Please select your home edition
Edition
J Composites J/99

Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race - Beau Geste arrives in town

by Di Pearson RSHYR media on 22 Dec 2013
Beau Geste has arrived in Sydney ready to take on the Rolex Sydney Hobart 2013 Darren McManaway
Every Rolex Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race 2013 competitor aiming for line honours and overall glory has been waiting to see the new boat, Beau Geste. She has arrived in town and sailing master Gavin Brady warns 'We’ve arrived ready and probably more prepared than anyone else.'

Beau Geste, the 80 foot Botin design that everyone is talking about, was ordered by Hong Kong business identity, Karl Kwok, following the near-demise of his previous Beau Geste.

Brady and the Rolex Sydney Hobart race crew, minus Kwok, sailed the yacht from New Zealand into Sydney Harbour last evening after leaving Auckland on Tuesday. Brady was bemused when people questioned: 'What took you so long?'

The Kiwi sailor, whose resume includes five America’s Cups, 10 Hobarts and Volvo Ocean Races and match racing titles, said: 'We didn’t deliver the boat to Sydney for the race, we raced the 1400 nautical miles here – that’s two and a half Hobarts,' he said of the Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s annual 628 nautical mile race.

'We are probably the most prepared yacht entered in the race.'

'We tested everything; our watch systems, sail changes, we put reefs in the main, shook them out, we did everything we would normally do racing a boat, down to getting the milk right in people’s tea.'

Brady also reminded us that he and owner/skipper Karl Kwok have sailed together so long: 'We can read each other like a book, we have our communication down pat; things like our terminology. And with Steve Hayles in the nav station – the three of us, along with the rest of the crew, are ready,' he said.

'Quite frankly, we’re ready and we’re confident. We got half way here, and in the Tasman the wind died, then it picked up. So we did windward leewards. One minute we were pointing at New Caledonia, the next at Hobart. It was the perfect practice. It was open-ocean and no wind shifts. It doesn’t get any better than that.'

Brady said that owners should take advantage of racing from their home port to Sydney for the start, just as the Beau Geste crew has done, 'because that’s the best preparation you can do for the race.'

Beau Geste arrived in Australia with no damage on her maiden voyage. 'The worst that happened to us was hitting a sunfish 20 minutes into our voyage – hopefully it was the last one. We left it with a headache,' Brady said.

Asked what his hopes for the Rolex Sydney Hobart are, Brady said, 'I hope when I look back after the race, standing at Constitution Dock in Hobart that I’ll be able to say, ‘We did the best preparation possible and it paid off.'
Armstrong 728x90 - HA Foil Range - BOTTOM2024 fill-in (bottom)C-Tech 2021 (Spars-QFX Racer) 728x90 BOTTOM

Related Articles

Clipper Race fleet set to arrive in Seattle
After taking on the North Pacific Ocean Over 170 non-professional sailors, including 25 Americans, are on board a fleet of eleven Clipper Race yachts currently battling it out in a race across the world's biggest ocean and heading for the Finish Line in Seattle.
Posted today at 5:12 pm
Alegre leads the search for every small gain
Going into 2024 52 Super Series season The first of the two new Botin Partners designed TP52s to be built for this 52 Super Series season, Andy Soriano's Alegre, is on course to make its racing debut at 52 Super Series Palma Vela Sailing Week.
Posted today at 4:43 pm
Trust A+T: Best in Class
Positive feedback from this Caribbean racing season Hugh Agnew recently sailed with SY Adela under Captain Greg Perkins in the Antigua Superyacht Challenge. They went on to win the Gosnell's Trophy - a great result.
Posted today at 3:00 pm
10 years of growth and international success
J/70 celebrates its 10th anniversary With nearly 1,900 hulls built and National Class Associations in 25 countries, the J/70 is the largest modern sport keelboat fleet in the world.
Posted today at 2:54 pm
America's Cup Defender christened "Taihiro"
Cup Defender named “To move swiftly as the sea between both sky and earth.” In a stirring ceremony, Iwi Ngati Whatua Orakei gifted and blessed the name ‘Taihiro' on the boat that Emirates Team NZ will sail in their defence of the 37th America's Cup. The launch event took place at the Team's base in Auckland's Wynyard Point.
Posted today at 1:35 pm
New Allen Topper Race Packs
Developed in collaboration with a handful of top sailors from the class The six packs have been developed in collaboration with a handful of top sailors from the Topper class over the last few seasons and the result is a selection of high-performance, easy-to-install packs which will help elevate your boat's performance.
Posted today at 11:25 am
Entry list grows ahead of Superyacht Cup Palma
New entries sign up for the Mallorcan festival of sail from 19 to 22 June With just two months to go to the start of Superyacht Cup Palma 2024 anticipation is growing as new entries sign up for the Mallorcan festival of sail from 19 to 22 June.
Posted today at 10:46 am
Lords of Tram Big Air Kite World Cup France day 3
Dominant performances from the Dutch pair of Pippa van Iersel and Jamie Overbeek The Dutch pair of Pippa van Iersel and Jamie Overbeek landed the win in the women's and men's events with dominant performances at the Lords of Tram GKA World Cup in Barcarès, southern France.
Posted today at 10:30 am
BWA Yachting joins forces with Sail Team BCN
The Spanish Challenger for the Unicredit Youth & Puig Women's America's Cup BWA Yachting is thrilled to announce the sponsorship of Sail Team BCN, the Spanish challenger for the Unicredit Youth & Puig Women's America's Cup.
Posted today at 7:07 am
More flexible? More durable? More comfortable?
Next Gen FlexForce offer the ultimate in versatility, comfort, durability and stretch Our Next Gen FlexForce wetsuit tops and long johns offer the ultimate in versatility, comfort, durability and stretch.
Posted on 17 Apr