One month on from its successful 10th anniversary Sydney Harbour Regatta in March, Middle Harbour Yacht Club is pleased to announce the dates have been set for 2016, with the regatta to take place over the weekend of 5-6 March.
The Club is also pleased to announce that major sponsors Trina Solar and Helly Hansen have reconfirmed their support for NSW’s largest keel boat regatta.
“The 10th Anniversary Sydney Harbour Regatta was one of the best yet, with great on-water participation and onshore social activities. Feedback from competitors is that we have the format of racing just right and with minor fine tuning we look forward to an even better Regatta next year,” John McCuaig, Commodore of Middle Harbour Yacht Club said.
“Our new format with the prize giving on the evening following the end of the Regatta was very well attended. And there were some very happy prize winners, thanks to our valued sponsors,” he said.
Names of all the top three finishers in each class/division went into a draw for the major prizes at the prize giving. PHS Division 1 victor, Larki Missiris, was the lucky winner of the return trip for two to New Zealand for a six-night luxurious cruise around the Bay of Islands, courtesy of Air New Zealand and Island Escape Cruises, valued at over $9000.
“Unfortunately I couldn’t make the prize giving as I had a previous commitment, but when I got home that night I saw a few missed calls from Bernard Atkins, a crew member who was representing me. I rang him back – and what I a wonderful surprise to hear the news. As we speak, I’m planning when I’ll take the holiday,” Missiris said.
“This was my fourth Sydney Harbour Regatta and I’ll definitely be there for my fifth in 2016. Middle Harbour Yacht Club knows how to put on a great regatta and they attract great sponsors. I’ve done a few Middle Harbour events and we always enjoy ourselves.”
Other drawn prize winners included Ray Carless (third overall in the J70 NSW Championship with Junior) who won the Hamilton Island Escape and Ron Montague (PHS Non-Spinnaker Division 2 second placegetter with Primary Wave) winner of the Sydney City Marine antifoul and lift.
New state champions were declared in four classes at the event. Competition came down to the wire after protracted battles in the Yngling, Cavalier 28 and J70 classes, although the latter was won convincingly by Ray Entwistle (Jedi) in the end, who reeled off four straight wins. Andrew York was the undisputed victor of the new and exciting VX-One class.
So successful were those classes and the 5.5 Metre class, which sailed as a separate fleet for the first time in 2015, that MHYC is calling for expressions of interest from classes which would like to host a NSW or National championship, or come and compete as a stand-alone class at the 2016 Sydney Harbour Regatta.
Commodore McCuaig commented, “We look forward to receiving submissions from classes wishing to hold major championships at our Regatta. Among other things, we can offer first-class race management, thanks to the contribution from assisting clubs.
“We couldn’t run an event of this magnitude without the continuing help of our fellow clubs, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, Manly Yacht Club, RANSA, Royal Prince Alfred Yacht Club, Royal Prince Edward Yacht Club, Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron, Sydney Amateur Sailing Club and the Sydney Flying Squadron. We thank them for their generous support and resources and look forward to working with them again next year.”
All information on the Sydney Harbour Regatta at: www.shr.mhyc.com.au/
– Di Pearson, MHYC media
