2015 Airlie Beach Race Week- One Perfect Day

by Di Pearson on 8 Aug 2015 The sun was on full beam, and a lovely breeze built to 15 knots for the opening day of the Whitsunday Sailing Club’s 26th Airlie Beach Race Week, making it a perfect day out, as all sailors attested to on coming ashore this afternoon.

Ray ‘Hollywood’ Roberts turned up the heat with his Farr 55 OneSails Racing, defeating Matt Allen’s TP52, Ichi Ban in IRC Racing Division One. The Sydney yachts both have the same handicap, but this is the first time Allen has skippered the former Shogun V in race mode since purchasing it recently.

The two boats were literally match raced around the Passage Race that took in Double Cones and Armit Islands. The entire 108 boats competing across 10 classes were sent on a Passage Race that varied from 23 to 30 nautical miles.

OneSails Racing made the best of the start in Division One. “We got a good break and on the first leg up to Double Cones we got away from Ichi Ban and the rest of the fleet more,” Roberts said this afternoon.

“Ichi Ban made a better sail selection at the back of the island and closed in on us and by the time we were around Armit, we were in a loose tacking duel,” the Sydney yachtsman confirmed.

“We tried to gas them to keep them behind us, and then we got a little jump towards the end, but they kept the pressure on to the finish. It was fun but very challenging,” he said.

Having been away racing in Asia for some years, Roberts has not been to Airlie Beach Race Week for a long time.

“Stunning racing and beautiful scenery – a great regatta. Shame I had to go straight back to work while the crew partied on,” he ended.

Two-time Sydney Hobart winner, Bob Steel tested his new Quest, a Matt 1180 and finished an impressive third to OneSails and Ichi Ban. Quest will be worth watching tomorrow when Race Director, Denis Thompson, sends IRC Racing Divisions One and Two to windward/leeward racing, while the rest of the fleet will undertake a Passage Race.

In IRC Racing Division Two, Jason Close’s Archambault 31, More Noise (Qld), came up with the goods in Division Two, defeating Roger Hickman’s 2014 Sydney Hobart winner, Wild Rose (NSW), by 22 seconds.

Rob Curtis, skipper of Kerazy, the Ker 11.3 one-design he owns with Glenn Tailby, may have finished fifth in Division Two, but said it was a beautiful day’s sail and felt the boat and crew had sailed well.

“The wind was a bit light on at the start and we thought we’d take the tide into consideration, so went to the right of the course, but the reality was, it came down to breeze,” Curtis, from the Northern Beaches in Sydney admitted.

“Our crew work was good. We shot up the asymmetrical, as the tide was still south, and ran off to Double Cones – a long leg. The breeze filled in going to the Cones, up to 15 knots.

“We’ve still got Wild Rose in our sights, but in the meantime, we paced with Tulip (Bernie van’t Hof’s Swan 45), but when we got around Armit, 45 feet got the better of 37 feet,” he said laughing.

In news from other classes, Chris Williams sailed Morticia to a near five minute win over Andrew Stransky’s Fantasia in the Multihull Racing class, while John Rae skippered Vivace to a three minute victory over Graham Sherring’s Stay Tuned in the Sports Boats.

Drew Carruthers sailed Runaway to a win from Paul Bunn’s Christine in Cruising Division One, while Graham Furtado had the goods in Division Two, sailing Frantic to a win over Sandor Tornai’s Skeeter. Division three was won by Derek Foley’s Wicked, with Greg Hudson’s Salty Dog second.

After losing the keel on his Rumgutz in the opening race last year, Peter Harrison was rewarded with a win In the Cruising Non-Spinnaker division aboard his new boat Awesome. Seems the name is working for him.

Racing in the Tropical Festival of Sails continues tomorrow on Pioneer Bay.

Results:

IRC Div1 results Start : 11:00

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Skipper	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Score	Fin Tim	From
1	ONESAILS RACING	AUS8899	Ray Roberts	03:38:20	1.407	05:07:12	1.0	14:38:20	CYCA
2	ICHI BAN	AUS001	Matt Allen	03:39:24	1.407	05:08:42	2.0	14:39:24	CYCA
3	QUEST	7075	Bob Steel	04:25:12	1.182	05:13:28	3.0	15:25:12	RPAYC
4	ZEN	64221	Gordon Ketelbey	04:35:03	1.167	05:20:59	4.0	15:35:03	MHYC
5	THE GOAT	421	Sebastion Bohm Bruce	04:15:27	1.264	05:22:53	5.0	15:15:27	CYCA
6	HARTBREAKER	B330	Alan Breidahl	04:29:52	1.279	05:45:10	6.0	15:29:52	RBYC

