Huge Laser fleet on Hobart’s Derwent River

by Peter Campbell on 22 Dec 2006 Yachts sailing up the Derwent River in daylight hours late next week towards the finish line of the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race will have to keep an extra lookout for other sailing craft, including more than 250 dinghies contesting national championships.

Biggest fleet will be up to 180 International Lasers, but also racing will be the International Cadets, with Australian championship racing for these and other classes running from next Thursday, 29 December through to early January on mid-river courses.

The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania is not only hosting the finish of the Rolex Sydney Hobart and again running the seventh annual Boag’s Sailing South Race Week, but is also conducting the Laser and B-14 Australian championship.

Sandy Bay Sailing Club is conducting the International Cadet Championship over the Christmas-New Year period, followed by the International Optimist and Australian Youth Championships in early January.

The Dyson Corporate Security Australian Laser Championship fleet has attracted the nation’s best, headed by World champion and Olympic Bronze medallist and runner up the third ISAF ranked Tom Slingsby from Gosford.

Heading the Laser Radial fleet will be Sarah Blanck who, like Slingsby, was a winner at last weekend’s Sydney International Regatta.

Several overseas Laser sailors are expected to compete in the fleet of up to 180 boats, more 90 in the Laser Big Rigs, 60 in the Radials and 20 or so in the 4.7 divisions.

The Laser is the largest single-handed dinghy class worldwide, with more than 180,000 of this 4.23m LOA single-handed dinghy being built since production began in the 1970s.

The Laser, and now the Laser Radial, are both Olympic classes and are sailed in almost every country in the world.

What’s afloat on Hobart’s Derwent River?

27 December-4 January: International Cadets Australian Championship, SBSC
29-31 December: Yachts finishing the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and Heemskirk Melbourne to Hobart Races, RYCT
29 December- 4 January: Dyson Corporate Security International Laser Big Rig, Radial and 4.7 Australian Championships, RYCT
2-5 January: Boag’s Sailing South Race Week, RYCT
2-5 January: B-14 Australian Championship, RYCT
7-13 January, International Optimist Australian Championship, SBSC
6-13 January: OAMPS Australian Youth Championships (Laser, Laser Radial, Laser 4.7. 420, 29er and Sailboard classes), SBSC