Aussies on Fire and news from two major Aussie regattas

Tom Slingsby - Australia's Laser - four times World Champion  Paul Kane /Perth 2011

Heavy weather for Day one of the Olympic class World Cup regatta in Hyeres France and the Aussies are on fire!!

Tom Slingsby will correct me if I am wrong, but I dont think he has ever lost a major regatta in recent years where he started with two bullets.

Krystal Weir started well and Matt Belcher and Malcolm Page would have finished with a one and a two without a dismasting. Great results across the board for the Aussies and today Nathan Outteridge and Iain Jensen will hit the water.

Less than 100 days to Weymouth!! Sail-World will have the largest sailing media team at Weymouth and we will be pumping out 145,000 newsletters daily as part of our Olympic regatta coverage.

Sail Port Stephens 2012 wrapped up yesterday and it's clear this event has a huge future.

Record rain record entries - the sailors at Sail Port Stephens 2012 were fulsome in their praise of the event location, the venue, the race management and the future. We will be providing lots of those quotes ahead of our Wednesday newsletter.

Overall 165 entries National and State titles, racing and cruising and junior sailing – sailing inshore and offshore – a wonderful mix.

Hooligan upwind  Sail Port Stephens Event Media

Marcus Blackmore, IRC Australian Division 1 champion is a strong backer of this event – yesterday he said ‘I can't say enough good things about this event - great sailing waters, superb race management and great event management overall. Sail Port Stephens is at a convenient time of the year and so close to Sydney.'

Denis Thompson the most highly regarded keelboat race officer in Australia said yesterday

‘This is a wonderful location, a great venue very tricky with the tides and sandbanks inside and swells and waves offshore. So as always the best sailors do best. ‘Overall it's a great venue for high performance racing in beautiful holiday location on Port Stephens and this event will just keep growing.'

Airlie Beach Race Week 2012 is the 23rd annual regatta at this Whitsunday gateway.

This year's regatta dates are August 10th to 16th and the organising authority is the Whitsunday Sailing Club as always. The Notice of Race is now able to download from the event website at www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au and online entries are now being accepted.

Team Vodafone Sailing flying - Airlie Beach Race Week 2011  Meridien Marinas Airlie Beach Race Week media

Entries' are coming in thick and fast because there has been a change in arrangements.

Whitsunday Sailing Club Commodore Rob Davis explained ‘The Airlie Beach Race Week entry fee has traditionally included Abel Point marina berthing but not this year.

‘The flat entrance fee has been reduced. Competitors will now need to book directly with Abel Point Marina to secure their berth. We have negotiated discounts for Race Week competitors.

There is a rush of entries and it already looks like that the dream matchup between the two fastest boats in the southern hemisphere will happen at Airlie Beach this year... more on that in the next few days.

Right now, enjoy our in depth coverage of Sail Port Stephens and our news from the Hyeres regatta, where the Aussies are on fire!!

Semaine Olympique Francaise - Aussie crews pick up race wins + Video Craig Heydon, On day one of the 2012 Semaine Olympique Francaise in Hyeres, France, the fleet was battered by strong winds with a number of Australian crews picking up race wins in the tough conditions. At the end of the opening day, Tom Slingsby sits at the top of the Laser fleet, Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch are first in the Skud 18 and Krystal Weir is second in the Laser Radial... [more] Share this story

Airlie Beach Race Week 2012 – Enter online Now Airlie Beach Race Week media, The Notice of Race for Airlie Beach Race Week 2012 is now able to download from the event website at www.airliebeachraceweek.com.au and online entries are now being accepted. Competitors will need to book directly with Abel Point Marina to secure their berth.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens 2012 - The Final Day Sail Port Stephens media, Sail Port Stephens day 7. The IRC fleet were offshore contesting windward leewards on the final day of competition for the 2012 NSW IRC Championships.... [more] Share this story

42nd Corsair Australian Titles venue announced Mitchell Tucker, The 2012 Corsair Australian Championships will be hosted by Lake Cootharaba Sailing Club at Boreen Point from the 30th of September to the fifth of October this year. The class has enjoyed a long history with LCSC, with the club last hosting the Nationals in 03/04 and annually handing out the Corsair Cup as a part of the Mono Masters regatta every December.... [more] Share this story

