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2011
Entries Now Open for Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race 2011

Entries Now Open for Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race 2011

NEWS
24 May, 2011 11:42:00 AM

Entries Now Open for Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race 2011

The Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, together with sponsor Audi Australia are pleased to release the Notice of Race for the 384 nautical mile Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race to start on Sydney Harbour at 1pm, Saturday 30 July.

Thirteen entries were received in the 24 hours since entries opened with Bob Oatley’s 100 foot canting keeled Wild Oats XI returning to see if she can break Brindabella’s 12 year old race record of 27 hours, 35 minutes and three seconds. Last year, the supermaxi fell short of the mark by just under three hours.

Entry for the third event of the four-part Audi IRC Australian Championship is now available online by logging onto: http://goldcoast.cyca.com.au.

Following Audi Victoria Week and the Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta, Marcus Blackmore’s TP52 Hooligan holds a three point lead over the defending champion Stephen Ainsworth’s Reichel/Pugh 63 Loki in the Audi IRC Australian Championship Class A, with Michael Hiatt’s Farr 55 Living Doll from Victoria two points adrift.

Of the 75 plus yachts expected to take part, the CYCA anticipates all three will be on the start line of the Audi Gold Coast Yacht Race, along with Peter Millard and John Honan’s 98ft Bakewell/White designed Lahana, Phil Molony’s Archambault A40RC Papillion and Queenslander Bill Wild’s RP55 Rodd & Gunn Wedgetail.

“As the largest corporate sponsor of sailing in Australia, Audi is pleased to present the third leg in the Audi IRC Australian championship. We are looking forward to some spectacular action on the water with the stunning Gold Coast as the iconic finishing back drop,” said Uwe Hagen, Managing Director of Audi Australia.

To bring sailing and the Audi IRC Australian Championship to the forefront of Australian households, sponsor Audi have partnered with ONE HD to present highlights and action from each regatta of the series to be shown nationally following the 4th and final round of the series later in the year. Log on to http://www.irc.yachting.org.au/ for more information about the Audi IRC Australian Championship

First sailed in 1986, following the construction of the $40 million Gold Coast Seaway, which opened the sheltered waters of Southport’s Broadwater and other coastal waterways to the open sea, the inaugural race attracted a fleet of 86 of Australia’s leading yachts, with Sydney identity Jack Rooklyn bringing his famous 80-footer Apollo out of retirement for the race.

A leading maxi at the time, Apollo went on to take line honours and first place overall under the IOR rule. Among the famous yachtsmen who sailed in that first race was Jock Sturrock, who skippered Gretel in Australia’s first challenge for the America’s Cup in 1962.

The CYCA’s prestigious Blue Water Pointscore Series (BWPS), commencing with the 384 nautical mile Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race, has been changed to a six-race format. The champion will be crowned at the conclusion of the 628 nautical-mile Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, making for a great finale.

Based on competitor feedback, the CYCA Sailing Committee made the decision to shorten the Series by one race, but to include a race in early December to further help those yachts build a campaign towards the Hobart race.

The Sailing Committee will be seeking feedback from previous BWPS entrants to ascertain the desired destination for the new race in December.

“We believe that this decision will boost the number of competitors in the Blue Water Pointscore Series and will assist those yacht owners who intend to compete in the Rolex Sydney Hobart sail a comprehensive offshore racing program by entering the series,” Chairman of the Sailing Committee, Rear Commodore Howard Piggott pointed out.

This means that whoever is crowned the 2011-2012 champion, can celebrate in style after completing one of the world’s toughest ocean races; a true testament of blue water sailing skills,” he added.

For more information log on to http://goldcoast.cyca.com.au

By Jennifer Crooks

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