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The countdown is on for the start of the 2022 Festival of Sails with the iconic Passage Race from Melbourne to Geelong set to get underway this Saturday, January 22.

The spectacular sight of more than 200 boats starting off for the 32 nautical mile passage race is the official curtain raiser to the 2022 event, which is Australia’s oldest annual sporting event and the nation’s biggest celebration of sailing.

The Royal Geelong Yacht Club’s 2022 event – the 179th in its history – will be held from Saturday, January 22 to Wednesday, January 26, after a two-year COVID-19 impacted hiatus.

The opening Passage Race fleet of Grand Prix racing yachts, cruiser/racer keelboats, multihulls, classic yachts, and trailer sailers will jostle off two long lines for the largest single start of a yacht race in the Southern Hemisphere.

The race will start from Williamstown at 9.30am and finish at Geelong.

According to Festival of Sails chairman Roger Bennett, along with more than 200 boats, more than 2000 sailors will be descending on Geelong for the five-day program.

“There’s a real sense of excitement this year with the sailors really keen to get together for a reunion and get back on the water, despite the challenges we’ve all had in dealing with COVID-19,” he said.

“We’re presenting two championship series, being the Melges 24 National Championship and the Double Handed Victoria Championship, along with at least a dozen other class series for boats of just about every shape and size.

“The past two years have been a significant challenge for major events like the Festival of Sails and in 2022, we’re delighted to be welcoming local and visiting crews back to our event.”

One of those crews will be the team on board Maritimo, a Queensland-based Schumacher 54 which was skippered by Michael Spies when it took out 11th place line honours in the tumultuous 2021 Rolex Sydney to Hobart.

For this year’s Festival of Sails, Maritimo will skippered by highly respected international competitor Ray Roberts, who has previously won the Geelong regatta numerous times in various yachts, all known as Team Hollywood.

The Maritimo crew competing in Geelong will be a combination of both Michael Spies and Ray Roberts’ teams bringing together some of Australia’s finest sailing talent to the waters of Corio Bay.

The crew includes a mix of Olympians and multiple world champions including Bobby Wilmot, David Chapman and one of Australia most highly respected navigators Murray Spence, a former Geelong local.

“After the challenges of the Sydney to Hobart, we’re all looking forward to much smoother sailing in Geelong,” Mr Spies said.

“Ray and I have both won this event individually before and the Festival of Sails is such a great event on and off the water, so the whole crew is really keen to get back and we’re excited to see what our combined team can achieve. We’ll be fighting hard for a win.”

Mr Bennett said while the Festival’s sailing program will return to its pre-pandemic style, ongoing COVID restrictions this year meant the organisers couldn’t deliver the traditional Waterfront Festival which normally attracted thousands of people to Geelong’s waterfront.

As an alternative, the organisers have developed a new initiative, ‘Gigs by Festival of Sails’ – a program bringing live music and local talent to businesses and venues across the Geelong CBD and supported by Geelong Connected Communities.

“COVID-19 has forced us to innovate, and we think this revised program will really help drive the recovery of our live music, hospitality and events industry, giving a much-needed boost for Geelong businesses and artists,” he said.

After Saturday’s Passage Race, the start of the 2022 Festival of Sails will be officially celebrated with a fireworks display starting at 9.30pm, sponsored by the City of Greater Geelong.

Community calendar

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Festival of Sails 2024

New 'tipi on the bay' entrance sets the scene for 2024 festival of sails.

Visitors to this year’s 2024 Festival of Sails will be welcomed through a new ‘Tipi on the Bay’ entrance taking pride of place on Fairnie Park on the Geelong waterfront, as the Royal Geelong Yacht Club ramps up the excitement at the 181st running of the largest keelboat racing regatta in the Southern Hemisphere.

The new hospitality hotspot will feature an undercover outdoor bar and plenty of outdoor seating in front of one of the two key entertainment stages and will be the perfect place for friends and family to meet and enjoy the waterfront precinct during one of Geelong’s most vibrant weekends from Friday, January 26 to Sunday, January 28.

Festival of Sails Chairman, Paul Buchholz said the event was keen to draw more visitors into the party atmosphere and the new entrance was designed to be a more visible and tantalising welcome to one of Geelong’s key major events.

“We wanted to establish the atmosphere right up front where you can’t miss it and then invite people to wander through and join us at the RGYC clubhouse, where our main entertainment and presentation areas will be,” he said.

“This new area gives people more options about where they might choose to spend some time to sit back, relax and enjoy the fantastic atmosphere.”

Dr Buchholz said it was important to remind people that while the Festival of Sails is still a ‘free’ event in 2024, it is also a ‘ticketed’ event after 6pm each day to manage the expected number of visitors to the site.

