Osaka Cup 2007 - Overview

About the Race

The Melbourne/Osaka Double Hand Yacht Race, first held in 1987 to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Osaka. The Race is held every four years by the City of Melbourne and the City of Osaka to celebrate the sister city and sister port relationship between the two cities. The Osaka Cup race will take place for the sixth time in 2007. The race participants sail from Melbourne to Osaka spanning 5,500 nautical miles (approx. 10,200 km) without stop-overs, travelling backward through the seasons with autumn in Melbourne, summer at the equator, and spring in Osaka.

Objectives

The objectives of the race are to promote a challenging long-distance, short-handed racing event between Melbourne and Osaka, traversing the Pacific Ocean, and in so doing to provide a proving ground for true seamanship and to encourage the development of suitable seaworthy yachts and of appropriate gear, supplies, and techniques for short-handed crossing under sail and thus strengthen the ties between Melbourne and Osaka as sister cities and ports.