ORCV Announces all new format for 2018 Winter Series
The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) is excited to announce the development of an all new format for its 2018 Winter Series, to be held on the waters of Port Phillip Bay, commencing Sunday 3rd of June, 2018. As the proud organising club of the longest running winter series on the Bay, the ORCV conducted a review over the summer months, to ensure that it continues to provide an exciting format to meet the needs of the Port Phillip Bay keelboat fleet.
The key changes to the 2018 Series:
- Passage Race format for all events
- Results awarded for each event, as well as overall series
- Two “destination” long-distance passage races (Blairgowrie and Geelong)
- Overnight Navigator Challenge included as final event of the series
- Specialist Divisions introduced for all events:
- Womens
- Double-Handed
- Cruising
This new format sees the ORCV continuing to partner with the traditional Port Phillip Bay keelboat clubs, with Royal Geelong Yacht Club continuing to host the very popular Geelong Passage Race in early September, Hobsons Bay Yacht Club to once again host the ORCV fleet at the conclusion of the Overnight Navigator Race, which has been a feature of our very successful Beyond The Bay training program in recent years, and for the first time in the winter months, we are excited to be joining with Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron as the host club for an additional destination passage race in early July.
The ORCV is also very excited to introduce for the first time this season, a dedicated division for Women’s keelboat racing for every Winter Series event, which will see teams competing with women sailors responsible for key positions within the crew, including Skipper / Helm, Bow and pit / office.
In keeping with the ORCV’s ongoing support of short-handed sailing, this year also sees the introduction of a double-handed division for all Winter Series events, as well as a dedicated cruising division, which will give many of the Beyond the Bay program graduates the opportunity to participate in ORCV events throughout the winter, without having to race directly against the traditional Port Phillip Bay racing fleet.
The dates for the 2018 Winter Series have now been confirmed as follows:
- Sunday 3rd June, 2018 – Short Passage Race (Approx. 15 - 20nm) around fixed marks
- Saturday 7th July, 2018 – Long Distance Passage Race to Blairgowrie
- Saturday 4th August, 2018 – Short Passage Race (Approx. 20 – 30nm) around fixed marks
- Saturday 1st September, 2018 – Long Distance Passage Race to Geelong
- Saturday 15th of September, 2018 – Overnight Navigator Race
Over the coming weeks, the ORCV will be arranging information nights at each of the Port Phillip Bay keelboat clubs to speak with skippers and crews to discuss the changes to the Winter Series in more detail, as well as other exciting ORCV initiatives and programs. The details of these nights will be published when confirmed.
The Notice of Race and Top Yacht entry system for the 2018 Winter Series will be published in the coming weeks, and more information will be added to the ORCV Website as we get closer to the event.
