BRINDABELLA EXCELLS TO RETAIN HAHN PREMIUM RACE WEEK LINE HONOURS.

by Ian Grant on 22 Aug 2001 George Snow's Brindabella crew expressed their long-term maxi yacht sailing experience to firm a stronger grip on the Hahn Premium Race Week line honours trophy with another convincing light wind performance off Hamilton Island today.

Brindabella principally designed to race over long distance offshore events was perfectly managed in the short course race sailed in a variable and tricky east-southeast wind.

Her crew clicked into action with perhaps their best start of the series to dictate the trend in tactics and speed as the Big Boat fleet staged a tactical battle to control the race with the advantage of sailing in clear wind.

Tactician Andrew Buckland who has been a bit 'line shy' in earlier races had basically destroyed any challenge by having Brindabella perfectly placed at the start and strategically called the right tactics to have Brindabella clear at the half way point to cover her rivals.

While Brindabella extended her lead a close tactical battle developed for the minor places between Bob Oatley's Another Duchess and Sean Langman's Grundig Xena from Sydney, and the impressive American sloop Icon skippered by Richard Robbins.

Even when light wind was blowing over the deck Brindabella still produced unmatched boat speed with her clever crew technique to draw away.

Her crew were selective by sailing every pressure line in the breeze to eventually win the 50 minute race by 2 minutes 17 seconds while Another Duchess, Grundig Xena and Icon staged a nip-n-tuck 'dogfight' over the final leg of the course before Another Duchess sealed second place just 18 seconds ahead of Grundig Xena with another 20 seconds to Icon.

After five races the smaller Sydney sloop Heaven Can Wait steered by former Australian Olympian for owner Warren Johns with her 1-1-2-1-2 score leads the championship on corrected handicap with four races to sail.