# Audi Victoria Week 2011



## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

Audi Victoria Week is Australia's largest sailing event. First held in 1844 and officially established in 1859 simply as 'Geelong Race Week', it is also one of the nation's oldest sporting events.

On the off chance you guys didn't know and might be interested, it starts this Saturday with the infamous Melbourne-Geelong race*. I think there is at least 350 boats entered to date..

More info here: ::: Audi Victoria Week :::

* = I say "infamous" because one boat sank last year after a port-starboard collision in heavy seas and rain, although the good news is that both boats involved will be competing in this years race - and looking out for each other this time, I'm sure.


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## tdw (Oct 2, 2006)

Hartley18 said:


> Audi Victoria Week is Australia's largest sailing event. First held in 1844 and officially established in 1859 simply as 'Geelong Race Week', it is also one of the nation's oldest sporting events.
> 
> On the off chance you guys didn't know and might be interested, it starts this Saturday with the infamous Melbourne-Geelong race*. I think there is at least 350 boats entered to date..
> 
> ...


and is there a division for aging termite tuckers ? If so you getting involved ?


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

tdw said:


> and is there a division for aging termite tuckers ? If so you getting involved ?


Of course! https://www.topyachtsoftware.com/db/aus/entrants_display.php?SeriesID=833&Task=ShowSeriesEntrants&EventID=113 

The trophy we're racing for was first won in 1858 - but no... I'm not that old.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

_"The spectacular mass start in the Melbourne to Geelong yacht race for this enormous and colourful fleet is a historic change for Audi Victoria Week, one of the nation's oldest sporting events and the largest sailing event in the southern hemisphere.

In 1844 the first sailing regatta in Australia took place amongst the tall ships on Corio Bay, Geelong and on the 3rd of December 1859 - the newly incorporated Geelong Yacht Club staged its first long race. The 34 nautical mile passage race from Williamstown to Geelong. It became firmly part of Geelong's Anniversary Day, (later Foundation Day, ANA Day now called Australia Day) Weekend sailing event.

It has grown enormously in popularity over the last 151 years. In recent times more and more Sydney to Hobart returning boats from New South Wales, Queensland, South and Western Australia have joined the local fleet to celebrate Australia Day in Geelong.

The 2010 Sydney Hobart winner Secret Men's Business 3.5 was the handicap winner of last year's race and Geoff Boettcher and his South Australian crew will be on the starting line again this coming Saturday, for the 2011 race, along with a host of divisional winners from the Sydney Hobart and the Melbourne Hobart race.

But now history has to give way to technology. As Principal Race Officer for Audi Victoria Week Denis Thompson explains 'Right up into the mid-80's even racing yachts typically had keels of less than three metres in depth but the modern offshore racing yachts are very deep drafted with keels between 3.5 and six metres in depth and the 150 year old course was causing many boats to skirt wide or risk running aground.

'Going down the eastern shore towards Geelong increasingly in recent years, we have had depth issues, not just for the big Hobart boats like Loki (Audi IRC Australian Champion) that draw 4.4 metres, but for more and more yachts in the fleet.

'We need to be out in deep water. So instead of the traditional start off Williamstown, our 2011 start will be off St Kilda and the fleet will sail down the bay to a turning mark off Sandringham Yacht Club and from there head towards Geelong, so the fleet will cross Port Phillip south of the Faulkner Beacon. Adding another two miles to the race' and so after 151 years, a change in direction for this giant race has delivered an awesome spectacle to Melbourne.

With the throb of helicopters over the fleet, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hugh Delahunty, will be on the official start vessel MV Pelicans to fire the cannon, at 9:30am - signaling the start of the oldest race in the week-long sail carnival.

From there thousands of spectators will be lining the foreshore to watch the yachts come down the narrow shipping channel into Geelong just as they did in 1859."_

Should be fun! 

http://www.victoriaweek.com/news/


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

Just back from Audi Victoria Week in Geelong.

The Melbourne-Geelong passage race down should have taken about 6 hours if there had been any wind - it took us 10hrs 34 minutes and 22 seconds, including the 15 minutes or so it took to cross the start line from less than 100 yards away. A no-wind start with no steerage way amongst 420 other boats in roughly the same predicament is no fun at all! 

Here's a pic of the start showing where we were soon after the gun went (with apologies in advance for the crappy quality of my phone camera pics) - that's the start boat with all the flags flying:










Here's a pic of us nestled in our pen in Geelong:










and for those here who prefer photos of bigger boats, our course on the second day took us through the IRC fleet. Exciting stuff!! Here comes "Living Doll":




























Despite pathetically biased handicaps, it was a good weekend in all with a creditable 5th to us. I am very sore after 4 days straight of racing and must now think about tidying up the boat in readiness for the next CYAA Classic race on Sunday.

There's a few more pics and video footage of the racing on their website. Enjoy!


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## paulk (Jun 2, 2000)

What sort of handicap system are you using down there? Around here everyone touts IRC, but no one shows up to race it.


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## Classic30 (Aug 29, 2007)

paulk said:


> What sort of handicap system are you using down there? Around here everyone touts IRC, but no one shows up to race it.


Hah! Handicap system?? Pick one! 

Geelong Week used IRC, AMS *and* EHC (Event Handicap): 
Audi Victoria Week 2011 Race Results

Nobody I talked to knows quite how they came up with the Event Handicaps. Supposedly they are based on each yacht's past race performance, but that doesn't seem to gel (for the Classics anyway)...


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