SailFest, one of Australia’s oldest and boldest regattas, will set sail today (March 20) and continue through to Sunday, bringing TP52 and ocean racing yachts, top-level keelboat fleet racers, off-the-beach craft and TrySailing dinghies to Newcastle Harbour.
It comes 180 years after the inaugural Newcastle Regatta was staged with – according to newspaper archives – butcher boats vying for glory as a band aboard a steamer “discoursed some excellent music during the afternoon”.
Never were the wharves so densely thronged with sightseers as back then, apparently, but there’ll be even more to see for today’s keen onlookers, with three pinnacle events.
“It’s looking fantastic,” says Paul O’Rourke, Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club CEO and Regatta Director. “We’re set to have flat seas, sunshine and a reasonable amount of breeze.
“There are nine TP52s entered for Act 2 of their Pallas Capital Gold Cup, which is a great fleet. We’ve got the SAILING Champions League-Asia Pacific (SCL-AP) finals with the top clubs from Australia and around the Pacific competing, and of course the annual Cock of the Harbour race.
“The club’s looking fantastic with all the banners out and we’re excited about a great weekend ahead.”
The SCL-AP’s 2024/25 season culminates with a three-day series using the host club’s Elliott 6 sports keelboats and comprising six teams – including from Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Perth. The event is a qualifier for Asia Pacific clubs to compete in the 2025 SAILING Champions League World Finals.
The course adjacent to the waterfront Honeysuckle Hotel is close enough to toss hot chips to the crews. Tomorrow will feature intensive practice sessions before the crews swing into action at 3pm, continuing all weekend for over 30 races in total.
Saturday will feature an in-harbour start for the TP52s, around midday if shipping movements allow. They’ll be followed out of the port by the 18 offshore entries.
“The best place to watch will be anywhere east of Queen’s Wharf, or along the Stockton shoreline. There’s no better sight on Newcastle Harbour than to see them all charging off the start line,” O’Rourke adds.
The boldly-named Cock of the Harbour offers one of the most historic trophies in Australian sailing, along with boasting rights for being the fastest sailcraft on the harbour. It’s contested by high-performance catamarans and skiffs while having handicap divisions for all-comers. Racing starts around 2pm.
For families keen to give their kids a free taste of sailing, Try-Sailing sessions will be held from 9am to noon, Saturday and Sunday, directly in front of Newcastle Cruising Yacht Club. Ideal ages are 7-12 and it’s advisable to bring swimmers and sun protection.
SailFest Newcastle Regatta is supported by the City of Newcastle.
Event website: https://sailfest.com.au/
@sailfestnewcastle
Mark Rothfield
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