Outimage Australia - Olympians add a touch of glamour to Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

The outimage dot net ocean yacht racing banner is an image of Roger Sturgeon's Transpac 65 Rosbud from the United States, working up Hobart's Derwent River into the late afternoon to take out an overall win of the 2007 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race. The photograph was taken by Peter Andrews.

Olympians add a touch of glamour to Rolex Trophy One Design Series

Rolex Trophy One Design Series - News Update

Article By the Rolex Media Team
Photos by Peter Andrews.

December 11, 2006.

Three Olympians will add a touch of glamour to this weekend’s Rolex Trophy One Design Series which starts tomorrow when a fleet of seven Farr 40s take to the waters off Sydney Heads in what is forecast to be a heavy air regatta.

Within the Rolex Trophy One Design fleet are three Australian Sailing Team members, all of whom competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Lang Walker's Kokomo approaching the top Mark with Ivan Wheen's Sputnik close behind and just outside and Brett Neill's White Cloud in the background, during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

On board the Farr 40 Estate Master are Men’s 470 Gold medallist Malcolm Page as trimmer and 49er skipper Nathan Outteridge calling the shots as tactician. It’s a busy schedule for Page who, after the Rolex Trophy series finishes on Sunday will drive to Melbourne toline up next Tuesday with new skipper Mat Belcher for the 470 class at Sail Melbourne, the first event of the new World Cup Series.

Nathan Outteridge (right) with his father Tony back in February 2008 after Tony received a grant from the Johnson & Johnson Athlete Family Support Program.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Double world champion Laser sailor Tom Slingsby is tactician on the Farr 40 Transfusion which is currently leading the Australian Farr 40 pointscore.

"The Rolex Trophy is one of the peak events for our circuit," said Slingsby today.

"We’ve been out training for this event and we are using it as preparation for our 2009 Rolex Farr 40 Worlds campaign in Porto Cervo, Sardinia. We’ve been sailing with the same crew all season and we’ll take this crew to the Worlds next year" he added.

"Our main rivals for the season so far have been Estate Master and Kokomo. Last event it came down to the last race to decide the winner and I’m sure this weekend will be no different” said Slingsby.

Guido Belgiorno-Nettis' Transfusion during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Guido Belgiorno-Nettis' Transfusion during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.S

The line-up of Farr 40s includes Chris Way’s Easy Tiger II, Jeff Carter’s Edake Martin & Lisa Hill’s Estate Master, Lang Walker’s Kokomo, Ivan Wheen’s Sputnik, Guido Belgiorno Nettis’ Transfusion and Brett Neill’s White Cloud.

CYCA Commodore Matt Allen will step back into the Farr 40 class for the second time in a month, sailing on Kokomo, for its current owner Lang Walker.

The Farr 40 fleet will race up to four races each day of the Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

Lang Walker ploughing up the Pacific Ocean with his Farr 40 Kokomo under spinnaker during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Lang Walker ploughing up the Pacific Ocean with his Farr 40 Kokomo under spinnaker during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.

This weekend’s regatta is forecast to be a windy air affair with 15-20 knot north easterly breezes increasing to 20–30 knots throughout Friday afternoon. Saturday’s forecast is for moderate north nor’westerly breezes in the morning, again increasing to 20-30 knots in the afternoon and Sunday, the final day of competition, will bring no respite with a 25-33 knot west sou’wester which is sure to rattle a few rigs.

A fleet of nine Sydney 38s will line up on Saturday and Sunday with the Farr 40s.

The Sydney 38 one design fleet will begin their competition on Saturday with The SubZero Goat using this weekend to prepare for her journey to Hobart starting on Boxing Day.

A neat line of five Farr 40's under spinnaker sailing towards the sea cliff shoreline of the eastern suburbs of Sydney, during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Bruce Foye, co-owner of The SubZero Goat will use the Rolex Trophy to ensure all members of the crew are match-fit and that the crew can work together under pressure.

"We will be racing competitively and trying to win every race but realistically that’s probably not going to happen," said Foye.

"So we will use the regatta to get match-fit and put the crew through their paces so that when conditions change, we can get the boat adapted quickly. We have put together a mixture of experienced crew who have sailed with the boat for a number of years plus some new crew members. While we have been training for Hobart, we also need to see the crew work together in pressure racing conditions so we know what we need to improve on prior to us reaching the Rolex Sydney Hobart start line."

Brett Neill's White Cloud about to round the top mark, during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series.

Photo © Peter Andrews.

Brett Neill's White Cloud about to round the top mark, during the 2007 Rolex Trophy One Design Series. Photo copyright Peter Andrews.

"The SubZero Goat, under its former owner and name (Martin Hill’s Estate Master), won the Australian and state regatta titles so the boat is definitely good enough. I like challenges, so can a winning ocean racing crew also win a regatta? I’ll let you know on Sunday afternoon” added Foye.

Foye’s Sydney 38 won its division in last year’s Rolex Sydney Hobart.

Alan Brierty and his crew will step off their new Limit, a Reichel / Pugh 62, tomorrow having just sailed the boat from Mornington to Sydney to prepare for its debut Rolex Sydney Hobart campaign. They will downsize for this weekend’s regatta to what is now commonly known as the ‘baby’ Limit, a Sydney 38. Other Sydney 38s sailing over the weekend include Geoff Bonus’ Calibre and Gordon Ketelby’s Zen.

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