Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts Leaderboard 2024 1

2020 Australian J/111 Championships at Geelong, Victoria

by J/Boats 8 Feb 2020 06:08 PST
J111 Australia Champion Veloce - 2020 MacGlide Festival of Sails © Salty Dingo

The 2020 Australian J/111 Championships were held over the 'Australia Day' long weekend as part of Festival of Sails in Geelong, Victoria. The Festival of Sails is the largest annual keel boat regatta in the Southern Hemisphere with over 300 yacht entries and 3,000 competitors annually taking part in the event.

First held in 1844, the Festival of Sails Regatta is one of the nation's oldest sporting events and has evolved over many years culminating in its current format as Australia's foremost keelboat regatta.

The program consisted of a 30.0nm passage race on Saturday 25th January, followed by five windward-leeward races in Geelong's inner harbour on Sunday and Monday. Here is the report from Rob Date, owner/skipper of Scarlet Runner, from the Victorian J/111 fleet:

"The passage race from St Kilda to Geelong was won by Scarlet Runner, again showing her skills in the light and variable conditions, finishing a few minutes ahead of Matt Powell's PLAYLIST. Stu Lyon's JAKE showed moments of brilliance but fell away towards the latter stages.

Sunday's racing was a variable affair with the pressure up and down and left and right, but mostly in the 12-15 knot range. Racing was very close with fractions of seconds deciding one result. Phil Simpendorfer's Veloce proved superior on the day.

The final result would be decided on Monday, the last day of racing, with both Rod Warren's Joust and Scarlet Runner capable of winning the Championship.

Light winds greeted us at the start of the day, but many shifts and pressure changes saw Simpendorfer's Veloce the eventual winner from Warren's JOUST in second, with Scarlet Runner third.

Reflecting on the weekend, it was a great close regatta and an enjoyable sail home back to Sandringham (a 30-mile power reach home in 20 knots of pressure!)."

www.j111class.org

Related Articles

44th Hamble Winter Series Entries Open
Racing starts on the weekend of 4th & 5th October Entries are now open for the 44th Hamble Winter Series. This annual event, which has something for everyone, will start on the weekend of 4th & 5th October 2025. Posted on 28 Aug
From Gut Feel to Fast Numbers
The Data Driven Edge for Your Best Season Yet The season might be ending for some and just beginning for others, but the goal is the same: finding those extra gains that separate leaders from the pack. Now's the time to stop guessing and start repeating the fast settings that deliver results. Posted on 27 Aug
Cowes Week 2025 Delivers Spectacular Racing
199th event completed in fine style The 199th Cowes Week annual regatta was completed in fine style with over 400 boats finishing the last race off the famous Royal Yacht Squadron line under multi coloured spinnakers. Posted on 19 Aug
Cowes Week 2025 overall
Fabulous, flying finish With the spectacle of many of the fleets finishing in the sunshine, downwind under spinnaker, this year's Cowes Week concluded in style. Posted on 8 Aug
Cowes Week 2025 day 6
Breeze and competition ramps up The penultimate day of Cowes Week 2025 delivered great winds with some fruity gusts and choppy seas to challenge competitors as the competition for the top prizes heats up. Posted on 7 Aug
Youth Day at Cowes Week gallery from Ingrid Abery
Photos from Wednesday's racing in the Solent We have a great gallery of gratuitous transom shots from Ingrid Abery, who was working tirelessly on the Solent on Wednesday to record the action. Posted on 7 Aug
Cowes Week 2025 day 5
Flying Jenny wins the Britannia Cup The biggest boats in Class Zero today were joined today by Tony Langley's Gladiator, which will be racing for the rest of the week. The battle for the Britannia Cup was between these giants, IRC1 and the Cape 31s. Posted on 6 Aug
Ladies Day at Cowes Week gallery from Tom Hicks
Cowes was at its very best on Tuesday after storm Floris had passed through Cowes was at its very best on Tuesday after storm Floris had passed through, providing the sailors with perfect conditions for racing. Tom Hicks was out on the water to catch the action! Posted on 6 Aug
Cowes Week 2025 day 4
Racing women and mini-series winners With three mini-series concluding today, lively winds and brilliant sunshine, there was plenty of action on the fourth day of Cowes Week 2025. Posted on 5 Aug
Ladies Day at Cowes Week gallery from Ingrid Abery
Capturing the crews on the Solent As always, we can rely on Ingrid Abery to capture fantastic images on the water, and this time it's Ladies Day at Cowes Week. Posted on 5 Aug
RS Sailing 2021 - FOOTERMackay Boats 728x90 BOTTOMCyclops Marine 2023 November - FOOTER