Competition winner in a spin after winning Gill crew shirts.
Marg Neeson is one popular skipper ahead of the Festival of Sails, after winning new Gill shirts for her crew.
The Melbourne sailor is the owner/skipper of Wild Child which she has entered in the Cruising with Spinnaker division at the Festival of Sails, from January 26 to 28, 2019.
Marg won the crew shirts donated by the regatta’s official apparel sponsor Gill Australia, after her name was drawn randomly from a list of eligible boats who had entered in the Festival of Sails before November 30. The shirts are from Gill’s new range of UV tops. The prize was also an early birthday present of sorts with Marg looking forward to celebrating her birthday on day two of the Festival of Sails regatta.
Ahead of her third Festival of Sails, Marg said she was very excited to have won the competition and was looking forward to getting back on Corio Bay.
“It’s fantastic. We don’t have crew shirts and the crew have been talking about the need to get them, so I am very excited and grateful to Gill for donating them.”
“The Festival of Sails is a fabulous event. I have brought my crew from Melbourne for three years now to Geelong and they love it too. It is something on our calendar that we always look forward to.”
Marg’s crew are all Melbourne based, except for Michael Kennedy from Western Australia, whom she has enticed over from the west for the Festival of Sails. The pair raced together at Hamilton Island for Race Week in August.
Marg, one of only a few female owner/skippers, competes regularly and sails out of Royal Brighton Yacht Club.
Her credentials include winning two of the three Petersville Regattas out of the Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, on the Mornington Peninsula.
Sailing since she was a youngster, Marg said the flat waters of Corio Bay were well suited for her boat, which she bought in 2010. Her Elan 310 is the first of its kind in Australia.
Gill Australia Director Paul Schulz said “Gill have been involved with Festival of Sails for some years now and with the new Gill branding and product range just released globally and into Australia, we thought what better time to give away some of our popular new UV range”.
“The updated fabric still has the same UV50 plus sun protection however the new styles are enhanced by a softer more durable finish,” he said.
“We are super stoked for Marg and her team and look forward to getting them into the new kit soon. We also look forward to being back at RGYC this January Australia Day where we will be showcasing a heap of new product. The iconic Festival of Sails is a great platform for our brand and we can’t wait to see all the familiar faces again. It’s an awesome weekend.”
For more information about the Festival of Sails visit www.festivalofsails.com.au