15 up for Melbourne-Osaka

Start of Australasia's leading doublehanded race next year will be from Melbourne Sail Boat Show

Next year boating enthusiasts of all kinds won’t want to miss Boat Week Events at Melbourne Docklands in Victoria from 16-25th March, with the major highlight the Melbourne Osaka Cup 2007.

Participating yachts in the Melbourne Osaka Cup 2007 will berth at Waterfront City at the Melbourne Docklands from Friday March 16. Already there are 15 confirmed entries including the first Japanese entry Compass Rose III.

Competitors will then attend a Japanese-influenced cocktail party to celebrate the opening of the 2007 Melbourne Club Marine Sail Boat Show and launch of the Melbourne Osaka Cup 2007 Boat Week.

On the evening of March 19, Government House will play host to the Official City of Melbourne Reception to welcome the competitors and recognise sponsors.

Other features of Boat Week Events are the 8th Melbourne Club Marine Sail Boat Show from 16-18 March, which is set to attract over 20,000 visitors and school excursions from March 19-20 for school children to inspect the Melbourne Osaka yachts before they depart.

Between March 20-22, L’Oreal Melbourne Osaka Alternative Young Designer Fashion Week is on at Waterfront City and includes a trade delegation of 40 Osaka Young Designers.

Then, on March 21, the Japanese Consul General will host a twilight cocktail party for competitors and sponsors, to be followed by a celebrity/sponsors twilight race, using Sandringham Yacht Club’s 7.5 Beneteau yachts.

The major highlight of the week though, will be the Melbourne Osaka Cup Ball on March 23, to be followed the next day by a MarchFest, a Japanese/Australian beer and food festival promotion in the Waterfront City Pavilion sponsored by Lion Nathan.

Concurrently, Port Phillip Bay will host the Melbourne Osaka Boat Rally concluding on Saturday evening with a fireworks display at the Melbourne Docklands.

On Sunday March 25, the Melbourne-Osaka race begins!

Competing yachts will leave the Melbourne Docklands, which recently successfully hosted the VOR Melbourne Stopover and some of the Commonwealth Games events, accompanied by a large flotilla of spectator boats as they head to their Station Pier start line for a midday start.

Sponsors and official boats will accompany the Melbourne Osaka Cup fleet down Port Phillip Bay as they head off on their arduous 5,500 nautical mile journey, then berth at Sandringham YC to attend an appreciation function.