Rod is currently enjoying some ‘away time’ and recently caught up with Mick Ralph on his travels. Great to see him looking so relaxed and enjoying the company of a fellow ASC long-term member!
Saturday 30/8/2025
Saturday sees the start of our annual 3-session Bill Hooper Series (30/8, 6/9 and 20/9), in honour of the contribution of the Hooper family to the formation and early years of our club. This will be short-course racing starting at 2 p.m. with briefing at 1.45 p.m. at ASC, and is a great way to get back in to action if you’ve been absent from sailing over the colder months.
Saturday’s weather
Chilly and showers but with good 10-16 knt breezes and no doubt, some challenging gusts. The BBQ will be running after sailing to help you warm up with some hot food and, as usual, the bar will be open.
If you wish to check the weather prior to coming to the club, don’t forget to view current conditions via the webcam on the homepage of our website and visit the Sailing/Weather tab on the website for reports from various sites.
Last Week’s Action on the Lake
Jamie Wilson took some GoPro footage whilst out on the lake last Saturday. please feel free to check out last week’s action here- Jamie YouTube .
Important: Extension of Grand Prix Closure Dates
Despite our discussions and communications with the Grand Prix Corporation, there has so far been no indication that the Victorian Government will respond to the club and community concerns about the extended GP lockout, which begins in 2026. In order to further the campaign to reduce the lockout period, the Albert Park Sports Clubs Association has started a petition “Triple the Lockout, Triple the Harm – Defend Albert Park”.
Club members are asked to individually sign the petition as soon as possible, and this can be done online! Further details and how to sign are provided HERE.
Final VIODA session/Girls Camp
Sunday afternoon sees the final Victorian Optimist class coaching session at the lake for this year. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to see 40 to 50 Optimists from across Melbourne and some regional clubs sailing/training on our lake each week, then don’t miss the chance to visit the club to see this fantastic program in action. There are some great photos and videos on the VIODA Facebook page. Many of the sailors also competed in our recent regatta and we hope to see them all returning to us to sail as visitors in the future. (Image courtesty of the VIODA Facebook page) .
The very popular VIODA Girls Camp will be in the ASC clubrooms on Sunday 31st from 4 – 9 p.m. and we wish all the young female sailors and their Mums a fantastic evening.
Upcoming
Save the Date: Trivia Night October 11th: The popular ASC annual Trivia night will be hosted by new quizmaster Bettina this year and further details will be released soon. Get some friends together, come along and see if you and your team’s name will end up on our perpetual Trivia Trophy.
September 13: ASC Spring Working Bee from 9.30. There will be a group focussing on Club Boatyard and club training boats. Otherwise tidy up of clubrooms, windows, etc.
September 13/14: City Sail Women and Girls Coaching and Racing Regatta on Albert Park Lake hosted by Albert Park Yacht Club. Further information and entries on https://www.apyc.org.au/citysail.html. ASC members wanting to use an ASC club boat or needing other assistance can contact Jaemie through sailing@albertsc.org.au.
September 21: First aid training at the ASC clubrooms. If you are keen to either obtain or renew your first aid qualifications, contact Jaemie via sailing@albertsc.org.au.
Be part of our ‘Meet and Greet’ team!
We are seeking a pool of volunteers to be rostered on at the club on a Saturday morning on an infrequent basis to be the ‘first point of contact’ for members of the public interested in learning more about our club and potential membership. You would be required from around 10.30 a.m. but could still sail in the afternoon if desired. Materials and information will be available for you to provide to prospective members, so all you need to bring is a big welcome and your smiling face. Contact admin@albertsc.org.au if you are happy to be placed on the roster or would like further information.
Cindy Tilbrook
Albert Sailing Club
ASC Snippets 4/9/2025
Congrats to Rod!
Australian Sailing Victorian State Awards – Lifetime Achievement Award. This award has a primary focus on an individual’s significant and sustained impact on sailing in Australia, and is presented to individuals who have made an outstanding and lasting contribution to the sport of sailing in Australia for a minimum of 20 years. In the words of Alexandra Starkova, Club Support Office Victoria: “Your dedication, passion, and exceptional contribution to the sailing community have not only been recognised but celebrated. The positive impact of your work has enriched our sport and inspired others, and we are proud to acknowledge your achievements.”
