Audi Hamilton Island Race Week - Rock stars of sea take to catwalk

by Fran Burke on 24 Aug 2014 Audi Hamilton Island Race Week 2014 - Rock stars from both on and off the water came together this week for the Australian launch of Henri Lloyd’s Spring Summer 2014 Lifestyle and Marine collection during Audi Hamilton Island Race Week. The event has grown to be a major highlight on the regatta’s event calendar and again this year the Henri Lloyd team did not disappoint.

Held down on main stage Front Street Hamilton Island, the eagerly anticipated parade drew a huge crowd that seemed to never end as watchers took up best positions from the front row all the way up to the top levels of the Marina Tavern. Nic Douglas, champion sailor and blogger of 'Adventures of a sailor girl', emceed the evening looking stunning in the new season Henri Lloyd Julie Colour Block Dress.

And who better to take to the runway to represent an authentic nautical heritage brand, Henri Lloyd, than the regatta’s very own competing sailors who were represented across all divisions and from many different boats. The absolutely gorgeous ‘salty’ sailors to walk the runway were selected through a search by Henri Lloyd for Australia's Hottest Sailors. And what a search it was! Henri Lloyd reported that it was their biggest response ever from authentic sailors to take to the catwalk for the now famous event.

Max Davies, extreme guitarist, kicked off the parade with a high energy set that showed incredible skill and reverberated across the marina. It was timed perfectly with extreme sailing footage from Henri Lloyd’s adventures across the globe in the past year including from the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and America’s Cup challenger BAR Racing that features Henri Lloyd’s very own ambassador and gold medallist Ben Ainslie. Groans of awe and understanding could be heard among the crowd as the sailors on screen took a battering from large ocean seas.

From extreme music to high performance marine wear, the Henri Lloyd parade launched off as the sailors took to the runway. Stylist Susana Morado Paz teamed bright coloured fabric leg wraps with Henri Lloyd’s S/S 2014 collection, beautifully presenting the current worldwide trend of maritime chic teamed with Henri Lloyd’s signature classic nautical style. The female sailor’s makeup look was fresh and flirty with highlighted skin, bright red lips, and sleeked back hair in a wet to dry look that oozed style hot off the summer catwalks. The male sailors rocked a slick wet hair look with side part that definitely took them from salty to sexy.

The first exits brought huge cheers as two bare chested sailors off 'Lee-way' just in swim shorts took to the runway, followed in cheeky style by a striped bikini clad babe. Sailors in bright pops of solar, emerald and morning cloud blues rocked the runway with huge smiles and even bigger personalities.

Rauri McClellan from 'Spirit of Mateship' poured champagne into glasses of lucky front rowers and then busted out some push ups. Wulf Wilkens and Josh McKnight from 'Team Hooligan' delighted the crowd in sharp shirted outfits. Harrison Mann, sailing on 'Bundaburg', celebrated his birthday that day on the catwalk and Sarah Lawton from 'Silver Minx' illustrated why she had been chosen as one of Australia’s hottest sailors.

Stripes, stripes and more stripes of all varieties rocked the runway. This was followed by sailors adorned in the latest from the Henri Lloyd marine technical range including the innovative first to market Elite Offshore Jacket and Hi-fits – very fitting models from Wild Oats XI, Team Ginger and the mischievous but very fun guys, Sam and Joe, from Envy Scooters Melges32 who wore the gear with ease and style showing us how it’s done.

The parade ended with excitement as extreme guitarist Max Davies lead out all 31 sailors, now famed models, for a huge finale and even bigger cheers of support and pure enjoyment from the large crowd. Nerves aside, the sailors seemed to glow with pride and a new level of ego.

To round off the evening, Josh Whitaker from Wild Oats XI drew the winner of the competition to win a limited edition Henri Lloyd Wild Oats kit that included a Wild Oats logoed jacket, polo, cap and bag from Henri Lloyd.

It was a night of rock stars all round and has definitely confirmed the event as a major highlight of Audi Hamilton Island Race Week.