BY SIOBHAN HARVEY
The annual Heaven Can Wait Charity Sailing Regatta is set to run over the first weekend of February 2022 on Lake Macquarie.
The Regatta includes a number of races with the most notable being the 24 hour endurance race.
Vice Commodore, Royal Motor Yacht Club Mel Steiner, says it's the toughest sailing race in the event.
"The 24 Hour Endurance race tests yachtsmen of all caliber's and some yachties would claim it's tougher than doing a Hobart because of the toll on the crews. Short race legs with lots of sail changes and very little rest whilst keeping an eye on the lake navigation marks, are just some of the challenges crews need to accommodate," he said.
Money raised by the event funds the Cancer Councils Home Help Program in the Hunter, which assists terminal and recovering patients with domestic tasks.
After a tough year due to the Covid pandemic, it is hoped that the next Regatta will be able to pull the charity over the Half Million Dollar line in funds raised.
Mr Steiner says with increased publicity and promotion they should surpass their goal.
"Every year we contact our previous contestants of the regatta, which is around 350 people and invite them back, we contact all the local yacht clubs from Newcastle down to Canberra to ask to promote the event through the clubs and associations, along with using our website and Facebook page to advertise the charity event," he said.
"So anyone who is thinking about donating to charities we would love to have their support, we encourage people to donate as they would normally to any charity, but to donate to this charity as we are on our way to reaching a significant goal".
