The countdown is on for one of Australia’s oldest sporting events, the Festival of Sails run by the Royal Geelong Yacht Club.
First held in 1844, the Festival of Sails is older than the Sydney to Hobart, the Americas Cup and even the Melbourne Cup.
This premier regatta is a ‘sea and shore spectacular’ which regularly attracts up to 300 boats and thousands of competitors. Around 100 thousand people attend the regatta and the shoreside festivities across the Australia Day long weekend.
The team behind the scenes are hard at work making final plans and preparations to welcome thousands of sailors and their families to the Geelong region and beautiful Corio Bay.
RGYC’s new Commodore and Regatta Chairman Chris Williams has taken over the helm and says he’s excited by the many changes being made to refresh the regatta. The format that makes the Festival of Sails so successful has been further enhanced with new plans for the food, beverage and entertainment precincts as well as a Regatta Village.
A Regatta Village highlight will be the amazing $1.2 million Bundaberg Distillatorium. The unique mobile distillery is on a three year national tour and is making its first visit to Geelong.
The Bundaberg Distillatorium experience features a premium self-contained bar and private tasting den where ‘Rum Hosts’ will discuss how rum is made and conduct tasting sessions.
Online entries are open and if you enter before November 30 you could be in the running for an amazing trip for two to New York thanks to Geelong Travel.
Interstate or international entries by November 30 also go in the draw for a Bausele watch, the official timepiece for the 2016 regatta.
The 2016 Festival of Sails racing series will be staged over five days from Friday 22nd of January to Tuesday 26th of January.
The regatta kicks off with the VX One Sports Boats Nationals and will also feature the Morris Finance Sydney 28 National Championships, which is shaping up to be the largest nationals fleet in years.
The Cruising with Spinnaker division is also attracting plenty of interest and some unique yachts. One of only two Bordeaux 60 yachts in Australia will make its Festival of Sails debut, along with a Sweden 34 called ‘Friday Harbour’ whose owner believes is the only one of its kind in the country.
The 2016 Festival of Sails, once again presented by Rex Gorell Land Rover has also launched a new website so check out this great regatta at www.festivalofsails.com.au