“We know people love coming down to the Festival for the great entertainment and all we have to offer, but we naturally also need to manage the number of visitors appropriately, so we ask people to go on-line and book their tickets now to make sure they don’t miss out on being able to get in,” he said.

“Tickets will be available via our website and people must be able to show us the confirmation QR code on their phone to come and join the party.”

“I urge everyone to book as soon as they can, because ticket numbers are limited and the policy for everyone’s safety and enjoyment is ‘no QR code, no entry’.”

Entertainment highlights at this year’s event include rock band Body Type, Aria winners Southern Sons, the Australian INXS Show, alongside fabulous new and emerging artists and family favourites, the Mik Maks and the Royal Australian Navy Band.

Friday, January 26 will also feature a fly over by the heritage RAAF 100 Squadron at 1pm, followed by the annual “Festival of Sails Fireworks” at 9.30pm to celebrate the opening of the regatta.

“We’ve also got our Discover Sailing experience on Eastern Beach on Saturday and beach volleyball firing up on the Friday and Saturday, along with fabulous market stalls and a new foredeck marquee experience with a bird’s eye view of the main performance stage, all combining to add to our great party atmosphere, at one of the premium sailing events in the world,” said Dr Buchholz.

“Why wouldn’t you want to be there!”

Event ticketing details can be found at  festivalofsails.com.au

by Leigh McClusky

YachtBoatNews

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Royal Geelong Yacht Club Home of the Festival of Sails

Keelboat Racing

Royal Geelong Yacht Club’s yacht racing activities provide year round enjoyable and competitive racing. The protected waters of Corio Bay provide the perfect playground for new and experience racers alike. With a proud history of hosting world class regattas including the annual Festival of Sails , the largest regatta in the Southern Hemisphere, RGYC’s yacht racing program offers a wide range of sailing activities for Members and our guests.

Wednesday Night Twilight

From November to March, our weekly Twilight races attract hundreds of sailors to enjoy casual and supportive racing. These are the perfect opportunity to break up your work week with some time on the water, and offer the perfect introduction to sailing for our day and new members. To learn more about Twilight Sailing, click here .

Saturday Racing

Club racing is held from October to April with a mix of windward leeward, around the bay and passage races. To view the sailing calendar, click here .

Davidsons Winter Series

Running on alternating Saturdays from June to August, our winter series is a social series aimed around keeping active and on the water through the cooler months. To see the sailing calendar, click here .

Festival of Sails

The annual Festival of Sails consists of the Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race, now over 180 years old, followed by a multi-day regatta and festival on the shores of Geelong. Focused around Australia Day every year, this event attracts social sailors, cruisers and grand prix racers from around the country.

Racing Documents

Click here to view the current Alpha & Charlie Course racing documents include N.O.R., SI’s and amendments.

Racing Results

Click here to view the current Alpha & Charlie Course racing results.

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2024 Pelican Race

The Pelican Race is on Saturday the 9th of November 2024

The annual Pelican Race Geelong Trailable Yacht Club’s own is back and part of the Victorian Trailable Yacht Traveller Series Races.

A challenging course throughout Inner and Outer Corio Bay that resembles the shape of a Pelican, the Pelican Geelong Race takes in the sights of Geelong.

Victorian Trailable Yacht Division Season Opening

Cluster cup results.

Congratulations to the winners 1st: Fat Bottom Girl 2nd: VintageRed 3rd: Five O’clock Somewhere

2024 Cluster Cup Postponement

The Cluster Cup has been postponed for Saturday the 31st of August 2024 due to the Weather forecast.

The Race has been Postponed to Saturday the 7th of September 2024.

If you still haven’t paid for your entry late entry fees will be accepted on the day of the race no later than 90:00.

Notice of Race and Supplementary Sailing Instructions have not been updated yet but all details are still correct apart from dates. The Race is postponed to Saturday the 7th of September 2024 due to the weather forecast.

Should the weather cause a postponement again the race will be postponed again, to Sunday the 8th of September 2024.

The Custer Cup Race Returns for 2024

Notice of race is attached below.

Cluster-Cup-2024-NOR-2024

2024 Steamboat Cup

The Steamboat Cup has been postponed to a date to be advised.

2024 Steamboat Cup SSI

Sailing instructions are now available.

2024 Steamboat Cup NOR

The Steamboat Cup is a fun race with a competitive edge for single skippered and double-handed crews.

The race is run on Corio Bay making the most of the inner and outer harbours. If you enjoy orienteering on land then you most likely enjoy it on the water. There are a number of navigation points of interest along the coarse that can make for interesting racing or if you prefer cruising.  

