Sydney International Regatta (SIRs) concluded yesterday on Sydney harbour with all 15 classes out on the water. The 226-boat SIRs fleet has experienced a variety of conditions during the four days of racing with the breeze direction being shifty and strength ranging from 6-25 knots. A total of 352 competitors from 22 countries have used SIRs for various training exercises with all enjoying the annual Yachting Association of NSW event.

Spanish sailors Iker Martinez and Xabier Fernandez won the 12-boat 49er class ahead of Australians Chris Nicholson and Gary Boyd, with Danish brothers Peter and Soren Hansen in third.

Michael Blackburn from Australia finished in first in the 55-boat, ISAF Grade One Laser fleet. Second was Tom Slingsby from the Central coast of New South Wales and Danish sailor Pieter-Jan Postma placed third.

Neville Wittey and his mixed crew sailed well to win the last three races and win the Yngling class with Melanie Dennison and her crew of Fiona Herbert and Caroline Aders second overall and first in the all women crews. Nikki Bethwaite and her crew Karen Grojnich and Kristen Kosmala finished third.

Sarah Blanck won the Europe class with a nine-point margin to Kate O’Brien from New Zealand in second place. Blanck finished with six first and three second places during the nine race series. Verena Wagner from Austria finished in third place.

New Zealand sailor Jon-Paul Tobin won the Mistral men’s class with Aron Gadorfalui from Hungary in second and Michael Lancey from Australia in third. Natasha Sturges from Great Britain won the women’s Mistral class from Romy Kinel from Germany and Barbara Kendall from New Zealand was third. Alison Shreeve from Australia placed fourth in the women’s fleet.

Anthony ‘Nocka’ Nossiter convincingly won the Finn class and national championship with six first and three second places for the regatta. WA sailors Josh Beaver and Dean McAullay both sailed well to finish and second and third respectively.

Winners of the 470 men’s class Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page won by 20 points from second place Nick Rogers and Joe Glandfield from Great Britain. Australia’s Jenny Armstrong and Belinda Stowell sailed well to win the 470 women’s class from the French team of Ingrid Petitjean and Nadene Douroux with Susanne and Michaela Ward from Denmark in third.

Results for all classes racing at SIRs can be seen on the YA of NSW website at www.nsw.yachting.org.au