Save our Seas on a new Crusade Ian Thomson, Since Ian Thomson smashed the solo around Australia World Record in June 2010 under the banner of SOS Ocean Racing, he has been on a crusade to change the way people treat the ocean through creating awareness and educating our youth.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race Leg 6 - Camper sets sail for the USA Camper, In the Volvo Ocean Race, Camper set sail today from Itajai for the 4, 800 mile journey north to Miami, Florida, a leg which looks set to be a battle of strategy for the five boat fleet. 'It's not as simple as it might look from the outside,' commented skipper Chris Nicholson from the dock in Itajai.... [more] Share this story

Semaine Olympique Française now in full swing Corinne Rolland-McKenzie, The opening day of the Semaine Olympique Française, fourth event on the ISAF Sailing World Cup circuit, started in high gear with a strong South-Westerly and athletic racing conditions. Today was a 'winners take all' with breeze lovers making the most of the conditions by winning all races.... [more] Share this story

PWA Reggio Calabria World Cup - Proper wind fails to appear on day 4 PWA, On day four of the PWA Reggio Calabria World Cup, the event was blessed with roasting hot sunshine but sadly not the wind to match. Patience proved to be key, as the competitors were once again held for the whole day on the beautiful beach of Reggio Calabria.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Battle for overall victory intensifies Volvo Ocean Race, In the Volvo Ocean Race, the fight for overall victory continues as Puma lead the fleet in the resumption of their bids for supremacy as Leg 6 from Itajai to Miami got underway. Only 32 points separate the top four teams as the fleet set sail for Miami -- and with 30 points up for grabs for a leg win, the race is still wide open.... [more] Share this story

ISAF World Cup Hyeres - Strong winds on opening day for Team GBR Lindsey Bell, ISAF World Cup Hyeres - Skandia Team GBR: Strong winds led to a disrupted opening day at the French World Cup regatta today, Sunday 22nd April, but in the events where racing was possible, Britain's top sailors made their first day count amid the breezy conditions.... [more] Share this story

Tasmanian Schools Team Racing Championship final on Tamar River Peter Campbell, Tasmanian Schools Team Racing Championship, held over the weekend on the Tamar River, was won by the Hutchins Magenta team with three straight wins in the best of five races final against Friends Blue at Deviot. Third overall went to Guildford Young-St Virgils, fourth to Friends Blue with the four top teams from Hobart schools.... [more] Share this story

CYCA's Great Veterans Race overall Jennifer Crooks, Cruising Yacht Club of Australia's Great Veterans Race was held today, Sunday 22nd April 2012. Maurie Evans' Lion 35 Malohi has won the Great Veterans Race from Anitra V and Katinka. The Great Veteran's Race is the CYCA's annual tribute to those classic Sydney Hobart Yacht race yachts that sailed south in the 1940s, 50s, 60s and 70s and marks the opening of the Audi Winter Series... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Jury finds two Race Committee errors in Camper case Sail-World, The International Jury has found that there were two omissions by the Race Committee for the Volvo Ocean Race, but that Emirates Team NZ was not entitled to redress, as she could not have carried a sail that she did not own at the start of Leg 4. The Jury decision comes following a hearing and decision issued on 21 April in Itajai, Brazil, over the use of a square top storm jib by overall race... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens 2012 – Final Day Schedule Sail Port Stephens Media, What a beautiful day for the last day of Sail Port Stephens 2012. Sailors have short memories that is why we keep going back and back to the Sydney Hobart race. The first wet days of Sail Port Stephen 2012 are now but a distant memory. We can be sure this beautiful last day will encourage an even bigger fleet for this event in 2013.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens - Day 6 images by Matt King Anna Parker, Sail Port Stephens Media, Photographer Matt King was on hand to capture this gallery of images during day six of Sail Port Stephens.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Camper takes second in drama filled inshore race Thomas Pryor, Camper with Emirates Team New Zealand has taken second place in a drama filled Itajai In-Port race. Light and shifty conditions, course changes, and a major tactical error all played a role in today's up and down race. After a delayed start due to a lack of wind racing got underway in a 15 knot south easterly and heavy rain.... [more] Share this story

