Entries open for Sail Melbourne and Sail Sydney
by Michael Martin 18 Oct 2023 05:43 BST
Mara Stransky at Sail Sydney 2022 © Beau Outteridge
Entries have opened and the Notice of Race released for two of Australia's iconic off-the-beach regattas, with Sail Melbourne and Sail Sydney now open for business.
Both events are critical to the growth and success of junior and youth sailors, enabling them to race alongside their Olympic heroes. The events this year bear extra weight, with Sail Sydney doubling as the Oceania Olympic Qualifier for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Sail Melbourne has been a fixture in the Australian sailing calendar since its inception in 1992, and this year will be no different.
This year's event will again be organised and hosted by the Royal Brighton Yacht Club from the 30th of November to the 3rd of December and will host a range of Olympic and Invited classes as well as the inaugural Victorian Para Sailing Championships.
The regatta is running earlier in the summer than usual in order to meet Olympic qualification requirements, something Mixed 470 skipper and Tokyo 2020 Olympian Nia Jerwood is looking forward to.
"Sail Melbourne is an important regatta in the Australian calendar," said Jerwood.
"It's a great way to prepare for the international season ahead. The regatta always presents unique challenges and often interesting weather conditions which keeps you on your toes."
Sail Sydney will run from the 9th to the 18th of December and on top of the Oceania Olympic Qualifier will also include the Formula Kite and Windfoiling Nationals.
Organised in partnership by Woollahra Sailing Club (WSC), Sail Sydney will take place across two separate venues - WSC and Georges River Sailing Club (GRSC) (Windfoiling and Formula Kitefoiling).
The always-strong local fleets are expected to be joined by a strong field of international entries, particularly with the ILCA 7 World Championships taking place in Adelaide in January 2024.
Online entries as well as the Notice of Race are now available on the Sail Melbourne and Sail Sydney websites.