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Displaying items by tag: Bob Geldof

#DMYC – A new annual award to recognise the outstanding contribution by junior sailors was launched yesterday by Sir Bob Geldof at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DYMC). The DMYC Bob Geldof Spirit of Sailing Memorial Award is named in honour of the late Bob Geldof, father of Sir Bob Geldof, who was a long standing member of the DMYC. The first recipient of the Award was Conor Ryan (age 17) from Dalkey . He was presented with the Award at a ceremony on Saturday by Sir Bob Geldof in recognition of excellence in demanding sailing and racing achievements. In particular Conor's swift transfer from junior sailing rank to full DBSC (Dublin Bay Sailing Club) racing membership was commended.

According to Liam Owens, Commodore, DMYC , the Memorial award comes at a fitting time when the Club has a number of initiatives to highlight the many benefits of sailing to young people.

"The late Bob Geldof was an avid and accomplished sailor. He was a founding member of our Club back in 1965 and always encouraged and nurtured young people who wanted to gain experience and enjoy our sport. He was a much loved member of the DMYC from its earliest years until his death. The Geldof family mindful of his close connections with our Club has donated this new annual award to commemorate his memory and to inspire a new generation of junior sailors at the DMYC."

"This award is particularly apt, as we are actively seeking to promote the fun, energetic and thrill of sailing to young people. We want to encourage more people to embrace the sport and get out on the water and to help people in these recessionary times we are offering free membership to 16-19 year olds. New members do not need to have their own boat and existing members are always delighted to welcome newcomers to crew on their boats".

The DMYC has always maintained a key priority on offering 'affordable sailing'. It provides relevant support and back-up for a diverse range of marine activities such as angling, diving as well as for the core activity of the club – Sailing. The DMYC contributes to Dublin Bay racing through its organisation of its September Series and the Winter Frostbites for the more experienced sailors. The Club organises Junior Sail Training Programmes and is strongly involved in organising cruises-in-company for more mature sailors in Summertime to selected ports and locations up and down the Irish Sea and cross-channel.

"We like to think of our club as a home from home for members. Throughout the Winter season we host a strong and vibrant series of guest lectures on areas of cultural and nautical interest. These are highly popular social suppers where both Members, their friends as well as non-members can enjoy. It is fitting today that we announce our memorial award to one of those members, the late Bob Geldof who certainly viewed our Club as a home from home," concludes Commodore Owens.

Published in Dublin Bay

#dmyc – Sir Bob Geldof will present an award made in memory of his late father to an outstanding junior sailor in Dun Laoghaire next month. The 'Bob Geldof Spirit of Sailing Award' for outstanding junior sailors will be presented at the Dun Laoghaire Motor Yacht Club (DMYC) where Bob senior was a founder member,  on Saturday, July 21st next.

Published in Youth Sailing

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race

The Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is an annual offshore yacht racing event with an increasingly international exposure attracting super maxi yachts and entries from around tne world. It is hosted by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia, starting in Sydney, New South Wales on Boxing Day and finishing in Hobart, Tasmania. The race distance is approximately 630 nautical miles (1,170 km).

The 2022 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race starts in Sydney Harbour at 1pm (AEDT) on Monday 26 December.

This is the 77th edition of the Rolex Sydney Hobart. The inaugural race was conducted in 1945 and has run every year since, apart from 2020, which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

88 boats started the 2021 Rolex Sydney Hobart, with 50 finishing.

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race - FAQs

The number of Sydney Hobart Yacht Races held by the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia since 1945 is 75

6,257 completed the Sydney Hobart Yacht race, 1036 retired or were disqualified)

About 60,061 sailors have competed in the Sydney Hobart Race between 1945 and 2019

Largest fleets: 371 starters in the 50th race in 1994 (309 finished); 154 starters in 1987 (146 finished); 179 starters in 1985 (145 finished); 151 starters in 1984 (46 finished); 173 started in 1983 (128 finished); 159 started in 1981 (143 finished); 147 started in 1979 (142 finished); 157 started in 2019 (154 finished)

116 in 2004 (59 finished); 117 in 2014 (103 finished); 157 in 2019 (154 finished)

Nine starters in the inaugural Sydney Hobart Yacht Race in 1945

In 2015 and 2017 there were 27, including the 12 Clipper yachts (11 in 2017). In the record entry of 371 yachts in the 50th in 1994, there were 24 internationals

Rani, Captain John Illingworth RN (UK). Design: Barber 35’ cutter. Line and handicap winner

157 starters, 154 finishers (3 retirements)

IRC Overall: Ichi Ban, a TP52 owned by Matt Allen, NSW. Last year’s line honours winner: Comanche, Verdier Yacht Design and VPLP (FRA) owned by Jim Cooney and Samantha Grant, in 1 day 18 hours, 30 minutes, 24 seconds. Just 1hour 58min 32secs separated the five super maxis at the finish 

1 day 9 hours 15 minutes and 24 seconds, set in 2017 by LDV Comanche after Wild Oats XI was penalised one hour in port/starboard incident for a finish time of 1d 9h 48m 50s

The oldest ever sailor was Syd Fischer (88 years, 2015).

As a baby, Raud O'Brien did his first of some six Sydney Hobarts on his parent's Wraith of Odin (sic). As a veteran at three, Raud broke his arm when he fell off the companionway steps whilst feeding biscuits to the crew on watch Sophie Tasker sailed the 1978 race as a four-year-old on her father’s yacht Siska, which was not an official starter due to not meeting requirements of the CYCA. Sophie raced to Hobart in 1979, 1982 and 1983.

Quite a number of teenage boys and girls have sailed with their fathers and mothers, including Tasmanian Ken Gourlay’s 14-year-old son who sailed on Kismet in 1957. A 12-year-old boy, Travis Foley, sailed in the fatal 1998 race aboard Aspect Computing, which won PHS overall.

In 1978, the Brooker family sailed aboard their yacht Touchwood – parents Doug and Val and their children, Peter (13), Jacqueline (10), Kathryne (8) and Donald (6). Since 1999, the CYCA has set an age limit of 18 for competitors

Jane (‘Jenny’) Tate, from Hobart, sailed with her husband Horrie aboard Active in the 1946 Race, as did Dagmar O’Brien with her husband, Dr Brian (‘Mick’) O’Brien aboard Connella. Unfortunately, Connella was forced to retire in Bass Strait, but Active made it to the finish. The Jane Tate Memorial Trophy is presented each year to the first female skipper to finish the race

In 2019, Bill Barry-Cotter brought Katwinchar, built in 1904, back to the start line. She had competed with a previous owner in 1951. It is believed she is the oldest yacht to compete. According to CYCA life member and historian Alan Campbell, more than 31 yachts built before 1938 have competed in the race, including line honours winners Morna/Kurrewa IV (the same boat, renamed) and Astor, which were built in the 1920s.

Bruce Farr/Farr Yacht Design (NZL/USA) – can claim 20 overall wins from 1976 (with Piccolo) up to and including 2015 (with Balance)

Screw Loose (1979) – LOA 9.2m (30ft); Zeus II (1981) LOA 9.2m

TKlinger, NSW (1978) – LOA 8.23m (27ft)

Wild Oats XI (2012) – LOA 30.48m (100ft). Wild Oats XI had previously held the record in 2005 when she was 30m (98ft)

©Afloat 2020