Sailing in Geelong
As a port city sat astride the exceptional waters of Corio Bay and the Bellarine Peninsula, Geelong is considered one of the gems in Australian sailing. With a proud maritime history that dates back to the inception of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club in 1859, the iconic foreshore precinct has played host to a range of world championships and iconic sailing events.
Each year RGYC presents a huge Summer of Sailing including Festival of Sails, Wooden Boat Show and Off the Beach Championships. While championships are returning now, the signature event that demonstrates RGYC hosting capabilities saw the world’s best sailors take to Geelong’s waters, including the 49er, 49erFX, Nacra 17 and Laser Master 2020 World Championships.
“It’s one of Australia’s hidden gems for racing for all different types of classes. It really is great sailing – I always enjoy my time here.”- Glenn Ashby, America’s Cup Skipper
When we held the Australian Championship at RGYC in Feb 2019 we experienced everything from light and tricky shifting breezes, champagne sailing at 12-16 knots and stronger winds. The sea-breeze at Geelong blows from Bass Strait over the land creating an offshore sea-breeze. Check out Victoria's Bureau of Meterology (BOM) site for historical weather data for the area. BOM Wind Rose data can be found for 9am and 3pm times can be found at the bottom of summary tables for each site. The four most relevant sites are:
- Avalon Airport. Site Number 087113
- Point Wilson. Site Number 087166. Situated on Corio Bay the 3pm wind rose data is most relevant to our event.
- Geelong SEC. Site Number 087025
- Geelong Norlane. Site Number 087117
We look forward to welcoming you to Geelong in 2024.
Heather Macfarlane, Fireball International Rear Commodore Australasia
Geelong, Victoria will be a perfect venue to host the Championships with Corio Bay being an ideal amphitheatre for viewing all courses, whether from the water or the land. After sailing, Geelong and the Bellarine offers exceptional experiences with its events, attractions and Cafes and Restaurants.
We look forward to having the opportunity to welcome you to our Club and the Geelong region, and wish all athletes success in the competition.
Stuart Dickson, Commodore Royal Geelong Yacht Club
