Williamstown’s horizon was covered from port to seaboard with boats of all shapes, sizes and speeds as part of the launch of the 2023 Festival of Sails event.
As the oldest Australian sporting event, the 180th Passage Race event involved about 250 Grand Prix racing yachts, cruiser and racer keelboats, multihulls and classic yachts launching from Williamstown travelling to Geelong.
Over the 36 nautical mile race, the Gordon Ketelbey Sydney TP52 ZEN who took first place with a time of three hours, 43 minutes and seven seconds.
Sebastian Bohm’s TP52 ‘Smuggler’ took second prize and festival chairman Paul Buchholz skippered the Geelong Cookson 50 ‘Extasea’ to third place.
“As chairman of the event, I couldn’t be more thrilled with our event turnout today,” he said.
“Grabbing a place in the top three was a real bonus.”
Mr Buchholz said it was significant for the event to reach its 180th anniversary.
“You can’t deny the importance of any event hitting such a momentous milestone and we are incredibly proud,” he said.
“After more than two years of waves of Covid-related restrictions and interruptions to businesses and events, we think the 180th anniversary is a pretty good reason to celebrate.
“An event like ours simply couldn’t exist without the consistent and generous support of the Victorian Government and the City of Greater Geelong.”
