Tracey and Robert De Poi celebrate early win

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Entering the MacGlide Festival of Sails early has paid off for sailors Tracey and Robert De Poi, who have won a $5000 Thailand Sunsail yacht charter for their efforts.

The couple, who sail out of the Blairgowrie Yacht Squadron, are ecstatic after winning the prize in the MacGlide Festival of Sails early-bird competition. The competition was drawn on Tuesday ahead of the MacGlide Festival of Sails, which runs from January 25 to 27.

The early-bird competition was open to skippers who entered their boats in the MacGlide Festival of Sails before midnight, November 30, 2019. The Sunsail bareboat yacht charter experience is in Phuket, Thailand and can accommodate up to eight people.

Finding crew to join them on their Thailand adventure shouldn’t be a problem for the couple with their three children all being avid sailors.

“I am very excited and my kids are thrilled,” she said.

Tracey and Robert are looking forward to a return to the MacGlide Festival of Sails next weekend.

In 2019 they came second in Cruising with Spinnakers Division 2, on-board their racer cruiser, Element 22, which they will sail again this year.

“We love Festival of Sails - it is our favourite regatta,” Tracey said.

“I love how much fun it is. I think the organisation of it is absolutely amazing, the village feels wonderful and it is just a lovely way to finish summer. You meet more people and make new friends every year.”

Tracey said it was also really nice to be able to represent their club at the three-day regatta.

“We took up sailing in 2012 and this will probably be our fifth year at the Festival of Sails.”

“I just love it. I love being out on the water, I love the club atmosphere and you make such great friends out of it. My husband and I sail together which is really nice and when the family are there we all sail together.”

MacGlide Festival of Sails Chairman, Stuart Dickson, passed on his congratulations to the couple and wished them well on their once in a lifetime experience.

“The early-bird Thailand charter provides sailors with the unique opportunity to discover one of the world’s top cruising destinations.”

Mr Dickson said the countdown to the MacGlide Festival of Sails had truly begun with nine days to go until Australia’s biggest celebration of sailing started.

“It is fantastic to see so many skippers, from near and far, signing up for this historic regatta.”

All MacGlide Festival of Sails entrants get free berthing when they enter and all crew members receive entry to the Regatta Village (inside the grounds of the Royal Geelong Yacht Club) and access to live entertainment.

More than 3000 competitors and support crew from across the country will be in Geelong for the 177th anniversary of the regatta.