Welcome

On behalf of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club, I would like to warmly welcome all sailors, officials, volunteers, support staff and guests to Geelong for the 2022 Festival of Sails. We also thank our major sponsors, the State Government of Victoria, and the City of Greater Geelong for their assistance and ongoing support for the event.

The Festival of Sails is always a cornerstone of our Australian Sailing calendar.  Not just an opportunity to enjoy the world class sailing that Corio Bay offers, but also a chance to catch-up and spend time with old friends.  Our theme for 2022 will be ‘The Reunion’, as we know there is significant enthusiasm from our community to gather together and reconnect.

In 2022 we will celebrate the 179th anniversary of the Melbourne to Geelong Passage Race, to be held on Saturday 22nd January.  This will be followed by an additional 3 days of high-octane racing on Corio Bay and festivities shoreside at RGYC and the Geelong Waterfront.

The racing schedule will include the State Championships for our new double-handed series, and we will also welcome back the Melges 24 State Championships.  There will be the usual spectrum of divisions to cater for a wide variety of boat owners, including sports boats, J111s, S80s, Etchells, cruising keelboats with spinnaker, cruising keelboats without spinnakers, cruising AMS and multihulls.

In addition to our Sailing Regatta, the Festival of Sails attracts tens of thousands of people  to enjoy the Australia Day festivities along the Geelong Waterfront.  With live music, market stalls, roving entertainers, food trucks, and plenty of free family friendly activities, there is something for everyone. Whether you are a sailor or a spectator looking for some fun with the family, there is no better place to be than the Festival Of Sails on Geelong’s waterfront in January.

We look forward to welcoming you, your crew and family back to Geelong in 2022 for ‘The Reunion’.

Roger Bennett
Chairman – 2022 Festival of Sails
RGYC Vice Commodore