IRC Div2 results Start : 11:05

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Skipper	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Score	Fin Tim	From
1	MORE NOISE	SM3131	Jason Close	03:48:58	0.994	03:47:36	1.0	14:53:58	SYC
2	WILD ROSE	4343	Roger Hickman	03:37:32	1.048	03:47:58	2.0	14:42:32	CYCA
3	THEPHILOSOPHERS CLUB	MH20	Peter Sorensen	03:37:22	1.057	03:49:45	3.0	14:42:22	MHYC
4	TULIP	SYD8	Bernie Van'T Hof	03:15:20	1.178	03:50:06	4.0	14:20:20	CYCA
5	KERAZY	11044	R Curtis G Tailby	03:22:38	1.159	03:54:51	5.0	14:27:38	RPAYC
6	BOTANY ACCESS COCOMO	5845	Justin Brownbill	03:47:48	1.037	03:56:14	6.0	14:52:48	MHYC
7	B52	B52	Daniel Farmer	03:31:55	1.125	03:58:24	7.0	14:36:55	RQYS
8	DEKADENCE	RQ432	Stephanie Kerin	03:40:20	1.183	04:20:39	8.0	14:45:20	RQYS

IRC results Start : 11:10

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Skipper	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Score	Fin Tim	From
1	LEE-WAY	135	Tony Horkings	03:46:38	1.017	03:50:29	1.0	14:56:38	SYC
2	TRUMPCARD	1986	Blake Boulton	03:42:46	1.069	03:58:08	2.0	14:52:46	QCYC
3	OCEAN AFFINITY	RQ64	Stewart Lewis	03:11:44	1.247	03:59:06	3.0	14:21:44	RQYS
4	CARBON CREDITS	6669	Trevor Bailey	03:36:57	1.115	04:01:54	4.0	14:46:57	RQYS
5	PONYO	6838	David Currie	03:30:29	1.155	04:03:06	5.0	14:40:29	HIYC
6	HASTA LA VISTA	M25	Mark Jacobsen	03:45:50	1.101	04:08:39	6.0	14:55:50	SCYC
7	TILT	4913	Peter Cretan	03:22:25	1.247	04:12:25	7.0	14:32:25	RYCT
8	EUREKA 11	6037	Mal Robertson	03:26:25	1.260	04:20:05	8.0	14:36:25	MYC

EHC Div1 results Start : 11:30

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Skipper	Score	Fin Tim
1	RUNAWAY	B101	03:20:34	0.961	03:12:45	Drew Carruthers	1.0	14:50:34
2	CHRISTINE	S77	03:32:52	0.915	03:14:46	Paul Bunn	2.0	15:02:52
3	WHALEWATCHINGSYDNEY	202	03:19:42	0.979	03:15:30	Charles Wallis	3.0	14:49:42
4	HELSAL3	262	03:07:46	1.050	03:17:09	Rob Fisher	4.0	14:37:46
5	BELLE	SM700	03:10:12	1.055	03:20:40	Doug Painter	5.0	14:40:12
6	BUNDABERG	G16	03:43:17	0.904	03:21:51	John Kint	6.0	15:13:17
7	ANOTHER FIASCO	Q999	03:31:16	0.973	03:25:34	Damian Suckling	7.0	15:01:16
8	BEDFORDCA THREE CS	B45	04:02:27	0.857	03:27:47	Charles Cupit	8.0	15:32:27
9	CHANTILLY	R56	04:06:45	0.860	03:32:12	Timothy Dutton	9.0	15:36:45
10	CHARM OFFENSIVE	R83	03:54:04	0.914	03:33:56	James Permezel	10.0	15:24:04
11	KATE	R53	03:47:18	0.955	03:37:04	John Raff	11.0	15:17:18
12	HOLY COW!	6797	04:00:44	0.904	03:37:37	John & Kim Clinton	12.0	15:30:44
13	SILVER LINING	SM1155	04:04:19	0.905	03:41:06	Andrew McGrath	13.0	15:34:19
14	CONDOR	KB80	03:40:51	1.010	03:43:04	David Molloy	14.0	15:10:51
15	WITCHY WOMAN	777	03:59:36	0.940	03:45:13	Ian Griffiths	15.0	15:29:36
16	VANILLA	BOW17	04:28:15	0.840	03:45:20	Fred Heavey	16.0	15:58:15
17	LE COCHON NOIR V	NA	04:08:38	0.950	03:56:12	Roman Guerra	17.0	15:38:38

