Sail Townsville - QLD Tasar titles –it’s a family affair

by Sail Townsville Media on 25 Aug 2013 When a baby is on the way, anxious husbands keep mobile phones handy and today, Home Hill sugar cane farmer Aaron Linton, with mobile phone in his sailing jacket, with his second child scheduled to arrive tomorrow was on the water, expecting a call at any moment.

He managed to concentrate enough to take the lead from the 14 boat fleet on the first day of the Queensland Taser championship, being sailed out of Townsville Sailing Club, the first event sailing in the inaugural Sail Townsville regatta.

Postcard sailor conditions for the first race, the northeasterly sea breeze was in, the race started in eight knots and finished in 10.

Starting just above the pin, with good boat speed Aaron Linton and his crew Hannah O´Brien led for most of the race but Linton´s sister Renee Cordingly (nee Linton) sailing with husband Robert, had strong upwind speed particularly they would have probably won race one of the series, if it had been another 50 metres longer, they closed up five lengths in the last few hundred metres and were only bested by a length.

Renee and Rob won the second race, sailed in a steady ten knots, just two lengths ahead of Aaron. Peter and Angus McGregor, the 2007, 2010 and 2013 Queensland Tasar champions were third place just two boat lengths back, they had led at the top mark but were passed on the reach.

By the third race, the wind had lifted a little a went 10 degrees right. Aaron won by just 10 seconds, from Renee, they had broken away from the McGregors, almost a minute back.

Aaron has sailed in three Tasar Australian championships, he has finished second twice and third. Today his sister Renee, younger by three and half years showed that the series will be close.

Aaron commented 'Yes, we were getting a bit tight towards the end. Renee and Rob kept coming for us and we had to hike harder and harder. It was a good breeze and there were a fair few shifts and quite a bit of current here as well.

'My crew Hanna did really well, this is our first regatta together in a Tasar. Hopefully they won’t put us under too much pressure again.

'If the phone doesn’t ring and the wife hasn’t gone into labour, we think we can take out these titles, though it will be very close. But our second child is due tomorrow but I hope she keeps her legs crossed until Monday.'

Renee said. 'This series is not over yet. In the first race we got stuck behind a couple of boats and showed we had better speed. Tomorrow is going to be very interesting.'