Notice of Race.

2024 Curlewis Bank Race

Welcome to everyone novice and advanced the Curlewis Bank Race offers a challenging course from Corio Bays inner and outer harbour’s. From the start at St Helens to the North channel out to the outer harbour and all it has to offer.

The weather is looking good so at this stage is suited to both beginners through to advanced sailors so lets make it a great race or cruise whatever your preference.

http://www.gtyc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-NoR-Curlewis-Bank-Race.pdf

http://www.gtyc.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/2024-SI-Curlewis-Bank-Race.pdf

Australia Day Fireworks Cruise

Friday january 26th .

Part of the Festival of Sails, the fireworks have always been worth seeing. 

Programme is launching and social sailing on Friday afternoon but watch out for the racers!

BYO dinner on boat or clubhouse then, at about 8:15, sail or motor to the city for a unique view of the 9:30 fireworks. Return to St Helens and retrieve next day.

See you there!

Festival Of Sails

2024 Festival Of Sails Off To A Flying Start As Hooligan Takes Nail Biting Line Honours in 181st Passage Race

The 2024 Festival of Sails has opened in sensational style with ‘Hooligan’ skippered by Marcus Blackmore snatching a nail-biting win in the 181 st  running of the iconic Passage Race from Melbourne to Geelong. 

Taking to the water for its maiden race, TP52 ‘Hooligan’ captured line honours from fellow TP52s, Geoff Boettcher’s ‘Secret Men’s Business’ and Seb Bohm’s ‘Smuggler’ in an impressive time of just three hours and five minutes, despite blustery and challenging conditions with winds of more than 60kmh. 

“It was a good start to our program, but surviving the start line itself was one of the biggest tasks! It was seriously choppy and the moment you hit a couple of those steep waves it really knocks you back a bit,” he said. 

The annual Passage Race is the opening event of the Festival, which is the largest keelboat sailing regatta in the Southern Hemisphere and Australia’s oldest sporting event. 

Festival of Sails Chairman Paul Buchholz said he was thrilled with the opening race which attracted just over 200 boats of all shapes and sizes to take on this morning’s intense conditions from Port Phillip to Corio Bay. 

“It was certainly a sight to see, and the competition was definitely fierce out there. It was without doubt one of the toughest starts I’ve seen in my 38 years of competing in the Passage race!” he said. 

Principal Race Officer, Denis Thompson who oversaw the start of the race said he expected many of the boats which started would potentially have retired given the extremely challenging conditions. 

And there was plenty of action off the water with crowds flocking to the waterfront for the live bands and entertainment and today’s return of the popular ‘Forte Presents: Emerging Artist Stage’ which was launched at the 2023 event. 

Of the ten acts who took to the foreshore stage, it was ultimately singer-songwriter duo ‘Mister Co’ who took home the title of the winning act. 

Expanded hospitality areas including the new Tipi on the Bay on Fairnie Park and the raised Foredeck bar area with prime views of the main stage were especially popular. 

“Apart from the fantastic sailing and racing, the Festival of Sails has always had a reputation of being a great place to party,” said Paul Buchholz. “And this year, we’ve really turned up the dial on having an offering to entertain just about everybody!” 

A spectacular acrobatic flyover by a vintage CAC CA-18 Mustang, part of the heritage RAAF 100 squadron based atPoint Cook, had heads turning and the night sky is set to erupt with tonight’s ‘Festival of Sails Fireworks’. 

All the excitement continues tomorrow on Day Two of the Festival with the Discover Sailing Experience and beach volleyball taking over Eastern Beach and sailing action across nine classes from 11am. 

The Festival of Sails is proudly supported by the Victorian Government and the City of Greater Geelong. 

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Maher continues run of success in Geelong Classic

The Ciaron Maher juggernaut extended to Geelong on Wednesday as well-related Snitzel colt Saint Emilion staked his Victoria Derby claims with a powerful win in the $200,000 Geelong Classic.

Fresh from dominating in two states last weekend with Caulfield Cup and Everest successes, Maher said Saint Emilion had earned his passage into the Group 1 Flemington three-old classic (2500m) on Saturday week.

Asked how many Derby runners he will likely have this year, Maher said: "Not too many, (but) this one will be firmly in there."

It's back-to-back wins for Saint Emilion who shoots through to take out the Geelong Classic ???? @cmaherracing pic.twitter.com/YuTySG7eq9 — Racing.com (@Racing) October 23, 2024

Saint Emilion is now a $10 chance to win the Derby off the back of his strong Geelong performance, following on from his maiden victory at Goulburn earlier this month.

