It begins

by John Curnow, Editor, Sail-World AUS on 31 Jul 2017 There is no doubt that the Sydney to Gold Coast race marks the start of boat watching season. The spectators have made their way up there already, and they now eagerly await the many and varied craft that are to make their entry from stage left anytime soon now. As compared with last year, well, it is great that it did not clash with the Sydney International Boat Show. Many who work in the industry were faced with serious issues over it previously, so now all they will have to consider is getting back in time, general tiredness, and then some residual emotional fluctuations.

Wild Oats XI took the fleet out in the little breeze that was on offer, but it was hard not to just stay focussed on the splendid Black Jack. The F1 on the bow plays homage to her previous life as Alfa Romeo II, as well as her late and oh-so-great Patron, Sir Jack Brabham, who remains inspirational to the elegant supermaxi’s owner, Peter Harburg. What a great effort her team has made to get her back here, then through a swift makeover, back down the highway to be reunited with her keel and stick in double quick time at Sydney City Marine, and then out and racing with her stunning new North Sails 3Di wardrobe.

Over the other side of the world, Ludde Ingvall’s supermaxi CQS prepares for the Fastnet. The race itself got so much traction when entries opened this year as if to almost lay rubber all the way to the rock and back. May the near to 400 boats and crews have a safe and great time.

Staying crewed for a while, albeit much smaller and wetter, and the ‘quicks’ get underway with their European Championships, as this gets written. We have had a rolling look at the AST in these editorials over the last few weeks, and it will be wonderful to see if David Gilmour and Joel Turner can carry on from their amazing efforts at Kieler Woche.

Will and Sam Phillips chartered a boat for that event, and finally got it smoking as the regatta wore on. It is only a month since they were at the very same venue, so if they can put some results together, then they too could well be back on the podium.

Team AUS is blessed to have Lachy Gilmour and Ryan Donaldson, Kurt Hansen and Jim Colley, Dave O’Connor and Harry Morton, as well as Haylee Outteridge and Nina Curtis, Caitlin Elks and Hayley Clark, then Amelia Stabback and Ella Clark heading out for the 49FX title. Marvellous to see Tess Lloyd on the list too, and she is with someone she knows very well in Eliza Solly. We get to see the foiling Nacra 17 in action, with 25 boats out there, and our Jason Waterhouse and Lisa Darmanin get to try their hands with the boat for the first time. In summation, lots and lots to keep an eye on.

Well then it must be time to look at the single-handers. Lisa Blair made it back to Albany to complete her lap of Antarctica. She remains a very clear reminder of what can be done when you lock in on the ‘what and the why’. The ‘how and the when’ have come, so congratulations Lisa, and I look forward to speaking with her in person soon. Her plans do not stop with this effort, so Lisa Blair will be very much a name for time to come.

Almost as soon as you have considered all that, you then think of the soon to be 78 year old, Jon Sanders. He did a double circumnavigation of Antarctica way back when, and is currently ploughing back across the Pacific to finish his record making 10th circumnavigation of the planet. In closing, let us simply say that Australia’s maritime credentials look more than safe when you consider all of the above. Congratulations to all of them for making it just so!

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