ASC is delighted to advise that Rod Thomas, our Rear-Commodore, has been selected as a finalist in the
Well deserved, Rod, to reach the finalist stage and best wishes for an enjoyable and successful Awards night.
The Victorian Awards night will be held on
📅 Date: Friday, 12 September 2025
📍 Venue: Sandringham Yacht Club
🕕 Time: 6:00 PM
👗 Dress Code: Cocktail Dress Attire
and if you would like to join our Commodore and help Rod celebrate his nomination, you can register here
Saturday 7/9/2025: Bill Hooper Series Week 2
Saturday sees the second week of our annual 3-session Bill Hooper Series. This will be short-course racing starting at 2 p.m. with briefing at 1.15 p.m. at APYC. Saturday’s weather is currently indicating a warmer, partly cloudy day with east to northeasterly winds 10 to 15 knots tending north to northeasterly 15 to 20 knots during the morning. In other words, a perfect day to come to the lake and enjoy an afternoon of sailing and some hot BBQ food and a drink on the deck after racing.
But given the variability of Melbourne’s weather, if you wish to check the weather prior to coming to the club, don’t forget to view current conditions via the webcam on the homepage of our website and visit the Sailing/Weather tab on the website for reports from various sites.
Recent Action on the Lake
Last week saw the first 2 races of the Bill Hooper series sailed in cold, gusty conditions. The day started with a Gale Force wind warning, but when this was dropped around 10.30 a.m., Race Officer Geoff Saliba rallied his crew to conduct a successful afternoon of racing, with a fleet somewhat reduced in size. Well done Geoff and your duty crews.
Further to the advice in Snippets last week that Jamie Wilson has been taking some GoPro footage whilst out on the lake during the Trophy Race the previous week, he and his son Alex have now compiled this into a fantastic video of the afternoon, complete with soundtrack, lots of sailing action, and starring Michael in his OK dinghy. This has now been uploaded to our ASC YouTube channel and it is well worth watching. You can view it here.
Trophy presentations for ASC-APYC Summer Championship and Handicap series were held in ASC clubrooms prior to sailing on a Saturday afternoon in August. Congratulations to all of the series place getters. The 14 August post on the APYC Facebook has photos of all placegetters.
Our new trainees (Cate, Lauren and Joe) were in action on the lake last Saturday morning for the first week of their training program. All took to the water in the somewhat challenging conditions and handled the conditions well. We look forward to following their progress and wish them well.
Farewell to VIODA for another year
Sunday afternoon saw the final Victorian Optimist class coaching session at the lake for this year, with the Girls’ Camp Party on the Sunday evening. As the VIODA Facebook page says:
And to all Opti sailors and their families: you are welcome to return to ASC at any time and we look forward to seeing you all back in 2026.
Upcoming
Save the Date: Trivia Night October 11th: The popular ASC annual Trivia night will be hosted by new quizmaster Bettina this year and further details will be released soon. Get some friends together, come along and see if you and your team’s name will end up on our perpetual Trivia Trophy.
September 13: ASC Spring Working Bee from 9.30. There will be a group focussing on Club Boatyard and club training boats. Otherwise tidy up of clubrooms, windows, etc.
September 13/14: City Sail Women and Girls Coaching and Racing Regatta on Albert Park Lake hosted by Albert Park Yacht Club. Further information and entries on https://www.apyc.org.au/citysail.html. ASC members wanting to use an ASC club boat or needing other assistance can contact Jaemie through sailing@albertsc.org.au.
September 21: First aid training at the ASC clubrooms. If you are keen to either obtain or renew your first aid qualifications, contact Jaemie via sailing@albertsc.org.au.
Be part of our ‘Meet and Greet’ team!
We are seeking a pool of volunteers to be rostered on at the club on a Saturday morning on an infrequent basis to be the ‘first point of contact’ for members of the public interested in learning more about our club and potential membership. You would be required from around 10.30 a.m. but could still sail in the afternoon if desired. Materials and information will be available for you to provide to prospective members, so all you need to bring is a big welcome and your smiling face. Contact admin@albertsc.org.au if you are happy to be placed on the roster or would like further information.
Cindy Tilbrook
Albert Sailing Club