Shimmer sparkles, but Patriot shines in the first race of the West Offshore Products Coastal Sprint.

The West Offshore Products Coastal Sprint Race 1 delivered a glorious sunny day of sailing, with impressive performances on the water. Conditions proved fast and furious, with wind speeds reaching up to 30 knots towards the end of the day. This created a challenging environment for sailors, including four early but safe retirements, highlighting the intensity of the race.

Jason Close and his crew on Patriot emerged as the stars of the day, securing top positions in the AMS and ORC handicap categories. Shimmer and Cadibarra also showcased their prowess with impressive racing today, with Shimmer as the top performer in the PHS category.

Speaking to Jason after the race, he acknowledged “Shimmer’s impressive sailing,” noting that they “kept them on their toes.” Jason was “pleased with the race”. He said that “Patriot’s focus continues to be on teamwork and perfecting processes” in the lead-up to their entry into this year's Syndey Hobart.

The course was ideal, offering a balance of upwind and downwind sailing and some thrilling reaching segments. The last boat to cross the line was a little after 4 p.m., perfectly timed for the slack water at the Heads. The race also welcomed several new faces to the sailing scene, with boats like Kioni, Liberator, and Skullduggery making their mark.

ORCV expresses gratitude to everyone involved in today's race. Special shout-outs go to Chad Humphries, who tirelessly worked through compliance and crew details this week, and to our fantastic volunteer Race Directors, Martin Vaughan and Ray Shaw. We are excited for the next thrilling Coastal Sprint on the 25^th of November, 2023, and a reminder that Coastal Sprint results also form part of the ORCV Coastal Championships and the 38 South Yacht Sales Double-Handed Championships.

Provisional results:

AMS Overall:
1st: Patriot
2nd: Shimmer
3rd: Cadibarra

ORC Overall:
1st: Patriot
2nd: Shimmer
3rd: Cadibarra

PHS Overall:
1st: Shimmer
2nd: Patriot
3rd: Cadibarra

Double-Handed:
1st: Maverick

If you would like complete results, please click here. 

Photo: Patriot crew shot by Jason Close

Race Management Team

Since the ORCV’s establishment as the Organising Authority for Victoria’s offshore racing, the club has maintained an enviable record for the safe and efficient conduct of our offshore racing program.

This record rests on three pillars: 

• Together with Australian Sailing, setting appropriate safety standards and ensuring a competitor compliance regime.
• Training programs for competitors - including our well-known Safety & Survival at Sea, Practical Navigation and Weather courses.
The less well-known but critical work of our Race Directors and Incident Management Teams.

Expressions of Interest Open

We are now calling for those interested to become involved in our incident Management Program or who would like to commence training as a Race Director to express their express their interest.

The ORCV’s Race Management team comprise:

• Volunteer Race Directors: senior ORCV representatives that take overall accountability for a race, both from a safety and competition perspective.
• Volunteer Race Assistant Race Director: supporting the Race Director, working with the race entry, race results and competitor tracking systems, liaising and supporting the Media team.
• Volunteer Incident Management Team: a team on standby to assist with any incident should it occur.

The Incident Management Team develops response plans for effective management and communications should an incident occur, as well as assist with contingency planning as input to ORCV’s Incident Management Plan. This role will often liaise with Search and Rescue services. They are on standby, called in only when required.

Race Directors need not only strong communication skills, but they also need team leadership skills and the ability to think on their feet. With a Risk Management focus, they will ensure fair and inclusive competition as well as conduct briefings and presentation events. They are the primary point of contact for many of the race stakeholders during the event. They will need to have experience in Race Administration to direct their team and undertake hands-on tasks themselves. As representatives of the ORCV they will need to follow all ORCV policies and procedures. It is expected a Race Director will have at least 5 years of Ocean Racing experience and ideally have been involved in preparing (boat, equipment and entry) as well as leading (eg skipper or watch leader) in offshore races. Race Directors will liaise with and report to the ORCV Sail Captain. The Race Director responsibility starts when ORCV Office Staff has completed and hands over.

Assistant Race Directors also need strong communication skills and need to be comfortable working with technology (laptop, internet, online systems, data entry). They need to be careful in terms of accuracy and aware in terms of spotting errors or anomalies. Some Assistant Race Directors work remotely, others at the finish line of a race. As representatives of the ORCV they will need to follow all ORCV policies and procedures. Assistant Race Directors will liaise with and report to the Race Director.

