RPAYC to hosts the University Force 24 Fleet Racing Championships

by Damian Devine on 30 Aug 2012 The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, on Pittwater, will play host to the 2012 University Force 24 Fleet Racing Championships this week-end 1-2 September.

Six teams from four universities will be represented and will compete in up to eight races, sailed on the clubs custom built Force 24 keel boats with a crew of up to five weighing 350kgs maximum.

'The Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club has become the home for university sailing competition, hosting a number of national events over the past few years bringing life back into University racing. The clubs support means so much to the University sailing community not just in Sydney but around Australia. The yacht club along with Australian University Sport are leaders in attracting University students to participate in sailing, and to compete at a variety of levels – from social, fun fleet races, to highly competitive national match racing events' says Ajay Rau, University Student and sailing club organiser.

The most important aim of the Australian University Sailing Association is to create an active University racing culture which will give more opportunities to more young sailors from Sydney and across the country and will also introduce university students to the sport at a college level.

'Without the support of the Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, the university racing culture would be non existent. The yacht club conducts the best organised university based events in Australia and has definitely become a home for University Racing in Sydney. After this regatta it plans to host the University National match racing championships and introduction to offshore sailing university event. It has already firmed up plans to host the university fleet racing championships next summer,' commented Rau.

The fleet racing event boasts some quality sailors. In all, there are 30 top sailors confirmed to participate on the week-end representing four universities including Sydney University (Scott Sydney), UNSW (Ajay Rau and Tom Mallet), UTS (Scott Cotton and Daniel Watson) and Macquarie University (James Burman). Australian University sport Male athlete of the year 2011 and World University Silver medallist, James Burman is representing Macquarie University whilst London 2012 sailing Olympian Elizabeth Yin from Singapore, will be representing Sydney University.

University regattas has seen some amazing sailors who have gone on to represent their country and university at World Championships and Olympic Games including 2012 Olympians Lucinda Whitty (silver medallist Women’s Match Racing), Krystal Weir (12th in the laser) and Elizabeth Yin (24th laser) and Colin Cheng (15th laser), representing Singapore. RPAYC member Josh McKnight, who was just won the Moth Worlds in Italy has also competed at University championships.

In the upcoming University World Match Racing Championships, many on the Australian team have competed at the RPAYC in past university events including Jay Griffin, Tara McCall, Sasha Ryan, Katie Webb, Jack Dawson, Jack Breislin and Jackson Cranfield.

The crew weigh-in will commence at 0830hrs and following the boat draw and briefing racing will commence at 1100hrs on Saturday and Sunday.

RPAYC members welcome the University sailors to our Club for another exciting regatta. We hope that the University sailors enjoy sailing on fabulous Pittwater, and become involved in some of the many other sailing activities offered by the RPAYC.

Thanks to the supporters of the event Harken Australia and Quantum Sails.