Audi Sydney Southport wagers

by Lisa Ratcliff on 21 Mar 2007 While the focus of this weekend’s Audi Sydney Southport Yacht Race will revolve around the line honours contest and the chase for the coveted handicap trophies, a number of skippers and crew will have something else in the back of their minds – wagers.

The owners of Lloyd's Business Brokers Too Impetuous and Identity Crisis live next door to each other in canal system in Raby Bay, near Brisbane, with their respective boats moored out the front. Thanks to geography, a friendly rivalry has formed between the two owners and over the 384 nautical miles between Sydney Harbour and Southport’s Main Beach on the Queensland Gold Coast, a race within a race will be fought out.

'Although our boats are totally different, they are very competitive against each other in local racing,' says Ian Thomson, owner of Identity Crisis.

Too Impetuous is a former Admiral's Cup boat purpose built in 1981 for the 1983 Admiral's Cup. The Holland 43 missed out on the Australian team so instead represented New Guinea along with Sure Foot and Di Hard.

Five years ago Rudy Weber found Too Impetuous near Tin Can Bay where it was in a neglected state. After years of work, the boat has been restored and last year made her ocean racing comeback in the Brisbane to Gladstone race. With a first in the Veterans Division, third in division and sixth overall in PHS results, the old girl proved she still had it.

'She’s like a classic Ferrari, you keep throwing money at it but it is well worth it,' laughs Weber.

The crew on board Too Impetuous for this Saturday’s 1.00pm race start from Sydney Harbour is made up primarily of members of the Trailer Sailer Club of Queensland who only experienced ocean racing for the first time in last year’s Brisbane to Gladstone. The rest of the crew are 'experience heads from Sydney,' according to the skipper.

Identity Crisis on the other hand is a 2006 model Catalina 42MKII, which are renowned as great cruising boats. So what is a Catalina doing entering an ocean race?

'Well the boat has a real identity crisis,' says owner/skipper Ian Thomson.

Thomson is the Queensland agent for Catalina Yachts and while he owns a cruising boat, he loves his racing. He was the one who convinced Rudy to enter his boat in the Gladstone Race last year and he has put together a crew of Catalina owners and tradespeople who work on the boats for their first Audi Sydney Southport Yacht Race.

'None of the crew has ever raced in this race so it will be a great experience for all on board. We want to give people experience in offshore racing and encourage other cruising boats to come out and have some fun while at the same pushing their boats in racing conditions,' added Thomson.

And to add weight to the rivalry between Too Impetuous and Identity Crisis, there is a case of Verve Cliquot to the winning yacht, bought by the losing skipper.

The wager is not quite as high between two Lake Macquarie Yacht Club boats, Frantic and High Anxiety, with jugs of the sailor’s drink and Coke at stake. However the betting categories between these two boats seem to push the number of jugs up each race according to Mark Benson, owner of the Elliott High Anxiety, a regular entrant in the Southport and Coffs Harbour races.

'We have bets for first across the line and first on handicap but other categories are regularly added,' said Benson.

On board High Anxiety this Saturday will be Jimmy Blackett, 'one of the oldest fordeckies in the business,' who at 60 will be contesting his 21st race to Southport.

Michael Martin’s Sayer 40 Frantic was custom built for the 1994 Melbourne - Osaka Race and has been one of the gun boats on Lake Macquarie for a number of years.

www.southport.cyca.com.au

Audi Australia www.audi.com.au