This year sees the return of the ever-popular Gordon’s Bay Yacht Club (GBYC) Gaul Regatta, which is set to be held from Friday 5 to Sunday 7 August.
The event, which was last held in 2019, is sponsored by 3D Cooling, a commercial and industrial refrigeration company that has long-standing ties with local sailing.
Last year, under restrictive Covid-19 regulations, GBYC elected to host a small in-house event, dubbed the Winter Club Festival. It was convincingly won by skipper Nico van Wieringen on his L26 Go Dutch.
This year, however, Go Dutch will have some serious competition. The identical L26 Equation, skippered by Richard and Edmund Tough, has been experimenting with different crew and is quickly gaining momentum. Philippe Pringiers and his L20 Time Out have also been in excellent form this year, and should be a strong contender for victory.
The event is also looking to attract entries from other clubs, and may well sport a Mount Gay 30, plus other L26s and Holiday 23s.
Beyond these, the regatta will feature yachts by designers such as Dudley Dix, Oswald Berckemeyer, Angelo Lavranos, and the Van der Stadt design house – including the Caribbea 30 Miura, Flamenca, L30, L36, Morgan 31, Stadt 34, and others.
The 3D Cooling Gaul Regatta will also feature a packed social programme, with an opening bash and live music provided by Jaco Oosthuizen. There will also be a special braai hosted by 2015 Ultimate Braaimaster winner, Piet Marais.
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For more on the 3D Cooling Gaul Regatta, contact GBYC sailing officer Barry Ross via email on barry@firefinch.co.za.
