| MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA-(6-1-2004) Sandringham Yacht Club will really come alive during Sail Melbourne’s Olympic & Invited Classes Regatta from Monday January 12-17. Sail Melbourne Chairman and former Sandringham Y.C. Commodore Kevin Wood said today, ‘we are erecting a huge marquee on the hardstand area to be known as the ‘Athletes Centre’. Competitors will have access to plug in laptops, fruit will be supplied daily at no charge, refreshments can be purchased at a reasonable cost and there will be plenty of tables and chairs where the athletes can sit and discuss the day’s racing, or relax. ‘ Each morning, a pre-race weather briefing will be conducted by the Bureau of Meteorology and competitors will be brought up-to-date with any important issues. ‘We wanted to give the Olympic & Invited Classes a place to come together in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere and there will be lots of entertainment at night too,’ Wood commented. On Monday January 12 in the evening following racing at around 5.00pm, competitors will enjoy their Welcome function, which will include a vocal group for entertainment from Mark McGurgan. Wednesday a B.B.Q. for $11.00 including GST will take place around 6.00pm and competitors can dance the night away courtesy of the Beach Boys tribute band the ‘Beach Buddies’. Drinks will be available at bar prices. On the final evening, Saturday 17, James Ware, one of Australia’s top D.J.’s will play all the latest hits, where competitors and friends can ‘bop till they drop’ and enjoy their final night on the lawn at Sandringham Yacht Club. A feature of the week will be the fun ‘Optimist Challenge’. Daily Heat winners from the Olympic & Invited Classes regatta will be eligible to enter, with heats to be sailed in the Optimist dinghy in the pond at Sandringham Y.C. following racing on Wednesday January 14. The winners from each heat will then sail-off in the semi-finals and final the next evening after racing – THE WINNER TAKING THE PRIZE PURSE OF $500.00. An international jury and umpires will be on duty to make sure all is above board and make any decisions necessary – no correspondence will be entered into! Chairman Wood said all Sail Melbourne competitors and their friends are welcome to come along for the Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evening’s entertainment.
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