The very best news of the week!!

29er crew Tess Lloyd and Lewis Duncan - Australian Youth Championships 2012  Andrew Gough - copyright

Helly Hansen becomes Major Sponsor of the 2012 Sydney Harbour Regatta Jess Mulquiney, Helly Hansen (HH), one of the world's leading sailing apparel and footwear brands, last week announced that the brand has signed on to be a Major Sponsor of the prestigious Sydney Harbour Regatta at Middle Harbour Yacht Club (MHYC).... [more] Share this story

Chris of the Capital takes first Spiral National Championship Nicole Douglass, The 2012 Spiral Nationals were sailed from Teralba Sailing Club, Lake Macquarie, from the 26th to the 29th of January, resulting in great success for the Canberra Yacht Club.... [more] Share this story

18ft Skiffs - New Zealand's resurgence Frank Quealey, New Zealand's 18ft Skiff sailors will make their strongest challenge in recent years when they contest the JJ Giltinan. The New Zealand resurgence can only be good for the class as it continues its international progression.... [more] Share this story

Prentice and Bradford to contest Etchells World Championship Ian Grant, Vaughan Prentice and Mark Bradford, recognised among Australia's smartest Etchells one-design racing skippers, have teamed up to contest the 2012 World championship on Sydney Harbour later this month.... [more] Share this story

World's largest solar craft heads through the pirate zone Nancy Knudsen, After stopping for a few days in Doha, Qatar, for Christmas, PlanetSolar crossed the Persian Gulf and sailed toAbu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where they were the guests of honour at the World Future Energy Summit 2012. This was a contrasting prelude to what they have now undertaken, the crossing of the Gulf of Aden, through the deadly pirate zone to the Red Sea, silent for the journey... [more] Share this story

Galileo's new first mate from FLIR Drew Valentine, The new First Mate MS uses the same thermal imaging technology as FLIR's best-in-class Navigator 11, Voyager 11 and M-Series thermal night vision systems but now its even smaller, lighter and from under $2500, it's even more affordable than ever before.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet becalmed Heather Ewing, Clipper 2011-12 Round the World Yacht Race fleet are on day four of race eight, from Singapore to Qingdao. After a steady start the ten-strong fleet of ocean racing yachts have had a mixed 24 hours sailing in the South China Sea as they are becalmed by the arrival of light winds.... [more] Share this story

Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta - Online entry now open Nicky Moore, Skandia Sail for Gold Regatta - Entries are now open, with an ‘early entry discount' available to those who get their entries in before the 30th April 2012. To enter online or download the Notice of Race visit the event website, which is now live. All 10 Olympic and three Paralympic classes will compete across seven courses in Weymouth Bay and Portland Harbour... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: You do 100 little jobs and you get 100 little gains Volvo Ocean Race, Shore teams are launching major operations to optimise and overhaul their yachts after surveying the damage caused by racing through some of the world's most hazardous waters. Having crashed into trees, snagged fishing nets and even impaled nails head first the six Volvo Open 70s each have extensive work lists. Fortunately for the shore crews the Sanya stopover affords one of the longest per... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Sanya uses stopover time for speed gains Volvo Ocean Race, Sanya will be back in the water in her home bay within a week after her first real shakedown for almost two months. Skipper, and former Volvo Ocean Race winner, Mike Sanderson and his crew are staying in Sanya, China for the entire stopover, using every second at their home port to recoup, repair and improve.... [more] Share this story

Sail Auckland 2012: Light airs plague racing on final day Kristine Lederis, The final day of Sail Auckland 2012 was plagued by light winds and extremely shifty conditions. There were no races completed today in the 470, 420, Laser, Laser Radial and Finn, so final results in those divisions are the ones that remain from yesterday. The RS:X, SKUD 18 and 2.4mR were the lucky three classes to finish both of their races as scheduled, and the 29er and 49er skiffs had just one... [more] Share this story

Hardy Cup - Intense competition on Sydney Harbour Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron/Peter Campbell, Hardy Cup - Hardy Cup 2012, an ISAF Grade 3 under 25 match racing regatta, finally got underway today, Tuesday 7th February, on Sydney Harbour after Monday's abandonment due to strong southerly winds. Despite a light and flukey morning breeze and a later shift in wind direction the event produced intense competition between the young sailors from Australia and New Zealand... [more] Share this story

ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships - Australian team named Craig Heydon, The 2012 Australian Youth Sailing Team that will contest the ISAF Youth Sailing World Championships has now been announced by Yachting Australia. The team features a mix of seasoned campaigners and newcomers that are now set to race in Ireland this coming July.... [more] Share this story

