technology, which is designed to identify small structural defects, applied ahead of what could be two of the most brutal legs. Every Volvo Open 70, except Groupama 4, is being scrutinised with ultrasound technology by the founding owner of Q.I Composites Stefano Beltrando, who pioneered the application of the science in the marine field 12 years ago... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Major free to air US television deal imminent - Coutts Richard Gladwell, In a media conference this morning, Russell Coutts revealed that a major broadcast deal was imminent for the USA. When pressed further Coutts said the deal was with one of the major US broadcasters and was a free to air package.... [more] Share this story

Inaugural Melges 24 State Titles for South Australia Tracey Walters, Melges 24 South Australian State Titles - A group of East Coast Melges 24 crews are making the 16 hour trip from Sydney to Adelaide to compete in the inaugural event this weekend. Some are transporting their boats home from the Nationals in Geelong a fortnight ago via Adelaide.... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Team Korea sign two current Olympic World Champions Sail-World, Team Korea have announced that their America's Cup sailing team has been joined by two current World Champion sailors. Australian Nathan Outteridge comes aboard as new skipper and helmsman,looking to continue the success that the team has had with its policy of using young skiff talent to lead its challenge for the 34th America's Cup.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race – Upwind sailing continues Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race – 'Well our sail wardrobe has been getting thoroughly aired over the last 12 hours,' Singapore skipper Ben Bowley says in his 0600 report to the Race Office. Similar to the rest of the ten-strong ocean racing yachts taking part in the race, the last 24 hours has been testing for the crew, as they deal with the upwind sailing conditions.... [more] Share this story

Australian Jessica Crisp starts 2012 in winning style Craig Heydon, Triple Olympian and Australian Sailing Team member Jessica Crisp has started 2012 in winning style with regatta victories on either side of the Tasman. Crisp picked up her first win for the year at the 2012 RS:X Australian Championships at Hawks Nest in New South Wales over the Australia Day weekend.... [more] Share this story

Mardi Gras Regatta on Sydney Harbour preview ASCC, Mardi Gras Regatta is a multi-race one day regatta in three person Elliot keel boats. The annual event is organised by the Australian Sailing and Cruising Club Inc (ASCC) and sets sail on Saturday February 11. ASCC Commodore Neil Cossor said the LGBT sailing group provides sailing and boating opportunities for all levels of ability and welcomes both sail and powerboat enthusiasts.... [more] Share this story

Legendary America's Cup yachts en route to Sydney Harbour Ben Morgan, KA5 Australia and KA14 Steak n Kidney, two of Australia's legendary 12 metre America's Cup racing yachts, will arrive into Sydney Harbour on Saturday 11th February 2012. The arrival will mark the completion of a six month recovery effort which has seen the yachts visit Mackay, Keppel Bay, Gladstone, Mooloolaba, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Nelsons Bay and Newcastle.... [more] Share this story

Hardy Cup - David Gilmour victorious Peter Campbell, Hardy Cup 2012, an ISAF Grade 3 under 25 match racing regatta, final day of racing got underway on Sydney Harbour. David Gilmour today became the first West Australian yachtsman to win the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron's prestigious Hardy Cup.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Puma Ocean Racing join speed club + Video Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 - So far this race none of the teams have been able to better Ericsson 4's world record 24-hour speed record, set during the 2008-09 Volvo Ocean Race when they recorded 596.6 nm. A trophy is awarded at the end of each leg to the team recording the greatest distance over a 24-hour period by the Volvo Ocean Race's Official Timekeeper IWC Schaffhausen.... [more] Share this story

Etchells Nationals: hardwork on shore will pay offshore Tracey Johnstone, Tension was evident around the hardstand at Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club at Pittwater as Etchells National skippers and crews measured, weighed, polished and rigged their boats in preparation for the four-day, eight race Zhik Etchells National Championship to start on Saturday.... [more] Share this story

Etchells Nationals - Personalities plus in international fleet Tracey Johnstone, The Zhik Etchells 2012 Nationals has gathered together an impressive group of sailors. The four day event which starts on Saturday and raced offshore, has attracted a fleet of 64 yachts from overseas and Australia, comprising professional and Corinthian sailors. There really is nothing unusual about this; the Etchells class essentially is made up of both weekend warriors and high-end sailors...... [more] Share this story

Strong Fleet at NSW Access Class Championships Australian Access Class Association, The 2012 Access Class New South Wales Championships were held over the weekend of January 28 & 29 at Middle Harbour Yacht Club, attracting 31 sailors from four States.... [more] Share this story

2012 Sail Port Stephens ready to set sail Sail Port Stephens, Sail Port Stephens is ready to set sail from the 16-22nd April 2012. It's true, sailors do like to party and Port Stephens is the perfect playground. There's a fantastic apres racing programme planned for 2012 and you can do as much or as little as you please. Racing in 2012 will start an hour earlier each day allowing more time to enjoy the much loved afternoon 'debriefs'.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Camper calling in the coaches Camper, Skipper Chris Nicholson is keen Camper set themselves up well for the fourth leg with a strong showing in the Sanya In-Port race and Coach Rod Davis and team video analyst Joey Allan are flying to Sanya to work with Chris Nicholson's crew on their short course racing.... [more] Share this story

Liz Wardley to contest 2012 Vendee Globe Vendee Globe, Sailor Liz Wardley has just announced her participation in the 2012 Vendee Globe. This comes after her signing of a three-year long partnership with a sponsor, whose name is set to be revealed on 9 March in La Roche-sure-Yon in Vendee.... [more] Share this story

ISAF Match Race Rankings – Williams and Tunnicliffe remain on top ISAF, ISAF Match Race Rankings - Anna Tunnicliffe and Ian Williams have retained their place at the top of the Rankings. The top 25 rankings places remain unchanged since the last release with World Match Racing Tour Champion Ian Williams remaining well in front ahead of Francesco Bruni (ITA) and Jesper Radich (DEN).... [more] Share this story

Hardy Cup - Josh Junior heads the leaderboard Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron/Peter Campbell, Hardy Cup 2012, an ISAF Grade 3 under 25 match racing regatta, third day of racing got underway on Sydney Harbour. New Zealander Josh Junior and Australians David Gilmour, Jordan Reece and Jay Griffin and their crews emphatically won their way through to the finals today.... [more] Share this story

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