PWA Reggio Calabria World Cup day 3 - Racing conditions at last PWA, On day three of the 2012 PWA Reggio Calabria World Cup, the promising forecast did eventually deliver racing conditions. From the beginning of the day, the wind was just below the threshold of the seven knots required to allow racing to begin. Sailors and organizers alike were in a buoyant mood about what the day ahead held in store.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Groupama take inshore victory after Telefónica error Volvo Ocean Race, Groupama sailing team claimed their first inshore victory on Saturday to close to within striking distance of overall race leaders Team Telefónica, who sailed the wrong course while leading the DHL Itajaí In-Port Race. Includes Highlights and Full Replay Video... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - Battle for second place Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - Visit Finland and New York have been racing neck to neck around the bottom of Baja California overnight as they battle to catch Gold Coast Australia in fluky downwind conditions. 'We've had an encouraging run during the last couple of days and we're trying to keep the distance covered down to a minimum,' Visit Finland's skipper, Olly Osborne, said.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens IRC Racing Images - Trophy series Sail-World.com, Sail Port Stephens Day Six - Trophy series IRC Racing - images by John Curnow... [more] Share this story

2016 Mixed Multihull - Panel report and recommendations ISAF, Recommendation - The Evaluation Panel recommend consideration of two of the entrants, the NACRA 17 and the Viper.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens - great images by Matt King Matt King/Sail-World Cruising, It's hardly cruising, but the images are great, particularly of the younger sailors in the junior regatta stretching their sailing wings. This is Sail Port Stephens - Images on the water including the start of the Elliott 7 sports boat National Championships and the Sail Port Stephens Junior regatta final day from photographer Matt King.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens Day 6 - Trophy series continues for record fleet Sail Port Stephens Media, So far this has been a light wind sailing event, with the rain earlier in the week shutting the wind down. Today there is quite a divergence between the weather models, one of them is suggesting the north easterly sea breeze will come in early – reaching 15 knots offshore around midday and building possibly up to 25 knots.... [more] Share this story

2016 Women's Skiff Evaluation - Panel report and recommendations ISAF, The Evaluation Panel is unanimous in recommending that one of two boats is selected as the Equipment for the Women's Skiff event in the 2016 Olympic Sailing competition.... [more] Share this story

Semaine Olympique Francaise - Aussies prepare to do battle + Video Craig Heydon, The Semaine Olympique Francaise, fourth round of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, will get underway on Sunday in Hyeres, France with the event being an opportunity for Australian sailors to fine-tune their preparations ahead of a number of World Championships next month.... [more] Share this story

ISAF releases 2016 Kiteboarding Format Evaluation reports ISAF, The 2016 Kiteboarding Format Evaluations were held in Santander, Spain from 21st to 25th March 2012. ISAF has now released the Evaluation and Technical reports.... [more] Share this story

2016 Women's Skiff and Mixed Multihull Evaluation reports released ISAF, Women's Skiff and Mixed Multihull Equipment Evaluations for 2016 were held in Santander, Spain from 17th to 25th March 2012. ISAF have now released the Evaluation Panel Reports and Recommendations.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens Day 5 images by Matt King Matt King, Sail Port Stephens Day 5 - Images of the on-the-water action including the start of the Elliott 7 sports boat National Championships and the Sail Port Stephens Junior regatta final day from photographer Matt King.... [more] Share this story

Ensign Yachts appointed ambassadors for McConaghy Boats! Tracey Goodwin, McConaghy, the custom yacht building specialist behind some of the world's fastest and most successful racing yachts - including the record breaking Alfa Romeo, Wild Oats, and ICAP Leopard - has appointed Ensign Ship Brokers as ambassadors for their product.... [more] Share this story

Ensign Ship Brokers Mini Boat Show at Mariners Cove 21 & 22 April 2012 Tracey Goodwin, Don't miss the Ensign Mini Boat Show this weekend, the 21st and 22nd of April. Come down to Mariners Cove and inspect some of our best priced, quality, large yacht stock.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens day 5 - Sunshine and great racing Sail Port Stephens media, A busy day for Sail Port Stephens 2012 Race Officials with the Sail Port Stephens Trophy Series, the Elliott 7 sports boat National Championships commencing and the Sail Port Stephens Junior regatta concluding.... [more] Share this story

Sail Port Stephens Junior Regatta – the start of something big Sail Port Stephens media, The two day Sail Port Stephens Junior Regatta began yesterday, Thursday 19th and concludes today Friday 20th. Although conditions were still tricky and testing and although far from ideal, ranging from a whiteout to brilliant sunshine, the starters in this inaugural youth regatta clearly had fun.... [more] Share this story

FX continues development after Womens Olympic Skiff Trials Richard Gladwell, Development is continuing on the FX by Mackay Boats, even though the report from the Evaluation Committee for the Olympic Womens Skiff and Mixed Multihull is yet to be publicly released. Two top womens crews, one from Australia, and the other from New Zealand, have been working on a two boat training, tuning and development program all week in Auckland.... [more] Share this story

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