The Irish connection

by Rob Kothe on 28 Aug 2005 Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island on Queensland's Great Barrier Reef is a focus for sailors around the world. Of the ten international boats competing, Ireland, London, Hong Kong, the Netherlands and Scotland are represented by one yacht apiece, while New Zealand has a strong contingent of five yachts, headed by the latest of Neville Crichton’s Alfa Romeos.

This week 43 year old Irish twin brothers were enjoying Race week. Jeff Condell from Limerick, was sailing on Gerald O'Rourke’s rocketship Chieftain and Sydney based Lee Condell, on the Sydney 38 One Design, Easy Tiger.

The Condell twins started sailing at age nine, in Kerry on the west coast of Ireland, in their holidays. Their home club is in Limerick, the Iniscealtra Sailing Club (Gaelic for Holy Ireland) but they have raced extensively with the Royal Cork club. Founded in 1720 and the oldest Yacht Club in the world, this club is known worldwide as host to the biennial Cork Week Regatta.

Jeff lived in Peth from 1990-1992. Lee came out, visited his brother, and decided the Australian weather and sunlight were for right him. Lee initially worked with Sydney Yachts, before another stint back in the UK with Ancasta Boat Brokerage and then came back to Sydney to partner Ron Jacobs at Performance Boating Sales in Sydney. PBS are Sydney Yachts and Jeanneau agents and specialist racing boat and cruiser-racer boat brokers.

The brothers last sailed together in the Pittwater to Coffs Harbour race in 1993 and have enjoyed the opportunity to spend time together at this Hamilton Island regatta.

Jeff Condell sailed with O’Rourke on his RSK9 skiff before the Irish property developer, the founder of the high profile Celtic tiger Chieftain Constructions, bought Chieftain.

Yesterday sailing right on the edge, the Chieftain crew blasted their canting keel Cookson 50 to South Molle ahead of the entire fleet, except for Alfa Romeo and Wild Joe.

Jeff commented last night, ‘We absolutely love it here. This is just a great regatta. We are all very pleased; we were fifth overall, behind the four Reichel Pugh’s.'

While Jeff is just having a sailing holiday, Lee is combining fun in the sun and work. He was delighted that three Performance Boating clients they have been supporting this week, swept the podium in the cruising division at Hamilton Island Race Week.

All three of these yachts happen to be navy blue with smart teak decks and are highly equipped for cruising with air-conditioning and other modern conveniences.

Bob Maidment’s Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 45.2 Le Bateau, won with consistently high results, while Michael Milne came second in his Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 52.2 Jamata, joking that the icemaker he fitted since last year's event may have made the difference.

Locally based Jeanneau 54 Deck-Saloon Rex, owned by Greg Maguire, followed third.

‘This is a great result for Jeanneau who pride themselves on producing offshore cruising yachts that sail well and these results certainly prove that', Lee Condell remarked last evening.

‘A number of other Jeanneau owners wish to make the trip North from Sydney for next year.’

In the meantime business partner Ron Jacobs is celebrating the win by the new Sydney 47 Jem, owned by John and Deborah Balderstone, incidentally also a navy blue yacht with teak decks which won the Premier Cruising Division, while it’s sistership Steve and Mary Chiodo’s Gomez, came in third.

Jacobs, who founded Performance Boating in Sydney, has won Hahn Premium Race Week more times than any other sailor. Many sailors, including this writer, consider him to be the best racing tactician in Australia.

Jacobs was all smiles last night. ‘It's been another great week and with the twin brothers here it's been fun paying out on Lee. He says the Australian sun is why he looks about five years older than his twin brother, but we know the truth.’