The 37th Gosford to Lord Howe Island blue water classic takes the small fleet across the Tasman Sea to one of Australia’s most spectacular offshore tropical islands. The race is more often than not a fast, tactical reach with some tricky currents hampering any efforts to stick to the rhumb line. Covering 414 nautical miles of open ocean qualifies it as Australia’s only other Category 1 race besides the Sydney to Hobart.

Spots fill up quickly for this race, so book your crew position early.

The 66th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2010 will start in Sydney Harbour on 26 December. The 100+ yachts will then head south on the Tasman Sea to Storm Bay and along the Derwent River to the finish line in Hobart. Over the past 65 years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart has become an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Davis Cup tennis and the cricket tests between Australia and England. Few other yachting events worldwide attract media coverage like this does with over 40% of viewers coming from outside of Australia.

Your campaign contribution will go towards a crew berth on The Stick, PFD, Safety gear, food, 6 full days training and preparation, race entry fee, insurance, fuel, berthing fees. Documentation. You will need to organise travel, accommodation, personal epirbs and wet weather gear at your own expense. Gather at CYCA on the 17th December for crew induction. Training will kick off at 0830 on the morning of 18th December and will include one overnight qualifier prior to Xmas.

The 38th, 416 nautical mile blue water race across the northern Tasman Sea to World Heritage listed Lord Howe Island will start on Saturday, 29 October 2011. Other than the 628 nautical mile Rolex Sydney Hobart, the Hempel Gosford to Lord Howe Island Race is the only annual Category 1 ocean race in Australian waters and it’s a qualifying race for the Sydney Hobart which is sure to attract a good number of yachts preparing for the big race across the ditch.

The race is more often than not a fast, tactical reach with some tricky currents hampering any efforts to stick to the rhumb line.

Your campaign contribution will go towards sponsorship costs including a crew berth on The Stick, PFD, Safety gear, food, training and preparation, race entry fee, insurance, fuel, berthing fees & documentation. You will need to organise travel, accommodation, personal epirbs and wet weather gear at your own expense.

The 67th Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race 2010 will once again start in Sydney Harbour on the 26th of December. After a challenging race last year with some of the fleet experiencing winds of over 50 knots, rough seas and big waves this year’s race could also test the mettle of the fleet.

With a new line honours contender in this year’s Hobart and at least one other Supermaxi undergoing a major upgrade for the race, the tempo and excitement will be increased and we can expect more than 100+ entrants to head south on the Tasman Sea to Storm Bay and along the Derwent River to the finish line in Hobart. Over the past 66 years, the Rolex Sydney Hobart has become an icon of Australia’s summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup horse race, the Davis Cup tennis and the cricket tests between Australia and England. Few other yachting events worldwide attract media coverage like this.

Your campaign contribution will go towards a crew berth on The Stick, PFD, Safety gear, food, 6 full days training and preparation, race entry fee, insurance, fuel, berthing fees. Documentation. You will need to organise travel, accommodation, personal epirbs and wet weather gear at your own expense. Gather at CYCA two weeks before the race for crew induction. Training will kick off in the week before Xmas and will include one overnight qualifier.

This year’s event will be held between the 19th and the 27th of August. Competition is shaping up to be fierce with entrants up by more than 30 percent on the number of registrations that had been lodged by this time last year. With all of the organised off-water events and the excellent Island facilities, Audi Hamilton Island Race Week has become Australia’s largest offshore yachting regatta. From superyachts to sportboats, Race Week is Australia’s most spectacular week of keelboat racing.

Your campaign contribution will go towards a crew berth on The Stick, PFD, Safety gear, food, training and preparation, race entry fee, insurance, fuel, berthing fees. Documentation. You will need to organise travel, accommodation, personal epirbs and wet weather gear at your own expense.

The Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta is Sydney’s largest, most successful Regatta – there were over 300 entries last year! By far the richest prize in Australian sailing, the overall winner is awarded a brand new Audi vehicle. This Iconic Sydney event, attracts the highly competitive and the glamorous racing yachts frequently seen gracing the harbour and the most popular international keelboat classes.

The regatta is part of the prestigious Audi Australian IRC Championship. The racing packed weekend kicks off with the IRC & PHS yachts starting at 11.25am on Saturday the 6th of March.

Presented by Audi and hosted by Middle Harbour Yacht Club, The Audi Sydney Harbour Regatta is the largest, competitive keelboat regatta in Australia. There will be more than 300 keelboats racing in over 24 divisions on 8 course areas on Sydney Harbour and offshore (windward/leewards) for the IRC class yachts. Audi Australia offers the regatta’s grand prize … An Audi A1 to the winner of the Audi Final Drive Challenge, by far the richest prize in Australian sailing. This Iconic Sydney event, attracts the highly competitive and the glamorous racing yachts frequently seen gracing the harbour and the most popular international keelboat classes.

The regatta is part of the prestigious Audi Australian IRC Championship. With 2 races each day, the racing packed weekend kicks off with the IRC & PHS yachts starting at 11.25am on Saturday the 5th of March.

The 2011 edition of the 213 nautical mile Category 2 Sydney Offshore Newcastle Yacht Race will start at 12 noon on Friday 8 April, 2011, from Sydney Harbour. Being the last race of the Blue Water Pointscore Series, competition is hot as the yachts fight for an improvement in their overall placings. The Stick one the PHS Division last year, lets hope they can repeat that performance this year.

The 2010 Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race will mark the start of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 2010/11 offshore racing season and seven-race Blue Water Pointscore Series which includes the 2010 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The Audi Sydney Gold Coast is also the third event in the four-part Audi IRC Australian Championship.

This year’s race will start off Nielsen Park in Sydney Harbour on Saturday, 31 July 2009, at 1pm when the fleet will line up for the 384 nautical mile race to the finish line off Southport’s Main Beach on the Queensland Gold Coast.

POST RACE COMMENTARY

The Stick and her crew performed well over the 384 nautical mile race coming first in her division and 9th over the line. The predominantly SW, WSW to W breeze held up in the 20+ knot range for most of the race with some gusts in the high 30’s and a significant soft patch on the Sunday where winds dropped to under 5 knots.

When The Stick found her zone, she got up and took off reaching speeds in excess of 25 knots. All in all, a great trip, good conditions and an excellent effort on behalf of the crew, Scott Alle, Chris Carter, Rick Christian, Adrian Dunphey, Nick Greenhill, Matt Gregory, Tom Jensen, Jussi Leiwo, Rowan McColl, Ben Price, Caedric Reader, Darbi Reader & Jenny Smith. Click here to read the CYCA wrap up.

The 2011 Audi Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race will mark the start of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s 2011/12 offshore racing season and seven-race Blue Water Pointscore Series which includes the 2011 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. As in previous years, the 2011 race will mark the third of the four event championship series sponsored by Audi Australia.

This year’s 384 nautical mile race will start off Nielsen Park in Sydney Harbour on Saturday, 30 July 2011, at 1pm when the fleet will line up for the 384 nautical mile race to the finish line off Southport’s Main Beach on the Queensland Gold Coast.

Your campaign contribution will go towards a crew berth on The Stick, PFD, Safety gear, food, training and preparation, race entry fee, insurance, fuel, berthing fees. Documentation. You will need to organise travel, accommodation, personal epirbs and wet weather gear at your own expense.