Hardy Cup - Reece confident he can stem Kiwi tide Peter Campbell, Racing in the Hardy Cup, the prestigious under 25, ISAF grade 3 match-racing regatta is expected to start this morning. Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron member Jordan Reece is confident he can stem the Kiwi tide... [more] Share this story

Global Ocean Race Class40 Phesheya-Racing battered Oliver Dewar, Global Ocean Race - Throughout Sunday, thoughts of competitive racing were temporarily suspended for one of the Class40s in the Southern Ocean as the South African team on Phesheya-Racing was forced to heave-to in strong headwinds and confused seas. Furthest south at 48 degrees leading the trio, Conrad Colman and Adrian Kuttel missed the worst of the gale with Cessna Citation... [more] Share this story

Sailing Arabia The Tour - Caffari and crew undergo intense training Nicky Moore, Sailing Arabia The Tour - Dee Caffari and her all-women sailing crew have just finished their second phase of training for the event. As part of the crew's preparation for Sailing Arabia – The Tour, an offshore sailing event based on Le Tour de France a la Voile, the all–female team have been undertaking some intense sail training in Oman, as they prepare to go head-to-head with eight other profe... [more] Share this story

Sail Auckland 2012's Penultimate race day Kristine Lederis, Just one day remains for Sail Auckland 2012, New Zealand's premier Olympic and Paralympic class regatta. Today saw slightly lighter winds and choppy water on most courses due to the influx of Waitangi Day holiday goers enjoying some time on the Waitemata Harbour.... [more] Share this story

Kiteboarding and Windsurfing format trials in Spain ISAF, Kiteboarding and Windsurfing Format Trials evaluation event is to be held in Santander, Spain from 21 to 25 March 2012 at The Prince Felipe High Performance Centre which is also host to the 2014 ISAF Sailing World Championships. In May 2011 ISAF Council selected Windsurfing and/or Kiteboarding as a possible event for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition.... [more] Share this story

Clipper Round the World Yacht Race fleet divide Heather Ewing, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race - There has been a division in the fleet as the ten 68-foot yachts navigate through the South China Sea. While Gold Coast Australia narrowly holds on to their lead, putting in their first tack since race start early this morning the trio of three yachts to the south east have successfully utilised the local funnelling conditions... [more] Share this story

Neutral Bay wharf closed for demolition and rebuilding NSW Government, Neutral Bay ferry wharf on Sydney's north harbour shore will be demolished and replaced by an all-weather, disabled-access wharf in an $8.3 million upgrade starting this month. 'The existing wharf and jetty structure will be completely demolished during the closure to make way for the new facility, while the heritage archway will be retained' NSW Roads and Ports Minister Duncan Gay said.... [more] Share this story

18ft Skiffs Australian Championship Race 5 Video Bob Killick, Thurlow Fisher Lawyers dominated the 18ft Skiffs Australian Championship contested on Sydney Harbour.... [more] Share this story

Inaugural Melges 32 Gosford Regatta Tracey Walters, The next few months are booked out with regatta racing for the highly competitive Australian Melges 32 fleet. Kicking off the racing was last weekend's inaugural Gosford Regatta, hosted by Gosford Sailing Club.... [more] Share this story

174th Royal Hobart Regatta preview - Missing trophy returns Peter Campbell, The 174th edition of the Royal Hobart Regatta is set to get underway next Monday with the skipper of the winning yacht this year be able to accept the genuine Sir Thomas Lipton Trophy, now that it has been recovered after it ‘went missing' for several years.... [more] Share this story

Menelaus continues to record impressive results with Treasure V111 Ian Grant, Treasure V111, the Riechel /Pugh 36 skippered by Whitsunday Sailing Club's Harold Menelaus, continues to record impressive results; suggesting they have the potential to be a front runner for the club championship. The ‘Old Salt' Harold Menelaus has owned and raced a number of well prepared yachts during his career of ocean racing at two of Queensland's most ideal sailing destinations... [more] Share this story

Gold Coast to Brisbane all set for February 25 start Kelvin Holdt, The Gold Coast to Brisbane race is deemed 'The Great Race' and is Australia's most entertaining and challenging marathon for off the beach dinghies and catamarans. The event is set to offer a prize pool that includes $5000 in cash and a beachside holiday retreat.... [more] Share this story