The Race Director's Role

The Race Director’s role includes:

• Overall responsibility for fair and safe competition: Delivering an event in accordance with the Notice of Race and Sailing Instructions, managing changes through a formal Notice to Competitors process
• Handling protests, should there be one, together with the Sail Captain
• Ensuring handicapping has been completed, checking for errors and ensuring systems have been uploaded with the correct handicap
• Recording race finish times, penalties and calculation of race results
• Preparing and conducting briefing and presentation evens as required, together with the marking/event team for social aspects of the events
• Being the “face of the race”, dealing with stakeholders and working with Marketing team for social media updates
• Leadership of Assistant Race Directors with occasional hands-on Race Administration
• Standby Incident Manager (depending on circumstances)

The Assistant Race Director’s Role

The Assistant Race Director’s role includes:

• Ensuring race management systems have accurate data. This means checking data entered by others and hands on data entry in many aspects including; Race Results, Trackers, Communications systems
• Supporting the Marketing team for social media update content
• Competitor marine radio, SMS and Email communications, for example sked updates
• Standby Incident Management (depending on circumstances)

The Incident Manager’s Role

The Incident Manager’s role includes:

• Full awareness of the ORCV Incident Management Plan and contribution to its ongoing development
• Liaison with Search and Rescue authorities
• Communication with participant Emergency contacts
• Together with Media team, preparing social media announcements
• Briefing of the ORCV Commodore (or delegate), Sail Captain (or delegate) and through them the Committee
• Subject to circumstances, communication with other stakeholders such as the media
• Competitor support which may involve logistics such as travel and accommodation
• Desirable skills and experience include
• Ocean sailing experience – at least as a crew member but ideally involved with race entry, preparation and on-water leadership
• Club level yacht Race Management experience
• Sea Safety and Survival training, ideally with First aid training too
• Computer and Internet skills
• Relevant specialist skills such as social media experience
• Members who wish to become involved in our Race Management teams will need to commit to assisting with at least one race per year and to participate in regular ongoing training.

Next Step – How and When

Please email the ORCV This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with your experience, contact details and which of the roles you are interested in. We will call you to discuss the opportunities further and to answer any questions.

Training is modular and comprises:

• Race Management team welcome and overview (online 1hr) 
• Incident Management Team online (**self paced approx 4 hours) comprising of three modules
• Incident Management Team in person (approx 3 hours) Sunday 
• Race Management systems and processes overview online (**self-paced, approx. 2hrs)
• Race Management systems and processes hands on (1-day, large group)
• Assistant Race Director hands on mentoring/coaching (during a race)
• Race Director responsibilities and case studies (1-day, small group) date TBA
• Race Director hands on mentoring/coaching (during a race)

** These self paced training modules will become progressively available during the first two weeks of September.  There will be additional van familiarisation in person sessions scheduled at a later date.

Ocean Racing Club of Victoria announces Awards recipients

The Ocean Racing Club of Victoria (ORCV) takes great pleasure in announcing the recipients of its annual Ocean Racing Awards for the 2022/2023 season, which were held at a gala dinner at Royal Yacht Club of Victoria on the weekend.  These winners were selected from nominations from the members.

Ocean Racer of the Year  

The 2023 Ocean Racer of the Year is Paul Buchholz. This award recognises an individual’s achievement or excellence in ocean racing. This Award also considers the person’s contribution over a number of years in areas such as sailing, navigation, boat preparation, race management, rescue and/or incident recovery. 

Buchholz is the owner/skipper of the Cookson 50, Extasea. He is visible in Victorian ocean races and represents Victoria at major out of state offshore racing events. Not only does he reap the results, the well-respected yachtsman is noted for building crews and giving up and coming sailors a go. He also leads the national safety group.

“It’s pretty special,” Buchholz said of the award. “I won it once before, but this one came out of left field. I’m elated. I think my crew had a lot to do with it, said the Melbourne yachtsman, remembering. “My first Extasea turned 30 this year, our first race was the Melbourne to Burnie Race. I’ll keep racing and introducing people to sailing for as long as I can.“ 

Paul Buchholz, Skipper of eXtasea, Ocean Racer of the Year Photo Steffen Pedersen / Little Viking Productions

Youth Sailor of the Year

Clare Olding received the Youth Sailor of the Year award, which recognises sailors 25 years or younger for their contribution to and participation in ocean racing.

