| SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA-(25-6-2003) The CYCA is capitalising on the feeder status of the Sydney Gold Coast Race
with strong interest from interstate entries heading north to Queensland for
the winter regattas.
South Australian yachtsman Geoff Boettcher is preparing his MBD 42 Secret
Mens Business for this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race and has decided
to charter the Sydney based Sydney 38 Eye Candy rather than sailing his boat
from Adelaide for the start of the Gold Coast Race on Saturday July 26.
It will still be a two-month campaign for Boettcher and his crew as they
continue north after the Gold Coast Race to compete in the class's national
championships at Hamilton Island before returning the boat to Sydney and
flying back to Adelaide.
The CYCA is expecting up to 10 Sydney 38s to race north in the 386 nautical
mile season opener, enough to make up their own division for the second
consecutive year.
The first Queensland entry, Bill Wild's Mumm 36 Corum, will head south for
the start before retracing its path back to the Gold Coast and then doubling
back to Sydney for the pre-Hobart regattas in summer. Wild has upgraded the
rig and keel in the last 12 months and will again compete with an
all-Queensland crew.
To date the CYCA has received 15 entries and is expecting up to 50 more
before the closing date for applications of July 11.
`Having competed in the inaugural race in 1986, I have seen it go from
strength to strength and it looks like this year will be another huge
success,` said CYCA CEO Joe Goddard.
For the first time in the event's 18 year history, the fleet will utilise
the technology that has allowed all yachts in the CYCA's two other major
offshore events, the Rolex Sydney Hobart and FKP Limited Sydney Mooloolaba
races to be constantly tracked via a dedicated web site.
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