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SAILING NEWS – The Minister for Sport & Recreation, the Hon Hugh Delahunty today announced the Victorian Government’s continued support of the Festival of Sails, which will be held on the Australia Day weekend in Geelong.
Minister Delahunty said, “The Victorian Government is delighted to extend our partnership with the Royal Geelong Yacht Club to ensure the continued prosperity and success of this proud and historic sporting event,” Mr Delahunty said.
“The Festival of Sails first took place back in 1844, and has now grown into one of the largest sailing regattas in the Southern Hemisphere and we are pleased to continue our investment for the 2013, 2014 and 2015 events,” he said.
“The Festival of Sails is an integral part of summer in Geelong and remains one of our most well respected and popular annual events,” said City of Greater Geelong Mayor Cr John Mitchell.
“The magnificent Geelong Waterfront is the perfect venue for the Festival of Sails, enabling organisers to stage elite level competition alongside a major shoreside entertainment program,” said the Mayor.
The City of Greater Geelong is proud to maintain its long standing support to the Festival of Sails in recognition of the significant benefits the event delivers to the wider Geelong community,” Cr Mitchell said.
In jointly raising the event flag, Minister Delahunty and Cr Mitchell launched the 170th running of the event and signalled that with the support of both State and Local Government the multi award winning event is set to remain a permanent fixture on the Victorian Major Events calendar.
Commodore of Royal Geelong Yacht Club, Andrew Neilson says, “This event would not be possible if it was not for the substantial support of both the State Government and City of Greater Geelong. We are pleased to report that plans are shaping up to deliver another successful event at the Royal Geelong Yacht Club and along Geelong’s amazing waterfront”.
“The Festival of Sails has a rich history of delivering strong economic and community benefits to the state and city of Geelong. Whilst the regatta element of the Festival of Sails will showcase the world’s best sailors over a week of competition on Port Phillip and Corio Bay, the event is focused on providing an opportunity for all visitors to be exposed to the wide range of accessible healthy lifestyle activities that our fantastic bays and beaches provide us.”
The Festival of Sails is an iconic Geelong based event, that is free to the general public and offers plenty of family friendly on and off water activities and entertainment, including live music across three stages, free Come & Try beachside activities and over 80 stall holders exhibiting arts & crafts as well as boating & lifestyle products.
With consistently more than 400 yachts of all types and sizes, over 4500 participants from around Australia and Internationally, upwards of 100,000 festival visitors, and the convergence of local and international boating media, the Festival of Sails provides a perfect opportunity to showcase Victoria and the cities of Melbourne and Geelong, as well as the fantastic regions surrounding Port Phillip and Corio Bay.
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