Double Sydney Hobart winner set for Magnetic Island Race Week 2013

by Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week media on 19 Jun 2013 One of Australia´s most successful big boat sailors and tourism industry scion, the dual Sydney to Hobart winner Bob Steel has entered his 52 footer Quest in the 2013 SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week. Steel won the 2002 and 2008 Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Races, the first with his Nelson Marek 46 footer Quest and the second of those with the boat he will be sailing on Cleveland Bay, the big TP52 Quest.

Steel has a great offshore record and has also had great success on the regatta circuit.

He was named the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Ocean Racer of the Year in 2003 following that 2002 Rolex Sydney Hobart win and in the same year was named Australian IRC Offshore Champion.

A very strong supporter of the Northern series he has been a multiple winner at Hamilton Island Race Week and this winter he is once again heading north for the Queensland Season of Sailing, but this time he will be having more adventures.

He explained ‘My program for this year is bigger than we´d had for many years.

‘We will be racing north at the end of July in the Sydney to Southport race then we are going to take her up to Airlie Beach.

‘I did Airlie Beach Race Week a number of years ago and its a good regatta, That will be a bit of fun.

‘Then we are heading further north for our first ever Magnetic Island Race Week.

‘Major regattas are important for the tourism industry and Townsville and Magnetic are building a regatta so we should get up there and give them a bit of a hand.

‘I have been to Magnetic Island numbers of times in my travel industry days. It is a lovely spot and we are expecting great sailing, we aim to relax and have a fun time.

And then with a straight face Steel added ’And of course there is Cane Toad racing with all the side betting. That’s where I hope to make up the expenses for the trip. ‘

‘After Magnetic, the trade winds are turning hopefully for the sake of our delivery crew because it’s just two weeks until the second race in the CYCA´s Blue water series, back in Sydney. (The Bird Island Race.) That series starts each year with the Sydney Southport and finishes with the Sydney Hobart race. And we will do the two TP 52 regattas in Sydney.

‘The boats in good shape, we have new carbon rigging and were have gone to the square top main and lots of new sails so we show be quite competitive this year.

‘Then I will probably do the Hobart. It will be Greenie’s (Mike Green – a long time Quest principal helmsman) 35th Hobart. His old man did 35. Greenie has said that he would retire after this year so he does not beat his old man. So it’s a full campaign.

‘Right now we are all looking forward to heading north for some warm water sailing.‘

Eligible boats shall enter online soon via the event website.
Click here for Online Entry
Click here to view NOR.
Sealink Magnetic Island Race Week website