EHC Div2 results Start : 11:35

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Skipper	Score	Fin Tim
1	FRANTIC.	M161	03:37:55	0.895	03:15:02	Graham Furtado	1.0	15:12:55
2	SKEETER	9997	03:31:45	0.925	03:15:52	Sandor Tornai	2.0	15:06:45
3	DEHLER MAGIC	633	03:46:17	0.885	03:20:16	Charlie Preen	3.0	15:21:17
4	PACIFIC PHOENIX	4054	04:12:25	0.801	03:22:11	Alan Sneddon	4.0	15:47:25
5	TWISTER	W407	03:49:34	0.882	03:22:29	Kevin Fogarty	5.0	15:24:34
6	HUAHINE	RQ300	03:52:05	0.880	03:24:14	Nick Smail	6.0	15:27:05
7	MATANGI	5350	03:59:13	0.863	03:26:27	Dave Turnbull	7.0	15:34:13
8	TRUE LOVE	999	03:52:43	0.890	03:27:07	Roger Down	8.0	15:27:43
9	RIFF RAFF	W440	04:19:08	0.800	03:27:18	Dan White Nicole Abb	9.0	15:54:08
10	WOBBLY BOOT	640	04:01:14	0.863	03:28:11	Craig Piccinelli	10.0	15:36:14
11	RUN RUN RUN	SM2800	04:02:36	0.865	03:29:51	Paul Jackson	11.0	15:37:36
12	ELLA	5432	03:59:50	0.884	03:32:01	N/C Cox/Thomas	12.0	15:34:50
13	CROSSBOW	142	04:09:12	0.870	03:36:48	David Lund	13.0	15:44:12
14	FARGO	361	04:39:51	0.780	03:38:17	Keith McGuire	14.0	16:14:51
15	KICKATINALONG	1317	04:13:56	0.905	03:49:49	Graeme Poole	15.0	15:48:56
16	SLINGSHOT	L1	04:12:13	0.925	03:53:18	Neil Hamilton	16.0	15:47:13
17	LAHARA	A121	05:32:11	0.780	04:19:06	Mike Warner	17.0	17:07:11

EHC Div3 results Start : 11:40

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Skipper	Score	Fin Tim
1	WICKED	326	03:10:15	0.795	02:31:15	Derek Foley	1.0	14:50:15
2	SALTYDOG	305	03:38:32	0.705	02:34:04	Greg Hudson	2.0	15:18:32
3	LE ROSSIGNOL	SM168	03:14:51	0.795	02:34:54	Peter McKenzie	3.0	14:54:51
4	GONE TOO FARR	SB7500	03:45:01	0.708	02:39:19	Ronda Brown	4.0	15:25:01
5	SYNCHRONICITY	8001	03:21:06	0.805	02:41:53	Tom Parker	5.0	15:01:06
6	KAMERUKA	8035	03:21:32	0.805	02:42:14	Bob Beale	6.0	15:01:32
7	HEY JUDE	876	03:36:45	0.750	02:42:34	Stan White	7.0	15:16:45
8	UNTAMED	8	03:32:06	0.770	02:43:19	John Parkes	8.0	15:12:06
9	CHECKMATE	158	03:45:30	0.725	02:43:29	Don Bowden	9.0	15:25:30
10	ROSSGO	SA142	03:27:33	0.795	02:45:00	Greg Hammon	10.0	15:07:33
11	HARMONY	MB2	03:38:58	0.795	02:54:05	Roger Guest	11.0	15:18:58

EHC results Start : 11:45

Place	Boat Name	Sail No	Skipper	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Score	Fin Tim
1	AWESOME	HI5	Peter Harrison	03:01:42	1.000	03:01:42	1.0	14:46:42
2	TRUE COLOURS	6731	Geoff Adams	03:11:06	0.970	03:05:22	2.0	14:56:06
3	ANTHEA	W1	Dewi Hughes	03:15:04	0.963	03:07:51	3.0	15:00:04
4	SERENDIPITY	271	Roger Boast	03:36:18	0.870	03:08:11	4.0	15:21:18
5	QMS	771	John Galloway	03:00:36	1.077	03:14:30	5.0	14:45:36
6	SUNRISE	W677	Jeff & Helen Shipsey	03:20:12	0.975	03:15:12	6.0	15:05:12
7	ELUSIVE	R6608	Rick Pacey	03:03:34	1.100	03:21:55	7.0	14:48:34
8	FORTUNA	E2041	Greg Elliott	02:52:35	1.210	03:28:50	8.0	14:37:35
9	KARM	B48	Ray Nankervis	03:49:25	0.990	03:47:07	9.0	15:34:25

