By PAUL MILLAR
A LOCAL crew headed by Sydney to Hobart veteran Jake Newman hopes to make a late bid to take on some of the best yachtsmen in the world at World Melges Championship.
There are already 26 entries to race the 24-footers on Corio Bay, with eleven international teams on the list, including one headed by a world champion.
Mr Newman, who has competed in world championships and raced from New York to London, said it would be great to have more local representation in the Melges.
Most of the Australian crews are from New South Wales with the only Victorian representative so far, Geelong entrant David Farrimond and his four sons, who will race the family boat Vitesse.
Mr Newman said he had a local crew ready and keen to contest the race in Geelong from 27 January to 2 February.
“We are trying to charter a boat that has been imported into the country, but it all depends on whether we can get a sponsor to finance it all,” Mr Newman said.
He said while some of the top guns in the world were heading to Geelong for the championship, local knowledge on Corio Bay would help lessen the gap.
“If we do manage it, then it will be a last minute effort, it all comes down to getting funding,” Mr Newman said.
Organisers said that world champion Bora Gulari from the United States was a confirmed starter.
Many of the teams will contest the national championships prior to the international contest.
Crews from around the world will start arriving in Geelong from next week, with confirmed entries including Swiss, Italians, Americans, Germans, Japanese, Hungarians and Canadians.
Organisers believe the Melges teams alone will inject $1million into the local economy.
The championship is part of the Festival of Sails, which is estimated to boost Geelong’s coffers by up to $10 million.
