James Kyle, Wednesday, 12 July 2006

Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race Ready to Sail

Story from www.cyca.com.au

For the seventh consecutive year, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, with the cooperation of Mooloolaba Yacht Club, is the organising club of the Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race.

This year the inaugural Sydney Mackay Yacht Race will start at the same time as the Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race, 1.00pm from Sydney Harbour on Saturday 29 July, with the leg to Mooloolaba constituting the first race of the CYCA's 2006-07 Blue Water Championship Series.

The Sydney Mooloolaba Race began in 1964 under the then organising authority of Middle Harbour Yacht Club and in 2000 it became a CYCA event, one of four of the CYCA's major offshore races - the primary event being the world-famous Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race.

Some famous moments in the event's history include the ketch Enid taking line honours in the first year with Cadence scoring the first of three wins on corrected time.  Apollo took line honours for the first of six times in 1973, the second year after the race first finished at Mooloolaba. 

Helsal set a new record in 1976 that stood for 18 years until George Snow's Brindabella broke it in 1994 and set the current race record of 44 hours, 1 minute and 43 seconds. 
 
The Sydney Mooloolaba Race is referred to as a 'rock hopping' race as the fleet usually hugs the coastline over the 469 nautical miles to avoid the often strong running offshore southerly currents and to take advantage of the day sea breezes and night land breezes that dominate at this time of year.

After the start in Sydney Harbor the fleet turns left at North Head then passes the major ports of Newcastle, Port Stephens, Port Macquarie, Coffs Harbour, Cape Byron and on to Queensland's beautiful Sunshine Coast.  

For the fleet continuing to Mackay, the 930 nautical mile racecourse is indeed an interesting one. After passing through the Mooloolaba finish line, which will be moved seaward some 200-300 metres as the shark nets located off the beach have been relocated, the fleet will continue north leaving the Breaksea Spit beacon, the Beverley Group and Prudhoe Island to port, and on to the finish at the Mackay Harbour breakwater.

Click here for more information on Mooloolaba Yacht Club, the finishing club of the Sydney Mooloolaba Yacht Race.

Click here for more information on Mackay Yacht Club, the finishing club of the Sydney Mackay Yacht Race.

Race Facts

Race record:
 44 hrs 01 min 43 sec
 
Record Holder:
 Brindabella
 
First Race:
 1964
 
Length:
 469 nautical miles
 
2006 Start:
 1300hrs 29 July 2006
 
Biggest Fleet:
 1986 - 79 yachts