No rescue for stowaway sailor headed for the Antarctic nk, The New Zealand Government have said they will not take action to rescue a a boat maintenance worker who was apparently accidentally taken to sea on board a Norwegian yacht whose skipper had just been deported. The yacht has no EPIRB on board and was headed to the Antarctic. Depending on weather conditions, the yacht may have already reached the Southern continent.... [more] Share this story

Festival of Sails 2012 images by Guido Brandt Guido Brandt images, Festival of Sails 2012 images by photographer Guido Brandt.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race: Images from the return home for Sanya Volvo Ocean Race, Local crew member, Teng, better known as Tiger, was draped in a Chinese flag as he led Mike Sanderson's men across the line in the 2011-12 Volvo Ocean Race Leg 3 finish, into the team's home port at 12:35:17 UTC, bringing to an end 14 days of gruelling racing in Leg 3 Stage 2 from the Maldives.... [more] Share this story

Women's Match Race Country Qualifier - Final spots claimed WIMRA, At the 2012 Women's Match Racing International Country Olympic Qualifying Regatta, the final day of racing left one major question to be answered: Who will be the last country to qualify for a spot in the 2012 Women's Match Racing Event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London?... [more] Share this story

blokart World Championships 2012 entries closing soon Ross Vickers, Entries are closing in four weeks time for the blokart World Championships 2012, to be held at Ivanpah dry lake, USA. With over 130 entrants so far, the racing is set showcase competitive blokart sailing at its best. Competitors from thirteen countries will compete alongside 33 US sailors for eight world titles. Racing is conducted in two classes, further broken in to four weight divisions.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Impressive Media and Readership for Leg 1 Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race organisers have released the Media and readership statistics for the first leg of the nine leg race. As expected the event compares more than favourably with the America's Cup World Series which ran its San Diego event around the same time as the start of the Volvo Ocean Race from Alicante.... [more] Share this story

Mt Gay Rum 2012 Neptune Regatta -The Riau Islands have moved Guy Nowell, Sail-World Asia, Boats will have to deal with the wind shifts that go with inter-island sailing, and the thoroughly complicated currents that develop when the tide tries to push the China Sea into the Indian Ocean (and back again) twice a day. Last year one particularly gnarly patch of sea, riddled with cross currents and tidal overfalls, was immediately named ‘The Cauldron', and with good reason.... [more] Share this story

Volvo Ocean Race - Team Sanya sail into home port Volvo Ocean Race, Volvo Ocean Race Team Sanya, the first sole Chinese entry in the Volvo Ocean Race, crossed the finish line at their home port late Sunday night to a raucous welcome from thousands of locals who lined the dock. Firecrackers sounded as the exhausted team, including the first Chinese sailor to compete in the race Teng 'Tiger' Jiang He, stepped ashore for hugs, kisses and cheers... [more] Share this story

Women's Match Race Country Qualifier – Teams fight for final spots WIMRA, Women's Match Race Country Qualifier – Emotions ran high on the water as Olympic dreams came true for some and ended for others. Finland and Spain will be going to the Olympics in Women's Match Racing and Germany and Slovenia will not. One more place remains to be decided on Sunday.... [more] Share this story

Hello sunshine, my old friend John Curnow, Seems like a lot of places North of the divide have not seen much of you lately. Indeed our hearts go out to all the people in some of the Northern reaches of our country, who have seen nothing but water for a very long time. Down South, however, it has been gleaming of late, on the whole and Round Four of the 2011/12 Club Marine Series on Melbourne's Port Phillip, certainly had plenty on display.... [more] Share this story

18ft Skiffs Australian Championship final on Sydney Harbour Frank Quealey, 18ft Skiffs Australian Championship – With the Australian Championship title already won by the Thurlow Fisher Lawyers team of Michael Coxon, Aaron Links and Trent Barnabas, today's last race of the event became more a final hit out for the upcoming Giltinan Championship from 17 February. And what a race it was as the Gotta Love It 7 team put on an awesome display to defeat Thurlow Fisher Lawyers... [more] Share this story

America's Cup: Emirates TNZ and Luna Rossa race in Auckland + Video Richard Gladwell, Auckland's America's Cup fans got the chance, today, to see what they have missed, with the no-show of an expected event in the America's Cup World Series. On the inner harbour course, familiar to many as a match racing track, bounded on its southern side by a number of vantage points, spectators got the chance to view at first hand, the two Auckland based America's Cup teams going head to head... [more] Share this story

If you liked this newsletter, do nothing, we will send you another ..
 Naa, please don't send me another.  
 

<:banner_bottom:>