New Limit entered for Sailing South Regatta 2009
The yet-to-be-launched ocean racing yacht Limit, expected to be one of the favourites for an Overall IRC win in this year's Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race, is among the first entries for the 2009 United Financial Services Sailing South Regatta in Hobart. 
'The current Limit, soon to be replaced.'
Kirk Maclean
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The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania this week received the nomination of the Reichel/Pugh 63, being built at Mornington, Victoria, for West Australian yachtsman Alan Brierty. The yacht is due for launching in November.
The carbon fibre, state-of-the-art grand prix racing yacht is in total contrast to another early entry received by the club - the classic 44-year-old Skandinavian designed and built timber ketch Holger Danske, owned by RYCT member Erich Brosell.
"These two entries underline the concept of the United Financial Services Sailing South Regatta in providing mid-summer regatta competition for a broad spectrum of yachts," RYCT sailing manager Nick Corkhill said today.
"On one hand it's a wonderful regatta in our waters for yachts visiting Hobart at the end of the long ocean races from Sydney, Melbourne and Launceston.
"The regatta is also intended to provide an opportunity for local yachtsmen to compete against some of the best interstate and international yachts on their home waters.
"In recent years, the Cruising divisions have become a popular part of Sailing South Regatta and Holger Danske will be competing in Cruising," he added.
Brierty's sailing master and principal helmsman, Sydney-based Tasmanian and longtime Royal Yacht of Tasmania member Roger Hickman, lodged the entry of the new Limit, maintaining a personal traditional of having competed in every Sailing South since its inception in 2001.
"For me, it brings me back to competing on the Derwent, where I learned to sail as a youngster, and also to invite members of my Hobart-based family and friends to be part of the crew of a fine ocean racing yacht," said Hickman, who been helmsman or sailing master on four past winners of Sailing South.
"It's great regatta for everyone - wonderful short-course sailing on the river and on longer courses such as the Betsy Island Race."
Another early entrant is the Andrew Hunn/Lloyd Clark-owned Farr 40 Voodoo Chile, one of a growing fleet of these one-design racing yachts on the Derwent, with sufficient numbers to have their own division in the 2009 United Financial Services Sailing South Regatta.
The opening race of Sailing South will be sailed in conjunction with the Wrest Point King of the Derwent Race, with the four-day Regatta running from Friday, 2 January through to Monday, 5 January.
Further information on the United Financial Services Sailing South Regatta: Nick Corkhill, Sailing Manager, The Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, Ph: 03 6223 4599 or email: sailing@ryct.org.au
by Peter Campbell
Aldgate, SA
