2014 Audi Hamilton Island Race Week - Painting pink

by Laura McKee on 21 Aug 2014 2014 Audi Hamilton Island Race Week - Among the 182 competing yachts and nearly 2,000 sailors at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week there are a host of reasons for being at one of the country’s premier regattas for multihulls and monohulls through to sports and classic boats.

The majority of crews out to make their mark on the results sheet or enjoy the festivities and annual reunion with sailing friends. The crew of the 39-foot yacht called Jazz Player - Think Pink Foundation from Melbourne are campaigning in the Whitsundays this week, August 16-23, 2014, for a very different reason.

The Bakewell-White Z39 Think Pink is being raced over the six-day pointscore series by crew of nine dedicated to spreading the word about the Think Pink Foundation and the Living Centre, which aims to improve the wellbeing of women with breast cancer.

Owner/skipper Andrew Lawrence is a director of radiology at a Melbourne Hospital. Having worked for 25 years in the field he knows firsthand the devastating affect breast cancer can have on the sufferer and their family.

'You see all sides of cancer,' he said. 'Country and city women go through a pretty traumatic time and can’t work, they have marriage issues. There’s a centre in Melbourne called the Living Centre that picks up the pieces and provides emotional, practical and physical support. It started in New York 14 years ago and we want to nationalise it.'

The idea to brand a boat and use it to raise awareness started when the crew met a sailor who had a double mastectomy two years ago. The Think Pink logo adorns both sides of the hull in large pink letters.

This year’s 31st edition of Race Week is Jazz Player - Think Pink’s first time competing. The decade-old boat has raced in five Sydney Hobarts, won a Melbourne to Hobart on handicap and finished second on handicap in the Melbourne to Vanuatu ocean race.

'We are from various walks of life,' Lawrence said. The crew are mostly amateurs and Lawrence’s son Matthew is the navigator. They are keeping a close eye on the main threats in IRC division two so far; Adelaide based Secret Mens Business and David Currie and Bruce Taylor’s Victorian Caprice 40, Chutzpah.

Light winds dominated the first half of the regatta but looking at the forecast fresher conditions are ahead, particularly on Saturday, the final day of racing.

German luxury brand Audi is back for the ninth year at Audi Hamilton Island Race Week in 2014. Audi and the sport of sailing go hand in hand and throughout Audi Hamilton Island Race Week the brand will host a range of events and activities on the island for yacht owners, yacht crews and guests to enjoy.

For more information, please click here.