Final spit and polish for Festival of Sails’ main act

By Lisa Ratcliff / Festival of Sails Media on 25 Jan21-29 January 2012

Organises are running around making final preparations, competitors are checking their rides are shipshape, the bar at Royal Geelong Yacht Club is being stocked to the brim and the trophies are being polished until gleaming for the Festival of Sails' main act.

The Australia Day passage race from Williamstown to Geelong this Thursday, 26 January, is when most of the 316 boats entered in Victoria's premier regatta, formerly Geelong Week, will gather for the largest mass yacht race start in the southern hemisphere.

IRC favourites Shogun, Living Doll, Calm and Georgia, among others from the Premier Racing division, will join the multihulls, Performance fleet, S80s and Super 30s as they lead the pack off the forward starting line on the eastern shores of Port Phillip Bay at 9.30am for the traditional 34 nautical mile passage race to Geelong.

The remaining classes will launch off the second start line at the same time, providing a wondrous sight for spectators and special guests including Rod Eddington.

Thursday's forecast is for sunny skies and a 15 – 20 knot southerly breeze, which means the fleet will make good time to Geelong where the Australia Day celebrations will ramp up, including a fireworks spectacular and the sounds of Frankie J Holden and Wilbur Wilde ringing out from the host club, RGYC. Friday's forecast is also for a 15-20 knot southerly wind and a pleasant 26 degrees, just what the doctor ordered for the 3,000 sailors primed for some salt water action washed down with a cold ale and perfectly complemented by a nightly feast of entertainment.

From Friday to Sunday 29 January the 20 divisions contesting the annual regatta will enjoy round-the-cans and passage racing on Corio Bay and offshore and après sailing, the extensive shoreside program designed for sailors and their families, locals and visitors alike.

Principle race office Denis Thompson has tallied up 140 races will be sailed over six days with 18 put to bed already as part of last weekend's Premier Racing Series in Melbourne.

Two classes will hold their national championship as part of the Festival of Sails 2012, the Melges 24s and for the first time, the Farr 1020s.

Georgina Plumridge, from Blairgowrie on Victoria's stunning Mornington Peninsula, is the sole woman skipper among the Farr 1020s readying for their first national title. The Victorian chapter of the New Zealand Farr 1020 Association, as the group of local Farr 1020 owners call themselves, will have eight entries, including one from New South Wales.

Georgina will skipper the family boat, Seaflite, for the Festival of Sails series while her husband is "number one crew". The NZ designed 34-footer is best sailed 5-6 up and Thursday's expected 20 knot southerly is "perfect" according to Georgina, who is contesting her third season in the class.

The Elliott 7s and the SB3s will conduct their state titles as part of the six-day regatta, Victoria's oldest sporting trophy first held back in 1844.

Sports boats, multihulls, cruising boats, J24s, classic yachts and Super 30s are just some of the other designs welcomed by the Festival of Sails organisers, the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Royal Yacht Club of Victoria and New Tack Consulting.

Full entry list at https://www.topyachtsoftware.com/db/aus/entrants_display.php?EventID=167