Some 24 teams from all Australian States and the ACT have registered to compete at the Australian Secondary Schools Team Racing Championships to be hosted in Tasmania by the Sandy Bay Sailing Club from 6-10 June, 2019.
Teams competing at the Australian Secondary Schools Team Racing Championships qualify from their State Championships for selection to compete in Open (mixed gender) and Female Divisions.
From the Australian Championships, the leading Open and Female teams qualify for selection to represent Australia against New Zealand in the subsequent Interdominion Championships in July.
The Sandy Bay Sailing Club is excited to be hosting these events, with planning now well advanced to ensure that all sailors and guests are well catered for, and is grateful for the support of the RYCT. The Club has previously held very successful Teams Racing regattas and is in the fortunate position of providing great viewing from the clubhouse for all spectators.
The Club has also recently gone through a refurbishment making it club ready for major regattas such as these two Team Racing championships.
Teams for the Championships will consist of up to eight sailors each, a total of nearly 200 sailors and, along with their managers, coaches, supporters and families, will bring several hundred people to Hobart for the regatta.
Team Sailing is a highly tactical, fast moving, high turnover series of short course races, each between two teams each of three boats. Racing as a team it is the combined result for each race that is important rather than just first past the post. Sailing in Pacer dinghies crewed by two sailors, the regatta organisers aim to complete many races each day – up to 90 races may be the target. This rapid turnover necessitates racing close inshore to allow for quick changeovers of teams through the shared fleet boats to be used for their next races.
Racing close inshore provides an exceptional opportunity for onshore spectators and supporters to get far closer to the on-water activity than is often possible with major fleet sailing regattas. With team changeovers happening on Nutgrove Beach, the Sandy Bay Sailing Club is a superb venue for this form of sailing. Its location and facilities are perfectly tailored to supporting great Team Racing regattas.
The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania’s Nick Hutton, a very experienced and expert International Race Officer, has been invited to undertake the role of Race Officer for both Championships.
