Please select your home edition
Edition
Leaderboard FD July August September 2023

Sail Sydney a launch pad for Olympic Campaigns

by Jane Gordon on 7 Sep 2017
Gilmour and Turner have their sights set on Tokyo 2020 Robin Evans
Woollahra Sailing Club will host the 23rd edition of Sail Sydney from December 11-17 with the support of Drummoyne Sailing Club, Middle Harbour Yacht Club and Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron.

Sail Sydney is shaping up to attract more than 300 local, national and international competitors across 23 classes.

Olympic Classes will compete for the first four days of the regatta with Australian Sailing Team and Squad Crews set to try to tame Sydney Harbour. Under the recently announced Tasman Series with Australian Sailing and Yachting New Zealand, Sail Sydney is now positioned to attract the best Olympic Class sailors in the southern hemisphere.

Australian Sailing Chief Executive Officer, John Lee, said that Sail Sydney is an important regatta for Olympic Class sailors as our squads prepare for their respective campaigns.

“Sail Sydney is a great opportunity for Australian Sailing and Yachting New Zealand sailing teams to work together to create a strong, world-class competition,” John said.

“Sydney Harbour is a great setting for one of the final major regattas of the year for our sailors who have been competing overseas.

“Woollahra Sailing Club have successfully delivered this event over a number of years and with the support of surrounding Clubs, it is great to see their partnerships supporting the foundations of this great Australian Sailing event.”

Invited Classes will take the reins from December 15 which will include; 29er, 420, Nacra 15, Pacer, Laser 4.7, Optimist Open, Intermediate and Green Fleet, Bic Techno (Ripper League and Ripper Races), RS:X Men and Women, Elliot, International Cadet, Sabot 1 Up, Open Bic, Manly Juniors, Flying 11 and Tasar.



Among the invited classes, Optimist sailors for New Zealand are preparing for the regatta ahead of the Australian Optimist Nationals.

“Our sailors are really looking forward to coming to Australia to compete on Sydney Harbour,” said Greg Lee, who will manage a group of competing New Zealand Opti sailors.

“We always have a strong contingent of sailors head to Australia for the Opti Nationals so Sail Sydney will be another opportunity to compete against the best Aussie sailors. Everyone is very much looking forward to sailing in Sydney.”

Sailing conditions in Auckland vary during the peak sailing season, from October to April, providing New Zealand sailors with an effective training base to prepare for Sail Sydney 2017.

“We get a mix of conditions here in Auckland from very light to in excess of 40 knots,” Greg said. “The water temperate is a little chilly until around late December when the average becomes about 20 degrees which is quiet bearable.”

New Zealand has a bright future in Optimist sailing with Rio Olympic 49er Gold Medallists Peter Burling and Blair Tuke, 470M duo Paul Snow-Hansen and Dan Wilcox, and Rio Olympic 49erFX Silver Medallists, Alex Maloney and Gemma Jones, all having graduated from the Opti class.

While the water temperatures may be cooler in NZ, there is no doubt that the Kiwi Opti sailors will heat up Sail Sydney 2017.

For more information on Sail Sydney visit the website.

Regatta Documents | Enter Now

Selden 2020 - FOOTERRolly Tasker Sails 2023 FOOTERRooster 2025

Related Articles

North launches new Wingfoil Race Collection
Pinch even higher and reach even deeper at pace Pinch even higher and reach even deeper at pace. Engineered with a VMG-optimised partial double skin for improved aerodynamic efficiency, lower drag and precise manoeuvres at higher speeds.
Posted today at 10:35 am
AEGEAN 600 Attica Warm-Up Race
5th edition sets sail with strong winds and signature Greek hospitality Under perfect sunny skies and brisk northerly winds, the 5th edition of the annual AEGEAN 600 kicked off with a flawless start both on and off the water.
Posted on 4 Jul
GKSS Match Cup Sweden & Nordea Women's Trophy D5
Stage set for Finals showdown in Marstrand With just one day to go at the 2025 GKSS Match Cup Sweden and Nordea Women's Trophy, the stage is set for a thrilling finale in both the Open and Women's classes.
Posted on 4 Jul
Sam Goodchild in the Course des Caps
The final phase is full of potential pitfalls Sam Goodchild, the British skipper of MACIF Santé Prévoyance who has been dominating the IMOCA round Britain and Ireland race since the start of the third day, says the goal now is to focus on the complex finishing section.
Posted on 4 Jul
29er Europeans at Lake Garda day 2
Light breeze, boat park buzz and big wins off the water >Day 2 brought lighter winds to Lake Garda, but the energy around the event stayed sky-high.
Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex TP52 Worlds in Cascais day 3
French tour de force gives Paprec world championship lead As the Rolex TP52 World Championship passed its midway point today in Cascais, Portugal it is the French underdogs on Paprec, led by ocean racing legend Loïck Peyron, which has taken the overall lead.
Posted on 4 Jul
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC One preview
Beyond the French legends there is plenty of international talent with podium potential With 17 editions of the Rolex Fastnet Race to his name, including five class victories along the way and an outright victory in 2015, could anyone bet against Géry Trentesaux doing it again?
Posted on 4 Jul
International Moth Worlds begin this weekend
Pre-Worlds are under way at Malcesine From 6 to 13 July 2025, the 2025 Moth World Championship officially gets under way, hosted by Fraglia Vela Malcesine and preceded by the Pre-Worlds on 4 and 5 July. The event marks the culmination of three weeks entirely dedicated to foiling.
Posted on 4 Jul
K-Challenge gives opinion on proposed Protocol
Why the 38th edition could usher in a new era for the America's Cup Stephan Kandler and Bruno Dubois, Co-CEOs of K-Challenge, jointly stated: “The provisional Protocol published on 23 May 2025 by Defender Emirates Team New Zealand is an important step forward for the America's Cup."
Posted on 4 Jul
PredictWind to show new race tracker in August
The Ocean Race joins with PredictWind as Official Tracking and Weather Services Supplier The Ocean Race, often described as the toughest test of a team in sport and widely recognised as a leader in impactful ocean health initiatives, and PredictWind, a global leader in marine weather forecasting, are collaborating on a new race tracker.
Posted on 4 Jul