Fierce competition expected as the Dart SB3 Nationals approaches

Momentum is growing in the run up to the inaugural SB3 National Championships to be held during Skandia Geelong Week, 25 - 27 January. Heads are being turned in Australia and throughout the world’s sailing community. There are 12 confirmed teams for the event which feature some of the country’s top sailors and who all are looking forward to a slice of the action.

Early entrants include:

1. ‘PWC’ Skippered by UK yachtsman Jono Shelley and featuring a highly skilled crew, this team will be hard to beat as they have been racing the SB3 in Europe for the last four years. Sponsored in the UK by PWC, this team has always featured highly at the major event. They are travelling half way round the world and mean business.


2. ‘Tasqua Youth’ Former Australian Sabot champion Sean O’Rourke has good reason to be excited about his future career in One-Design fleet racing and the highly competitive IRC class ocean racing. The exceptionally talented Mooloolaba Yacht Club sailor, who added the Audi Australian IRC championship to his impressive career as a member of the Rod Jones skippered OceanBuro crew, has been selected to skipper the Tasqua Management Services Dart SB3.

3. ‘Team Oceanburo’ Skippered by Kai Timm, tactician and top sailing coach. Kai is the distributor for the SB3 in Australia and will have had a chance to sharpen his teeth well before the event.

4. ‘Guy Bancroft’ This top Melbourne based sailor just missed out of the top spot at this years B14 World Championships. Guy is vastly experienced with high performance sailing and should be on the pace from day one.

5. ‘Newcastle Yachting’ skippered by Glenn Coulton, GC is an ex FF15 World Champion and J24 National Champion and will be joined by Dale Sharp from his J24 campaigns.

6. ‘Insomnia’ skippered by Newcastle Restaurateur Mark Prince. Mark will be joined by crew including Steve Mackay.

This is the first time many of the teams will compete in the SB3, lured here by the strict one design performance sailing of the Dart SB3 national championship. Oceanburo, distributors for the SB3’s have made a limited number of charter boats available to enable sailors the chance to enjoy all that Skandia Geelong Week has to offer. These boats will also be available for sale after the event at a reduced rate. To find out more please visit: www.dartsailboats.com or www.oceanburo.com.au

We have been delighted with the response to the SB3 and the event is shaping up fantastically for the SB3 racing. As well as the national championships, Skilled Engineering is joining in the fun by running the Skilled Corporate Cup in SB3’s. This event will give Skilled staff teams the chance to test their sailing abilities under the watchful eyes of experienced sailors for the overall Corporate Cup victory. Another great event for the SB3 at SGW.

Everyone is getting onboard! Are you?