Noakes postponed
Organisers of the Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race have postponed the event due to NSW's COVID-19 restrictions.
15 July 2021
Advertisement
In a press release published the morning of 15 July, the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia (CYCA) has announced that, due to the current lockdown restrictions placed on Greater Sydney, the 2021 Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race will be postponed.
This year’s Noakes Sydney Gold Coast Yacht Race was scheduled to start Saturday 31 July.
The news comes following the announcement from NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian on 14 July that the Greater Sydney lockdown, which is currently in its third week, will extend for another two weeks to Friday 30 July.
NSW Health reported 15 July that there were 840 confirmed active cases in the state.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk affirmed on 13 July that the state “would not hesitate” to close its borders if cases spread across from Sydney into the rest of the state.
Advertisement
The CYCA has expressed that they are considering postponing the Race to Friday 15 October, replacing the Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore Tollgate Islands Race, which may also be rescheduled to another date.
Should prevailing health orders and conditions allow, the CYCA has stated that they “are also looking at the possibility of running a Category 2 race within NSW in late August”.
“We are mindful that some of our entrants may be still considering options if access to Queensland becomes available for the Queensland Regattas held in August. If these events are available to our NSW entrants, the CYCA will endeavour to avoid conflict with these regattas,” the CYCA wrote in a public statement.
“However, if the Queensland border is closed, which would seem likely, and the health orders allow us to, then a race within NSW waters may be scheduled. The Club will communicate with Audi Centre Sydney Blue Water Pointscore entrants at least two weeks prior to scheduling an August Cat 2 race.”
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
