The 173d Australia Day Regatta – the world’s oldest

by Peter Campbell on 23 Jan 2009
The world’s oldest continuously-conducted sailing regatta, the 173rd Australia Day Regatta, will be held on Sydney Harbour next Monday, 26 January 2009.

The event marks the arrival in Sydney Harbour (Port Jackson) of the First Fleet from England to found the colony of New South Wales, which subsequently became the Commonwealth of Australia.

The remarkable continuity of the regatta, through world wars and economic recessions, underlines the history of a nation surrounded by the sea and developed through the trade of the sea.

The historic 173rd Australia Day Regatta on Sydney Harbour will cater for keel yachts, old and new, including classic gaff-riggers, and Sydney’s famous 18-footers, both the carbon fibre, state-of-the-art modern skiffs and wooden replicas of the gaff-rigged skiffs that raced a century ago.

Conducting it again on behalf of the Australia Day Regatta Inc will be the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Australia’s oldest yacht club which will soon celebrate its own 175th anniversary. Sponsor is again the Commonwealth Private Bank.

Complementing the Harbour racing will be a short ocean race from Sydney to Botany Bay and return, historic in its own right as the First Fleet initially anchored in that port before moving north to Port Jackson.

Conducting this race will be the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia which just recently held its own 64th Rolex Sydney Hobafrt Yacht Race.

The Sydney Harbour Regatta has attracted some 110 entries, while the ocean race has 35 yachts specifically nominated for the Australia Day Regatta among the fleet in what is also a CYCA pointscore event for its Short Ocean Pointscore and Ocean Pointscore. The fleet has been boosted by 20 casual Australia Day entrants.

The short ocean race will see the Short brothers in keen competition, with Andrew Short helming his 90-footer Andrew Short Marine Shockwave 5, which finished fourth across the line in the recent Sydney Hobart, and Matthew Short skippering his TP52 Shortwave which set a record in the Melbourne to Hobart Westcoaster Race.

In a unique clash, Australia Day Regatta honorary treasurer Fred Bevis will be sailing Warana in the Classic Yacht Division against his wife Beverley, skippering Tio Hia.

Two great sailors of Sydney Harbour, both in their early 80s will be competing in yet another Australia Day Regatta.

Gordon Ingate, who will turn 83 in March, will helm his International Dragon class yacht Whim in Division 2 while 81-year-old Roger Gale will be skippering his famous gaff-rigger Ranger in the Gaffers Division of the 173rd Australia Day Regatta.

The Australian Defence Forces have extended their ongoing support for the Regatta beyond the Navy providing the Flagship, HMAS Stuart, the RAAF sending its F-111 jet fighters in spectacular fly pasts and the Army organizing parachute jumps and 21-gun salutes.

This year the Army yacht Gunrunner, skippered by Oliver Covre, will compete in Division 3 while the RANSA yacht Scarborough will be skippered by Major Mark Palmer in Division 2 Non Spinnaker.