Toy Box with a lot on as they prepare to round the mark in Salamander Bay. - photo © John Curnow
Dear [recipient name]
A decade ago it did not even exist. However, some vision, a cracking locale and racing for all was a recipe that was always bound to make it more than appealing. Good access, and a clear spot in the calendar, meant that Sail Port Stephens was always going to be more than just another event, and also more than a precursor to the annual boat-watching season.
The weather will tame down further up the coast soon enough, and with it, the whales will appear to take in the migration of craft heading up to the Queensland tropics. No such problem at Port Stephens presently, with sunny skies and light Nor'easters beckoning all to come partake in the week's fun and entertainment. Of course, the hope now is that I have not put the hex on it and instead await Huey's revenge.
The regatta runs from April 9-15, and incorporates the Commodore's Cup, Port Stephens Trophy, as well as the NSW IRC Championship, but this year also has one other special element in the mix. The Pantaenius Cup. This is a two-boat team based award, where prizes like inflatable SUPs, complete with paddle and storage bag, are on offer.
All that skippers need to do is nominate which two craft are in the team before racing, like at registration time, and you're in. Best of all, results are taken into account across all measurement and handicap systems, as well as for each of the divisions, so everyone can be a part of the equation and the thrill. Oh yeah, it costs no more, either, which is certainly a real bonus.
So it is not so much as a precursor, as it is par for the course with the very hands on crew from Pantaenius Sail and Motor Yacht Insurance. They back up their support of events with crew members on site to assist, compete in the racing, and then run things like the now infamous Friday night sausage sizzle and drink that certainly gets the crowd inspired. This sort of commitment is a model that companies looking to gain extra traction and real mileage from their financial support of events.
And so on to the other board, as it were... Look out for a very scary version of the late Donald Crowhurst's ill-fated voyage in the recently released, critically acclaimed, and award winning, 'Crowhurst'. Even the trailer is enough to have you both engrossed and grossed out!
Finally then, and the AST has had a good start to the European season. In the Lasers, Mitch Kennedy finished in 13th place and that included a black flag as the drop. He is a member of the tier just below the usual suspects who are so well known for their tremendous efforts, and someone a lot of people think will do really well in time to come.
Finn Alexander scored a couple of bullets early in the event, and we hope that this is a harbinger for the future. Well done to all of the squad for their dedication and perseverance, and the same goes to the coaches as well. Perhaps it was all brought on by the information that came through from Royal Prince Alfred YC about their next Youth Development Programme. Ultimately, squads such as this feed the higher echelons, and are an integral component to the system. So if you or your children fit the bill, then there is an on and off water information session on May 12 from 1000 to 1230hrs.
Right oh - here today there are some gems for you to review. We have information from Mallorca, where Belcher and Ryan not only take out the 470 title, but get awarded the Princesa Sofia Trophy, Matt Wearn grabs the Laser title there too, the Volvo Ocean Race, the Clipper RTW Race, IMOCA, Youth Development at Royal Prince Alfred YC, the Finns, RS Feva World Championship, Women's Match Racing, young Chelsea Williams from Lake Macquarie, Melges 24 Worlds, North Sails provide great detail on the soft wing of the AC75 beasts, Australian Sailing Hall of Fame nominations now open, Raymarine's LightHouse OS upgrades for their MFDs, Optis, Brisbane to Gladstone, the Golden Globe Race, MySail continue to offer opportunities to go sailing, and certainly there is much, much more.
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John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World.com AUS
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