Summer hot spot gears up for International 14 World Championships

Geelong gears up for the 2015 International 14 World Championships © Royal Geelong Yacht Club

Victoria's Royal Geelong Yacht Club (RGYC) and the City of Greater Geelong are gearing up to welcome the large fleet of competitors and partners, that are expected for the 2015 International 14 World Championship, being held from the 3rd to the 17th January 2015.

The City of Greater Geelong is recognised as a World-class destination for major events, hosting the UCI Road Cycling World Championships in 2010, as well as the biennial Australian International Airshow. RGYC is also no stranger to hosting major International sailing regattas, with the successful hosting of the 2014 Melges 24 World Championships held earlier this year, as well as the annual Festival of Sails, which is the largest sailing regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, catering for over 350 yachts, 4,000 sailors and 100,000 visitors.

RGYC Vice-Commodore and Chair of the 2015 International 14 World Championship organising committee, Chris Williams, said the club is experienced in dealing with this level of competition and the many event guests, and is the perfect venue for the 2015 International 14 World Championship.

"We have already had a great number of volunteers registering to be a part of this important event for the club. We are all excited to welcome the competitors and their families to our yacht club and to show off the best sailing waters in Australia.

"Corio Bay is protected and has a reliable afternoon sea breeze that comes in most days around 1400 and kicks up to 15 to 20 knots, generally from the south. We have wind data for the time of year when the regatta is on and we will be sharing that data with the competitors," Williams said.

"Everyone who is contemplating competing should check out the event website, where they can view Victorian Regional Channels Authority webcams. The webcams, which are refreshed about every five minutes, show the yacht club and the bay," he added.

The RGYC facilities are perfect for the expected fleet of up to 100 boats, with a large hardstand, plus grassed rigging and storage area within the secure club compound. There are also ample onsite change room facilities for competitors, with the Marina View Café offering great meals as well as a relaxing lounge and bar area.

Launching will take place from the protected Eastern Beach which is adjacent to the club grounds and is only a short sail to the race course areas planned in the Notice of Race.

The Principal Race Officer for the 2015 World Championship is International Race Officer, Ross Wilson. Wilson's race official resume is impressive, having officiated at Olympic and Paralympic Games, ISAF World Sailing Cups, as well as many class World Championships, including the International 14 World Championships in New Zealand in 2005.

"I have done a lot of race management for the 14s.

"I think Geelong will be magnificent for the 14s. It will provide great racing," Wilson said.

The host city of Geelong has all the benefits of a sizeable city, within a short drive to the Victorian capital city, Melbourne, yet still offers the relaxed atmosphere and charm of a coastal town. With its northern aspect onto Corio Bay, Geelong's Waterfront precinct offers sophisticated dining options and all kinds of entertainment on tap.

The charming nearby towns and villages of the Bellarine offer a huge range of things to do for the entire family, from the Adventure Water Park, to the many wineries and gourmet food producers that have seen the region referred to as the 'Australian Wine industry's best-kept secret'.

The Bellarine Peninsula faces Port Phillip Bay on its northern and eastern shores and Bass Strait on the south, so water activities abound, ranging from gentle bay beaches that are great for families and fishing, to sensational surf beaches and world-class scuba diving sites.

Williams recommends that competitors and their supporters should visit the event website here for more visitor information on Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula, especially the great weather conditions that they can expect.

"We had a lot of the Melges 24 competitors from interstate and overseas arrive a week, ten days or even more before their World Championship. They did a lot of their touring before the event," Williams said.

With an average high temperature of 28°C and low of 15°C, plus the low monthly rainfall experienced in January, the World Championships will provide a great excuse for a down under summer holiday.

Standard entries close on 14th November 2014. Late entries may be accepted after this time with a late entry administration fee of $AUD100 applying, until the close of entries on 12th December 2014.

Notice of Race available at www.i14worlds2015.com/regatta-documents

Enter online at www.i14worlds2015.com/online-entry