Magnetic Island Race Week- welcome mat rolled out as fleet roll in

by Tracey Johnstone on 27 Aug 2014 The warm north Queensland welcome mat is out for the large monohull and multihull fleet competing in the eighth SeaLink Magnetic Island Race Week which starts tomorrow.

The fleet are arriving in early, gently slipping into their berths at Magnetic Island Marina and joining in the relaxed and welcoming dock chatter as old friends catch up and new friendships start.

The Race Week and Sail Townsville management teams met earlier in the day to discuss the week’s program. Leading the Race Week group is Regatta Director Denis Thompson. He is delighted by the size of the fleet completing this year and by the mix of performance and cruising boats. There are 15 boats from outside Queensland and 33 entrants that are first-timers to the regatta.

Townsville Sailing Club’s John Byrne is in charge of the Sail Townsville event which will host some 20 Kiteboarders competing in the second annual Kiteboarding Championship. The racing will be on Cleveland Bay providing a dramatic background to the big boat racing.

Townsville Yacht Club’s Commodore Tony Muller was happy today to hand over the Race Week reins to Thompson. Muller will for the third time be racing his own boat, Brava, in the Cruising Spinnaker Division. 'I have cast of thousands on board this year,' Muller joked. 'Actually, I have 10 crew who are mates of mine and their wives.'

Muller is satisfied the entry number this year, while not a record, is a satisfactory fleet size. He admits the venue is limited by its berth numbers with 60 or 70 boats about their maximum number.

'We always target 60 and I think we are at 56 or 57 this year.

'It’s a bit of a shame we don’t have more of the IRC or that top end racing division, but that being said, the Magnetic Island regatta is more about that production cruiser, bring your mates, bring your family. It’s that cruising division, with or without spinnaker, that fills 80 per cent of the fleet,' Muller said.

Muller is very sure the level of competition rarely varies between the top end IRC teams and the cruiser/racers. The later may arrive in town talking up the parties and stunning vista of Magnetic Island, but as soon as the first race day is over there is a noticeable change in tone around the dock. Just quietly, many of them have used that first day to size up their competition.

'Everybody, before the first day, say they are here to have a giggle. But, by the end of the first day, they are the first to be checking their results. Then they are all into it,' Muller said.

Back on shore the event management team have worked hard to broaden the event into one that encompasses the local community. 'We are trying to get sailing out to the broader community through the Sail Townsville initiative with the Magnetic Island Race Week still the premier event of the week.

'We have had great support from SeaLink, our major sponsor. That helps greatly as these events don’t happen without money. We also have had the support of Tourism and Events Queensland, Townsville City Council and Townsville Enterprise.

‘We want to keep building the event,' Muller said.

Tomorrow is registration day with racing to start on Friday 29th August and going through to Tuesday 2nd September.

The current forecast is for a week of pleasant south-easterly winds across the sparkling Cleveland Bay starting out at about 15 to 20 knots and softening off on Tuesday for a final light-air race day.

To follow the event, go www.magneticislandraceweek.com.au.