| SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA-(25-11-2004) Competitors at the 2004 Sydney International Regatta (SIRs) will take to Sydney Harbour in three weeks time from the 18th to the 20th December. The 2004 Sydney International Regatta will have strong international representation in the Laser fleet with athletes from Chile, Great Britain and Canada heading to Sydney to compete.
The 2004 Sydney International Regatta (SIRs) will have strong international representation in the Laser fleet with athletes from Chile, Great Britain and Canada heading to Sydney to race against the local and interstate sailors over three days, from the 18th to the 20th December.
A high calibre Laser fleet can be expected, with entries already received from Brendan Casey currently ranked 18th in the world, Matias Del Solar the Chilean National Champion, Michael Leigh the Canadian National Champion and winner of the North American Racing Circuit, Englishman Mark Powell the training partner of world number two Paul Goodison. In the Laser Radial class will be the current world champion Krystal Weir.
Competitors will take to the harbour in less than four weeks, racing on the courses that will be used for upcoming State, National and World Championships and have previously been used in the 2000 Olympics.
The invited classes joining the regatta this year are the Laser Radial and 4.7, 505, Moth, OK Dinghy, Etchells and 5.5metre classes. The competing Olympic, Paralympic and Youth classes will be the 49er, 470, Laser, Europe, Finn, Yngling, Tornado, Mistral, Star, 29er, 420, Hobie 16, 2.4mR and Sonar.
2004 will be the 13th year Yachting NSW has organised the Sydney International Regatta, which will be conducted from the Woollahra Sailing Club with the Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron hosting the keelboat classes. Entries for SIRs close on the 10th December 2004 and should be submitted to Yachting New South Wales.
SIRs will provide valuable training time on Sydney Harbour for competitors racing over the summer. Previous SIRs events have been a great success, attracting high profile sailors from over 21 countries and previous fleet sizes of up to 250 boats.
SIRs is part of the Sail Down Under series with Sail Brisbane being held in December, Sail Melbourne in January and the New Zealand stop over of the circuit, Sail Auckland in January and February.
The NOR is available on the Yachting NSW website at www.nsw.yachting.org.au.
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