Sail Port Stephens suits the Beneteau 523 - Antipodes

by Jody O'Brien on 16 Feb 2009
A 523 Oceanis fast cruiser joins a growing list of Beneteaus making their way to Sail Port Stephens in April this year.

Antipodes, owned by Greg Newton and sailed out of the CYCA, is the third Beneteau for the Sydney businessman, with a 47.7 and 42s7 starting off the love affair with the world renowned French design.

With four double berths, five showers, a plasma tv, electric furling sails and electric winches, Greg describes Antipodes as 'very comfortable', but in need of 12+ knots and cracked sheets to unleash her true racing potential, which is why Sail Port Stephens appealed so much to he and his crew.

'The boat really isn’t suited to windward leeward events, so the Commodores Cup and the Port Stephens Trophy, with their passage and island race set up, is perfect for us' he said.

Sail Port Stephens has been hovering on the Antipodes radar as an event they’d like to do, and this year, the crew decided it offered a great option close to home.

So when Vicsail, who came on board as promoting partners in the event late last year, sent Greg and all the boat owners on their data base an email earlier this year promoting the regatta, it was the tap on the shoulder that led to his entry.

The ten person crew is an experienced bunch, having sailed together in offshore races like the Sydney to Mooloolaba, Pittwater to Coffs and Sydney to Southport several times since 1998.

With 70% of the crew in their fabulous 50's and 30% in the 'around 40' age category, there's a diverse range of backgrounds amongst them, including an Army Major, a Regional Director from BBC Worldwide, an Optometrist, a Rising Damp expert, an HR Consultant and a few teachers.

Owner and skipper Greg will be taking time out of his busy collection of businesses, including the Woolwich Marina, the agency for Rolly Tasker Sails, Verify and the Newton Consulting Group, to enjoy some quality fun on and off the water at Sail Port Stephens with his wife Liz – who takes a spot crewing in the pit when in race mode.

For the partners who don’t sail, the lay day on Thursday 23rd April, is their opportunity to re-join with the crew, possibly for the Beneteau Long Lazy Lunch and enjoy the beginning of an extended weekend in Port Stephens.

Greg said they’re all looking forward to taking advantage of everything on offer for the whole week.

'We’ll do the two feeder races from Pittwater to Newcastle and then Newcastle to Port Stephens, and we plan to be fully immersed in the regatta all week – the social program looks like being good quality, relaxed, easy fun – and one of the best parts is how close it is to Sydney – we think it’s going to be a great week ! ' he said.

Sail Port Stephens racing:

20-22 April - Commodores Cup (PHS)
23 April - Lay Day – Lunching Mischief
24-26 April - Yachting NSW IRC Championship
- Port Stephens Trophy ( PHS)

From little things, big things grow, and Sail Port Stephens would not be possible without the support of the foundation partner group of Nelson Bay Diggers, Shoal Bay Resort and Spa, Peppers Anchorage and All Seasons Salamander Shores –as well as the resource contributions of the supporting partner group in SLAM, d’Albora Marina, Yachting NSW and Business Port Stephens, an initiative of Port Stephens Council.

For more info and to enter, go to www.sailportstephens.com.au