Olding, a keen sailor who crews and skippers her father’s Summit 35 Vertigo, has raced offshore since age 17 and has done all the ORCV races. She has delivered yachts, coached Cadets and skippered Vertigo at two Australian Women’s Keelboat Regattas. She was also awarded Rookie Skipper when she co-skippered with her father in the ORCV 50^th Melbourne to Hobart (M2H) ‘Westcoaster’ in December.

Olding’s father, Tim, proudly says: "One of her great attributes is encouraging other young women to take up sailing, inviting them onboard Vertigo for the opportunity to discover the sport, offshore and inshore.” 

Young Sailor of the Year - Clare Olding  Photo Steffen Pedersen / Little Viking Productions

Crew Development

Lillian Stewart is the recipient of the Crew Development Award, which recognises crew/skipper that are relatively new to ocean racing who have demonstrated the attitude, commitment and energy required to be a truly valuable crew member. 

The Tasmanian began sailing on the Knoop 39, Magellan, at Bellerive Yacht Club 18 months ago. A raw recruit, she jumped at all opportunities and has since done Tasmania’s major races: Isle of Caves, Two Capes and Maria and Bruny Island races. She did the Safety & Survival at Sea course and crewed in the M2H where she experienced up to 50 knot winds from all angles.

Stewart has continued to build her knowledge on other yachts in the Melbourne to King Island and Melbourne to Port Fairy races and has begun double-handed offshore sailing. Hers is the first hand up to undertake diesel and rig checks and she is also committed to minimizing waste, supporting the ORCV ocean microplastics sampling program.

Lillian Stewart, Crew Development Winner 2023 Photo Steffen Pedersen / Little Viking Productions

Volunteer of the Year

Delma Dunoon was named Volunteer of the Year, awarded to an individual for outstanding effort and contribution to the ORCV and its members.

“Delma is always there. Above and beyond her contributions to ORCV, members, skippers, crews and partners. Her dedication, focus and countless volunteer hours have substantially contributed to the Club's ongoing success. She is an ORCV membership evangelist,” said ORCV Commodore, Cyrus Allen, of one of sailing’s often unsung volunteer force.

Reflecting on how she became a volunteer, Dunoon said, “Some four years ago I received an email from Justin Brenan which indicated somehow I'd volunteered my services, so, my first thank you is to my husband Grant, who volunteered my services!

“What a great joy it's been, working with a passionate group to build something special and for their allowing me to be part of their adventures.”

Volunteer of the Year 2023 - Delma Dunoon Photo Steffen Pedersen / Little Viking Productions 

Robin Hewitt OAM

Outside of the Awards, Robin Hewitt, an ORCV Life member, 2021 Victorian Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and veteran yachtsman, was honoured with an OAM in the King’s Birthday Honours last week.

Robin Hewitt OAM, honours on the night Photo ORCV Media

“The ORCV wishes to extend its congratulations to Robin, awarded the OAM for his services to yachting, in particular for his dedication to safety training and development of courses and for sharing his detailed knowledge with us all. It is an honour to have an ORCV member recognised in this way,” Commodore Allen said.

Special Thank you - Rob Date

Special acknowledgement to Rob Date in appreciation of his many years of providing storage for ORCV van, SSSC and other gear as well as allowing us to use his premises to pack containers that were sent to Vanuatu/Osaka with boat gear and humanitarian aid.  Thank you, Rob.

A special Thank you to Rob from all of us at the ORCV Photo Steffen Pedersen / Little Viking Productions 

Young Sailor Of The Year  

The award recognises younger sailors (25 years or younger) for the contribution to and participation in ocean racing.  This award was introduced in 2023.

Each nomination in this category will be considered for: Their ongoing commitment to self development of sailing, their consistency in participation and how they have demonstrated leadership to promote and support youth participation to sailing.  This candidate must be 25 years old or younger.

Maddie Scambary - Speller - 2024 Young Sailor of the Year  Photo Lukas White

Crew Encouragement Award

The award recognises crew/skipper members who are relatively new to ocean sailing and have demonstrated the attitude, commitment, and energy required to be a treasured crew member and were first awarded in 2023.

Each nomination in this category will be considered for Someone who has started sailing in the last two years and has taken the sport and embraced it wholeheartedly.  It also examines how they may have promoted the sport and recognised other unique qualities and contributions.

Irama Navarro​ - Crew Encouragement winner 2024  Photo Lukas White