Just a short note to say that Boxing Day is a day of sporting highlights in Australia - as well as a lot of mahem at the sales.

The first day of the third cricket test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground - The "G" - saw a crowd of some 73,000 watch a slow scoring day on a flat pitch. India batting.

Also Boxing Day is the start of the annual Sydney to Hobart classic ocean yacht race.

From a lightweight structures viewpoint we have the extensive roof structures at the cricket. Also the fast sailing machines with their composite lightweight hulls, prestressed tensile rigging, tensioned fabric sails precisely cut to give a form to generate maximum driving force.

In recent years we have twin rudders and canting keels to maximize the functions of these appendages and in doing so further reduce the weight of the boats.

Some of the super-maxis have very large beams to enhance the planning ability and effects of the crew as ballast. 

Tags: Boxing Dayyachtsailingcricketstadiumroof