Early start in Melbourne

Day four of competition, Saturday December 12, at the five-day Sailing World Cup Melbourne regatta started out with a brisk 9 degree morning and 21 knots of WSW wind at the top of the bay – a balmy start for the international sailors from cold countries and ideal conditions for the super-keen local kiteboarders.

The forecast is for west to sou’west 15 – 20 knots tending south to sou’west 10 – 15 knots in the middle of the day then trending downwards and moving to a south to south-easterly bearing.

There’s a 30% chance of a shower this morning and in the afternoon, and a top temp of 20dg is expected for the penultimate day of competition.  

After racing was blown out with yesterday’s nasty SW front, the revised schedule is:
Women’s Windsurfer RS:X: W 11:00 Port 3 races
Men’s Skiff 49er 13:30: Port 4 races
Women’s Skiff 49erFX 13:30: Port 4 races
Men’s One Person Dinghy Laser 11:10: Stadium 3 races
Women’s One Person Dinghy Radial 11:00: Stadium 3 races
Women’s Two Person Dinghy 470 W 14:40: Stadium 3 races
Men’s Two Person Dinghy 470 M 14:40: Stadium 3 races
Men’s One P Dinghy Heavy Finn 14:30: Stadium 3 races
Paralympic Two P Keelboat Skud 18: 11:00 Hobson 3 races
Paralympic Three P Keelboat Sonar: 11:00 Hobson 3 races
Paralympic One P Keelboat 2.4mR: 14:30 Hobson 3 races

Over at the Royal Yacht Club of Victoria at Williamstown the Paralympic sailors are preparing for the final races in their schedule and this afternoon they will head to the official prizegiving on stage at the precinct stage, adjacent to the Royal Melbourne Yacht Squadron, to receive trophies.

The schedule for tomorrow’s Medal Races will be confirmed this afternoon. Organisers are looking at the forecast for better breezes after lunchtime and may go for a slightly later start, to make the most of the peak conditions on what’s likely to be a light and variable day.

Discover Sailing begins free today from 10:00 local time for the public in keelboats and dinghies, making it suitable for both children and adults. Register next to the Gill container in the precinct and life jackets are supplied. Keelboats can go out past the breakwater to view some of the World Cup action and the dinghies will stay in the protected inner harbour off RMYS.

Information on how to get into sailing and local learn to sail courses will be available. As part of the World Cup 170 students from three Melbourne schools have visited the precinct this week for an introduction to sailing.

RESULTS / ENTRIES
Results will be available throughout when racing commences on 9 December here – http://www.sailing.org/worldcup/results/index.php
 
LIVE TRACKING
The racing will be available to watch in 2D and 3D via the live tracking. Live tracking will be available when racing commences via – http://www.sailing.org/worldcup/multimedia/tracking.php
 
Live Tracking via the Sailviewer-3D Tablet App will be available for devices with 7″ or greater screens.
Click here to download the iOS Application – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sailviewer-3d/id912801278
Click here to download the Android Application – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.stsportservice.sailviewer

COMPETITION STATUS
The Competition Status Screen feeds in straight from the Race Committee boats with the teams inputting data such as race times, course type, the status of each race and the plan moving forward. The competition status screen will be available when racing commences via – http://www.sailing.org/worldcup/multimedia/tracking.php

SOCIAL MEDIA
The hashtag of Sailing World Cup Melbourne is #SWCMelb

Follow the event on World Sailing’s social networks:
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ISAFWorldSailing
Instagram – https://instagram.com/isafworldsailing/
Twitter – @ISAFupdates

Follow the event on World Cup Melbourne’s social networks
Facebook – www.facebook.com/ISAFSWCMelbourne
Twitter – www.twitter.com/SWCMelbourne
Instagram – www.instagram.com/isafsailingworldcupmelbourne



Sailing World Cup
The Sailing World Cup is a world-class annual series for Olympic sailing. It is open to the sailing events chosen for the 2016 Olympic Sailing Competition. Its centre piece is the Sailing World Cup Final in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The 2016 Sailing World Cup will consist of five regattas for all ten Olympic events and where possible, Formula Kite Racing. Qualification places for the Sailing World Cup final are up for grabs at each event. The final will bring together the top 20 boats in each Olympic event and an Open Kiteboarding event where the World Cup champions will be crowned

2016 Sailing World Cup
Melbourne – 7-13 December 2015
Miami – 23-30 January 2016
Hyères – 25 April – 1 May 2016
Weymouth and Portland – 6-12 June 2016
Qingdao – 12-18 September 2016
2015 Final Abu Dhabi – 24-28 October 2016