SMS results Start : 11:55

Place	Sail No	Boat Name	From	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Skipper	Score	Design
1	B1	VIVACE	MYC	02:21:55	0.907	02:08:43	John Rae	1.0	Bethwaite 79er
2	L650	STAY TUNED	SYC	02:42:09	0.813	02:11:50	Graham Sherring	2.0	Leech 650
3	AUS200	VIPER QLD	SYC	02:52:37	0.778	02:14:18	Noel Leigh-Smith	3.0	Viper 640
4	7504	THE DUCKS NUTS	SOPYC	02:39:26	0.859	02:16:57	Mitch De Vries	4.0	Msp7500
5	658	CRANK	RQYS	02:31:23	0.907	02:17:18	Andrew Wiklund	5.0	Egan 7
6	7002	MISTER MAGOO	RQYS	02:53:46	0.805	02:19:53	Jason Ruckert	6.0	Thompson 7

OMR results Start : 11:15

Place	Sail No	Boat Name	From	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Skipper	Score	Design
1	3002	MORTICIA	RMYC	03:25:10	1.012	03:27:38	Chris Williams	1.0	Lombard Tri
2	641	FANTASIA	MYCQ	04:12:17	0.841	03:32:10	Andrew Stransky	2.0	Seven Seas 50
3	M165	MOJO	MYCQ	04:01:23	0.892	03:35:19	Peter Wilcox	3.0	Schionninggforce1500
4	V2	APC MAD MAX	MYCV	03:29:37	1.042	03:38:25	George Owen	4.0	Grainger 10
5	M1480	RENAISSANCE	MYCQ	04:38:32	0.792	03:40:36	Mike Hodges	5.0	Schionning Waterline
6	SA532	CARBON CREDIT	RSAYS	03:47:36	0.979	03:42:49	Peter Hawker	6.0	F32srcx
7	N888	THE BOAT WORKS	NYRC	04:05:43	0.933	03:49:15	Julian Griffiths	7.0	Grainger 9.5m
8	BFC55	BAREFOOT	CYC	04:08:53	0.933	03:52:12	Warren Innes	8.0	Grainger
9	WH3801	J'OUVERT	RMYC	04:41:52	0.837	03:55:55	Stephen Barton	9.0	Pescott Whitehaven 1
10	339	QUICK SKIPS	WSC	04:38:09	0.851	03:56:42	Peter Millar	10.0	Farrier F9rx
11	N11	TWO UP TOGETHER	RMYC	05:08:18	0.772	03:58:00	Justin Grunwald	11.0	Crowther 50
12	V3	BARE ESSENTIALS	MYCV	04:02:12	0.983	03:58:05	Tim Pepperell	12.0	Grainger
13	SA432	CROSSHAIR	RSAYS	04:01:19	0.989	03:58:40	Gerald Valk	13.0	Farrier F32 Srcx
14	WH1093	COOL CHANGE	MYC	05:28:23	0.742	04:03:40	Bob Critchley	14.0	Pescott Whitehaven 1
15	449	DUX NUTTS	RSAYS	04:25:02	0.922	04:04:22	Peter Boyd	15.0	Grainger 8.0
16	PC101	NO PROBLEM	PCSC	05:29:06	0.789	04:19:40	Ray Hobbs	16.0	Schooning Waterline
17	W111	SIROCCO	WSC	05:09:40	0.860	04:26:19	M Arthur	17.0	Grainger 075

EHC results Start : 11:50

Place	Sail No	Boat Name	From	Elapsd	AHC	Cor'd T	Skipper	Score	Design
1	SM777	TYEE III	SYC	02:55:37	0.695	02:02:03	John Williams	1.0	Catana 431
2	M321	KESTREL	MYCQ	02:45:49	0.862	02:22:56	Richard Jenkins	2.0	Jenkins
3	MYS09	MISTY SEA	EFYC	03:16:55	0.730	02:23:45	David Davenport	3.0	Montebello 12.5
4	BOW2	MON AMIE	WSC	03:59:59	0.621	02:29:02	Fiona Kermeen	4.0	Fontaine Pajot Levez
5	B112	A WHITER SHADE OF PA	RBYC	04:01:27	0.685	02:45:24	Roger Jepson	5.0	Farrier 41