Record fleet for 21st.Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week

by Rob Kothe on 7 Aug 2004 A giant 21st for Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week, with a new fleet record of 185 boats this year. four more than in 2001.

Race Director Warwick Hoban reported that he received the final entry for this years series, Shane Kearn’s Mumm 36 Komatsu A Few Good Men just minutes before close off on Friday afternoon.

Twelve Big Boats, the best assembled in the Regatta’s history with the two 98 footers Skandia and Konica Minolta to meet for the first time on short courses.

The quality of this Big Boat fleet is amazing, Resort owners Bob Oatley with his Admirals Cup winning Wild Oats, will be battling against Chairman of the Board Sandy Oatley on last years Big Boat IRC Champion Another Duchess. Determined to beat them boat is the other Admirals Cup winner Colin O’Neil who will have Aftershock seriously on song. Dick Cawse with his new Vanguard 60 will be keen to spoil the party.

Sixteen entries in the IRC Racing fleet, with Bob Steel’s Quest, again the form boat after her Sydney to Southport win. Graeme Troon’s Reichel Pugh 46 XLR8 will be keen to impress and Bob Robertson’s brand new Bavaria Match 42 Monkey Magic is likely to be a handful under handicap.

Only nine boats in the Sydney 38 fleet, their National titles are at Skandia Geelong Week in January, hence the drop in numbers, but this fleet is all quality. Lou Abrahams Another Challenge, Wayne Kirkpatrick’s Asylum on her home turf, Leon Christianakis’ Cydon will be the most likely suspects.

Thirteen boats in the performance Handicap fleet There are a couple of wild one’s here, watch out for Hicks 9.4 Zutem and Jon Sayer’s Team FGI.

The five Classic boats will be much photographed, Koomooloo, Misha, Sundowner and Fair Winds

Premier Cruising, a very strong class, with 22 competitors. The new Sydney 47 Cruiser Racer, Steve and Mary Chiodo’s Gomez will be facing a Beneteau barrage with nine 47.7’s, a 44.7 and a 57, and then there is Brendan Hunt’s mothership the Wauquiez Centurion 45.

IRC Cruising, with a fleet of seventeen including the last Sydney to Hobart winner Mr. Beak’s Ribs (It was First National on Boxing Day last). Doing battle with three Beneteau 40.7’s will be the first of the new Sydney Yachts Sydney 39 Cruiser-Racers John Bacon’s Hussey.

An amazing ninety-one boats in the Cruising Yacht division, what a start line that will be. Creatures great and small, Marissa, Oyster 68 In the Mood, Spider 28 Moondance, then Moodshadow, the Dashew 62 from California, the tiny Sonata 8 Nessie is back again, Swans Elans, Jeanneau, Bavaria’s, Beneteau’s.

The Regatta Director, Warwick Hoban is anticipating a fun regatta
‘We’ve saved our best year for our 21st. The record fleet, just as well we have 39 more berths this year. The Olympic regatta, the lot, its going to be a great event.

To celebrate our 21st Hahn Premium Hamilton Island Race Week, we are going to have a new Friday night function, called ‘Dinner on the dock’ Its Mardi Gras night and we are encouraging crews to have dinner on their boats, we will have food vendors on each marina arm, a floating Jazz band and fire-works. It’s going to be a seriously great party.’

Sail-World will as always be providing major coverage of the 2004 Regatta, with news, interviews, results, and images.

www.sail-world.com/hamilton2004

During Hamilton Island Race Week, Sail-World will be covering the Olympic Regatta, with yachting media doyen, Bob Ross reporting from Athens.

Register now for all the latest sailing news on www.sail-world.com

Or for the text only version go to www.sail-world.com/newstext