Sydney-Coffs cancelled but we still want to sail up there!!

by Greg Newton on 15 Mar 2001 As a keen entrant in the upcoming Sydney to Coffs Race and Regatta we have
been extremely busy over the past month getting our new Beneteau 47.7 ready
for the big day, Friday 23 March, to receive the starting gun at Sydney
Heads. As has happened before, this will not be, as the race has again been
cancelled, due we hear, to a lack of participants.

Unfortunately all those boats who had entered and paid were not given a say
and their hard efforts and planning, not to mention lost accommodation
deposits and airfares, are now down the drain. Most of us had also planned
the race and regatta as an alternative to Mooloolaba, which for us at least
is also now a non-event due to the late notice and the inability of my crew
to shift leave arrangements.

Put simply, a real disappointment and, as I said earlier, not for the first
time. We actually won the race (yes line honours, handicap and the whole
lot) in our old boat, Antipodes a couple of year's back when 4 boats turned
up at the start. Two year's later it was cancelled due to 'limited
interest'. I am an avid collector of colour brochures for Coffs
non-events.

This latest saga is not doing poor old MHYC any favours, not to mention the
sport.

Come on guys. All of you who entered or were thinking of doing so, give
Hugh Trehane or myself a ring on 0413 705559 or email me at greg@fmcgcareers so that we can have a real, albeit limited field, race next Friday to Coffs. I'm certain that Sail-World.com will be fully behind us and I know that Hugh already has a number of boats committed!

Greg Newton Antipodes Sydney