Big boats and IRC combine for Hahn Premium Race Week

by Rob Kothe on 21 Aug 2004 ‘We are here to race and we want to race the best’ said Skandia skipper Grant Wharington this morning, as he explained why the entire 2004 Hahn Premium Race Week Big Boat fleet has moved from the Big Boat division into IRC division overnight.

After Shock, Another Duchess, Wild Oats, Ichi Ban and Skandia were amongst the first boats to signal the move last night, but now the entire division has voted to change.

Race Director Warwick Hoban, was happy with the move. 'This is no problem for us, the guys are really competitive and some great Hahn Premium Race Week racing, just got better.'

There will be 26 boats in the expanded IRC division.

Now the battle of the Big Boats, the best assembled in the Regatta’s history with the two 98 footers Skandia and Konica Minolta (Zana), to meet for the first time in this morning’s Molle Island Race will take place in an even more competitive fleet.

Resort owners Bob Oatley sailing Wild Oats, the 2002 Big Boat winner at Hamilton Island and last years Admiral's Cup winner, 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 has the newly turbo-charged Aftershock up to speed showing class in every race at Hogs Breath Race Week.

With Bob Steel’s Nelson Marek 46 Quest, the form boat after her Sydney to Southport win.

Graeme Troon’s Reichel Pugh 46 XLR8 is obviously fast while Tony Kirby’s Bavaria Match 38 showing at Hogs Breath Race Week that she is on song, as is John Rouse’s Inglis 39 Rouseabout.

The battle will start at 10am in Dent Passage, in front of the Hamilton Island Resort.