Union Yacht Club St. Gilgen OMEGA Sailing Classics 2003
The Wolfgangsee proved to be the ideal venue for the Omega Classics 2003 from 23 to 27 July. In glorious sunshine, this regatta saw some very fast classic yachts from the first half of the last century impress the crowds and even some of the participants. Despite some of the yachts being both rare and priceless (the oldest yacht competing dated back to 1873), the competitions were battled out to the last metre. The regatta was organised by the K.u.K. Yachtgeschwader, founded in 1891, together with the Union Yachtclub Wolfgangsee and the PROFs agency, which has for a number of years been OMEGA's partner in Austrian yachting.
The competition was open to any yacht built before 1950 as well as modern yachts built in the traditional wooden style. Due to the different boat classes represented, a handicap system was used to classify competitors, whereby the actual sailing time was converted using a yardstick for the boat's speed. This system ensures that it is the team that sails best that wins, rather than the team with the fastest yacht.
After four races, Thomas Richter and his crew of Anette Richter and Michael Schulz secured the title. Naturally, the team were appropriately rewarded for their overall victory by the title sponsor: each member of the crew received an OMEGA Seamaster Professional with special "Omega Classics 2003" engraving.
Austrian record Olympic participant Hubert Raudaschl also attended the event. OMEGA paid tribute to his lifetime of sporting achievement in front of numerous journalists on the first day of the regatta. Gerhard Novak, Brand Manager of OMEGA Austria, presented this exceptional sailor (with 10 Olympic appearances and 18 medals at European and World Championships) with an OMEGA Seamaster America's Cup Racing – OMEGA's first mechanical regatta watch. Hubert Raudaschl started in St. Gilgen with a "Lacustre"- class yacht and a special red OMEGA spinnaker.
Organisers and title sponsor of the OMEGA Classics 2003 offered spectators a top-class event. The traditional gala dinner on Saturday evening attracted numerous personalities from the world of business and sport, who enjoyed an entertaining evening with jazz music, film shows and a firework display over the lake. The "OMEGA Classics" are a perfect combination of tradition, lifestyle, aesthetics and yachting. The 2004 edition of this event will be held at Attersee, the same venue as last year.