‘The odd thing is, it’s not usually like this here...’ How often do you hear that at a regatta from the locals eh?  After losing two more days of sailing at the ‘A’ Cat Worlds in Hervey Bay on the lovely Fraser Coast, this time due to Northerly winds making it too unsafe to launch the rescue boats ect into the ‘Texel’ style breakers.  Even though they had officially got a championship after they had sailed 6 races for the series, the race committee, acknowledging the fact many had travelled tens of thousands of miles to be there, finally managed to get in three races mor

And it all started out so calmly.  On day that initially promised so little at first, it ended with a bit of a bang as the day’s three act drama unfolded in a building wind from the North.

The latest results are here -

https://www.sailherveybay.com.au/live-results

Racing started today in earnest at the ‘A’ Class Worlds on the beautiful warm waters  and beaches of Hervey Bay in Australia.  Following the cancellation of yesterday’s racing after all the fleet had arrived at the race areas.  The weather was a little kinder.  The winds had dropped to a lovely 12-18kts.  However, it was swinging 10 to 15 deg all day a coming feature of the  South Easterly wind direction as it comes over a promontory, and this also results in more gusty conditions.  The effect was to make it seem like sai

In the famous words of the British journalist Brian Hanrahan, aboard HMS Hermes ‘I counted them out, and I counted them all back’.   This is how it felt on the first dramatic day of the ‘A’ Cat Worlds. Following the 9am briefing, racing on day one was scheduled for 12:00.  However, the forecast was for a building Sou’easterly offshore wind but from the shore, it all looked lovely.

It is with great regret that we have to inform of the death of the Spanish Sailor Santi Monjo ESP 2.  The 65 year old sailor became 2018 Spanish National Classic Champion back in September and it is thought that he died from a heart attack whilst actually sailing his beloved ‘A’ Cat, as he was found on his boat.

This is a great shock for the Spanish fleet and he had been sailing with them since 1996.

Now the Australian Nationals has finished with sweeping victories both Glenn Ashby and Andrew Landenberger on their respective versions of the Exploder Ad3, we can reflect on what happened in the last week, and look forward to the Worlds next week in Hervey Bay.

PRESS RELEASE: DNA Performance Sailing appoints Mischa Heemskerk as Director.

Lelystad, The Netherlands: November 15th, 2018

DNA Performance Sailing (DNA) is happy to announce Mischa Heemskerk as the new Director of the company. 

As your IACA editor isn't on site for another week, I asked Bob Griffits to do us some pre Aussie Nationals talk, but I know that will cost me beers....  

The sailors and their boats have started arriving at the Hervey Bay Sailing Club.  Dave Shaw and Daniel Phillpot have been there for the best part of a week, and they were recently joined by Jean-Louis Le Coq, from France. There has been a steady stream of boat trailers bearing registration plates from the southern states of Australia , making an entrance. 

In the last major event of the European season, and a final chance to get some competiton action for those not going to the Worlds.  Laurent Stephany reports.