Melbourne 20/08/2019: The Victorian Laser Association is expecting a flood of entries this month, as the “early bird” deadline for the 2020 Australian Laser Championships expires on August 31. All sailors who have entered by that date go in the draw to win a new Laser and dolly, with rig of their choice, from Performance Sailcraft Australia (PSA).
The Championships, across 4.7, Radial and Standard rigs, will be held at Sandringham Yacht Club on Melbourne's Port Phillip from January 1 to 8, 2020.
To date 38 entries have been received, including two from Germany and one each from the UK, Sweden, Switzerland and New Zealand. Eight boats are also booked to arrive in Melbourne from Russia in mid-December and enquiries have recently been fielded from Norway and Finland.
The high level of interest from overseas was expected as the Laser World Championships will be held at the same venue in February, and the Laser Masters World Championships will follow, across the Bay in Geelong, in March.
As well as attracting a large fleet, the calibre of entrant is likely to be extremely high as some of the world's best Laser sailors use the event as preparation for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. With the battle for the Australian spot at the Games still in the balance, defending Olympic champion Tom Burton and his major challenger, Matt Wearn, are expected to go head-to-head once again.
For aspiring champions and weekend warriors alike, the chance to sail in large fleets against quality opposition at an interesting and challenging venue should prove too enticing to pass up.
To download the Notice of Race and to enter the Australian Championships, go to https://www.auslasernationals.com.au/2020-australian-laser-championships/.
Charter Boats
Australian Laser manufacturer, PSA, will almost double production in 2019 to cater for the expected demand. While charter rates have not yet been finalised, PSA Managing Director, Chris Caldecoat, says that the company is fully committed to supporting all the events and will be shipping boats to Victoria in 40ft containers. For more information on charter options, go to https://www.psasailing.com.au/ or email info@psasailing.com.au.
Accommodation Options
As Australia's second-largest city, Melbourne offers a variety of accommodation options for anyone attending the championships from interstate or overseas. To receive information on accommodation options, go to https://www.laser2020.com/contact.
The 2020 Australian Laser Championships are being organised by the Victorian Laser Association with support from major sponsors Visit Victoria and Performance Sailcraft Australia.