"I was just saying to the lads, Explosive Jack actually got beaten at Goulburn before he won a few Derbys, so this one (Saint Emilion) won, so hopefully he can repeat that," Maher said.

"You can see he is still furnishing and it was just a beautiful ride by Mark (Zahra). You could see him building in confidence throughout the run."

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A $200,000 purchase for Dynamic Syndications at last year's Gold Coast Magic Millions Sales, Saint Emilion is a son of Kylikwong, who ran second in the VRC Oaks 20 years ago.

Zahra said he was yet to commit to a Derby ride, but stressed Saint Emilion looked a good young stayer in the making.

"Everyone goes to the Derby, it's the dream, isn't it?" Zahra said.

"The thing is he relaxes well, which I think is the main thing for the Derby. He was good to the line."

Saint Emilion started at $13 in the Classic, saluting by 1¾ lengths from Hot To Go ($4.20) with the well-backed $2.30 favourite Oxford Blue in third place.

View by Tags

The 58-boat fleet racking up for the first start

The late racing took place not long before sunset

Simon Kings and Jono Loe in Mini Mee made it from the UK

Peter and Sebastian Durran on Darkside

Jalina Thompson-Kambas and Nathan Stockley racing Stay Tuned

Ben Schulz and Angus Higgins in Rip Tide

Ben Schulz and Angus Higgins (left) alongside Tom Gordon and Jack Fletcher (right) heading into the windward mark

Big breeze greets sailors on opening day of 2024 Fireball Worlds in Geelong

The opening day of the 2024 Fireball Worlds at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club gave sailors a real heart-starter, beginning with an onshore delay and ending with strong winds in two late afternoon, early evening races.

On a hot day in Geelong, sailors entered an on-shore postponement with racing delayed until 4:30pm local time while the race committee waited for the breeze to swing from north to south.

Eventually the breeze settled in the late afternoon with 20-25 knots filling in from the south for the two opening world championship races.

Local Fireball stalwarts and big breeze gurus Brendan Garner and Ben O’Brien on Black Pearl kicked off their World Championship campaign in the best possible way, clinching two emphatic race wins in the breezy conditions.

It was a dream start for Garner and O’Brien, who finished seventh overall in the Australian Nationals pre-worlds regatta and only once claimed a top-five finish.

The top British teams remained in the mix in the windy conditions with Tom Gillard and Andy Thompson finishing the day in second place with a 3,2 scorecard, DJ Edwards and Vyv Townend in third with a 2,5 today, and pre-worlds regatta winners David Hall and Paul Constable sitting fifth with two fourths.

Newly-crowned Australian Champions Ben Schulz and Angus Higgins on Rip Tide ended the opening day in fourth overall with a 5,3 scorecard and remain well in the hunt having proven themselves in all breezes.

Mornington Yacht Club sailor Sophie Jackson, who also campaigns the 470 and is steering Zig Zag with Josh Galland this week, said it was a long wait for the breeze.

“We had a pretty long wait on shore today, a lot of hours, a very hot day, and then pretty late in the piece about 4:30pm, finally the southerly came in and it was absolutely honking out there,” she said.

“There’s some pretty solid teams out there that know what they’re doing, so it was cool to learn from them, learn a bit more about the Fireball and how to make it go in a breeze.

“All in all, a pretty awesome afternoon, the boat was going nice and quick and we’re pretty excited for the next couple days of racing.”

The event has been a long time coming for the Australian fleet and Royal Geelong Yacht Club, originally slated for 2020 however delayed twice due to COVID-19 restrictions, as well as travel and logistics challenges.

Victorian Fireball veteran Heather Macfarlane said 

“We held a national championship here in 2019 and it was supposed to be the precursor for a World Championship,” she said.

“As everybody knows COVID hit and the event was put on ice until we could reschedule to another time, so the organising committee has been in operation since 2017 and now finally we can bring everything to fruition here now in February 2024.”

There are four more days of racing scheduled for this week with a 10-race series planned should the weather play the game, as well as a lay day on Wednesday to allow sailors to explore the best of what the City of Greater Geelong has to offer.

Similar forecast for tomorrow with hot weather throughout the day, however there is hope for another late sea breeze for two more championship races.

For up-to-date results, head to  https://bit.ly/2024FireballWorldsResults  

For more information about the event, head to  https://rgyc.com.au/on-water/regattas/2024-fireball-worlds/  

Story author:              Harry Fisher, Down Under Sail Photo credit:               Alex Dare, Down Under Sail Video credit:               Alex Dare, Down Under Sail

https://www.facebook.com/fireballaustralia/

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