Chester, Nova Scotia is once again home to the famous Chester Race Week, being held August 15-18. This race has been in existence for over 100 years, starting originally with fishermen’s sailboats. This year’s registrations are at a healthy 143 boats with the addition of another race course. In sailing circles Chester Race Week is one of the great regattas, full on racing, great parties and the prettiest scenery anywhere! Race Chairman John Curry opened the regatta proclaiming the early morning fog would clear and sure to his word the skies turned blue and a great day of racing took place. ”Conditions couldn’t have been better” said Curry who was on the alpha course, “after a very short delay a fresh southerly breeze came in and delivered a full day of racing”.

We had stronger winds today at 20-25 knots from the SW. Perfect sailing conditions. There was even a little sun 🙂 The courses further from shore have quite large waves in the afternoon as the current from the tide was opposing the wind direction. This made from some fantastic rides for the 470, Finn and Star racing. Tomorrow should be back to the typical 10-15 knot range with possible gusts to 18. The Laser and Radial fleets had a day off today.

CORK/Sail Kingston has been selected to host the 2013 Laser, Laser Radial and Laser 4.7 North American Championships, July 24-28, 2013. The Laser, a Canadian designed dinghy, is the largest dinghy class in the world, with more than 200,000 boats built. Furthermore, both the men’s Laser and the women’s Laser Radial are Olympic class events. The event will attract sailors from all over North America, from youth participants in the Radial and 4.7 to members of the Canadian National Sailing Team. The event is also open to competitors from outside North America.

It's been a long time since Doug Hood, a member of the Port Credit Yacht Club in Mississauga (although Mississauga didn't even exist back then…) offered to dedicate a trophy for an offshore race rating based on a new rating. The year was 1955 and the trophy was named after his baby daughter Susan; the Susan Hood Trophy Race was born. Susan was at PCYC yesterday for a short visit and actually participated not too long ago.

Many of the trophies associated with this great event are older than the yachts and racers who line up on the start line; that is the beauty of sail boat racing.

As a now Honorary but long term member of ABYC, Patrick Lymburner was asked to say something about Jack Cameron, at the christening of the new mark/pin boat named in his honour. Pat was quick to point it that, 'It is not hard to think of the many whose lives were touched by this man, as his contribution to the Sport of Sailing is legendary.'

Jack was an International Judge whose career spanned many years and many World Championships. He was known for his great understanding of the rules and for his strict adherence to proper procedure.

The Canadian Yachting Association is pleased to announce the following Olympic and Paralympic sailors who will be nominated to the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee for inclusion on the 2012 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic team. The formal announcement took place at the Weymouth & Portland International Sailing Academy, home of the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Sailing venue.

The Canadian Yachting Association is pleased to announce the following Olympic and Paralympic sailors who will be nominated to the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee for inclusion on the 2012 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic team. The formal announcement took place at the Weymouth & Portland International Sailing Academy, home of the 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Sailing venue.

Once again the offshore yacht-racing season on Lake Ontario is ready to kick off with the annual Susan Hood Trophy Race. Despite our warm spring weather, “The Coolest Race on the Lake” is really the coldest race on the lake! Over 100 yachts will converge on the Port Credit Yacht Club Friday June 1 to compete in the first of many offshore races on Lake Ontario. This race starts Friday night at 8:00 p.m. and is a 78-mile course that can take anywhere from 12 to 20 hours to finish, depending on the winds and the size of boat.

Two times in one month! Not a bad start to the year for the 2008 Paralympic Gold medallist Paul Tingley (RNSYS) who has already secured his own spot for the 2012 Paralympic Games. Paul's second place result at Miami OCR today will be his second trip to podium this month after winning the bronze medal at the 2012 IFDS World Championships in Port Charlotte, FL. Tingley attributes part of his success to his passion and dedication to the sport. 'I enjoy the game of chasing that invisible force of nature – the wind. It's addictive'.

The 104th Chicago Yacht Club (CYC) Race to Mackinac Notice and Conditions of Race (NOR) and Mackinac Safety Regulations (MSR) have now been released. These documents reflect a series of changes implemented by the committee to enhance the safety of the Race for all participants.

'The committee has been hard at work over the past six months in collaborating with naval architects, US Sailing’s offshore committee and other race organizers,' said Lou Sandoval race chairman.

Polish up your pearls, Dig out the Brylcream and Come prepared for a 'realllly big shewww' as Ontario Sailing presents the Celebration of Sailing Mad Men Gala!

Saturday, March 31, 2012
The Boulevard Club, Toronto ~ 6pm until the dancing stops!

Join us for a THE event of the year! A great way to reconnect with your fellow sailors and kick off the 2012 season!

The IFDS Worlds in Port Charlotte are now in the history books and the competitors are transferring their equipment to Miami for OCR. The Canadian Sailing team sailors fared very well for this event, some were here for trials and some for more international experience. Paul Tingley from RNSYS was on the podium with a third place overall for the event! Today he ended up seventh but at times during the race he had enough separation to get second place. With the 2.4 course location close to shore, the shifts were very unpredictable the results for many of the top competitors were all over the map.

International Yngling World Championship is being held in Sydney, Australia from 2nd to 8th January 2012. The regatta has got off to a great start with the combined Yngling Open Championship and Youth Gold Cup setting the pattern for spectacular one design racing on Sydney Harbour when the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron hosts the 2012 Worlds next week.

The Yngling World Championship is the first of two world championships being hosted by the Squadron to mark their 150th anniversary, the second being the International Etchells in February.

2012 Fireball World Championships are set to be sailed in Mandurah, Western Australia commencing Tuesday 27th December 2011 through to Saturday 7th January 2012.

Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2012, this international event will set sail from Comet Bay, which is bound by the Indian Ocean, two popular beaches and the picturesque Mandurah Ocean Marina breakwater.

Clipper 2011-12 Round the World Yacht Race fleet have completed race six, from New Zealand to Gold Coast Australia. The fleet will set sail for Singapore in race seven of the 15-race series on Christmas Eve.

Gold Coast Australia, one of the ten yachts competing in the race, now has another, very special message to carry around the world after the 2018 Commonwealth Games logo was unveiled for the first time this morning on the hull of the 68-foot ocean racer.

Sailor Helena Lucas of Great Britain took the win in the 2011 U.S. 2.4mR Class Association Pre-Worlds over Paul Tingley of Canada and Bruce Miller who tied for second place.

Tingley, who led the regatta on the strength of two wins on Day One, managed only two eighth-place finishes, one a throw-out, on Saturday. Millar posted two –fifths Saturday to catch Tingley after starting the day three points back.