The pocket maxi Wild Oats X is lining up for the prestigious NSW IRC Championship for the first time. The Oatley family’s canting-keeled Reichel-Pugh 66 also competed in the recent Rolex Sydney-Hobart, finishing just six hours behind its 100-foot sibling. As the largest entry in Sail Port Stephens’ 11-year history, it will be a clear line-honours favourite and hot handicap contender in IRC.
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Regatta patron Matt Allen is itching to be ‘number one’ again aboard the Botin-designed 52. With Sydney-Hobart and 2018 Australian Yachting Championship titles already in the bag, this would give Allen the trifecta of ‘majors’.
Marcus Blackmore is also expected to compete with his own Botin boat, Hooligan. Fresh from a runner-up result in the Hobart race with the chartered Balance, Bob Steel is moving back to his M.A.T 1180 Quest and bringing an exceptionally talented crew.
Ocean racing’s lines are blurring as top guns look over their transoms as the cruising yachts dare to dream beyond a life of bareboat chartering and luncheon cruises. Take Rob Aldis’s Azuree 46 Kayimai. The twin-ruddered Rob Humphreys design has entered the Performance Cruising category at Sail Port Stephens but has performance pedigree once its 190 sqm asymmetric kite hits the masthead.
Jeanneau dealer Performance Boating Sales, has announced it will be the maiden regatta for the award-winning Sun Odyssey 440 – the first in the country. The 440 won European Yacht of the Year 2018.
Former Jeanneau 37 sailor David Edmiston is bringing Passion X, an updated version of Dudley Dix Black Cat. The hull is epoxy-clad ply with localised glass reinforcement. If there’s an entry that defines the intent of Commodores Cup racing it’s Julian Bell’s Beneteau First 50, 51st Project. Their motto is ‘a bad day sailing is better than a good day in the office’.
Also in that boat are John and Kim Clinton – their Beneteau, Holy Cow, has been seen in the Whitsundays and Sydney-Hobart but not Port Stephens.
The modified Mumm 30 Rumbo, owned by local oyster farmers Guy and Clark Holbert, are mounting a defence for the NSW Titles in the Super 12 class. Last year’s victory came down to a broken wire on the Melges 32 Breezin. A point is all that separated them in the final race. Breezin will also be back.
Race organisers will welcome the Sailors with disAbilities crew aboard Wot Eva for the first time. The TP52, skippered by David Pescud, will compete in the Performance Racing division to give the crew a taste of intensive inshore and short offshore racing. Organisers have waived the entry fee to support the charity, while D’ALBORA Marinas are offering free berthing.
